Remotely Configurable Sensor System and Method of Use

• US 20170103648A1
• Filed: 10/12/2015
• Published: 04/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc. (The Chamberlain Group LLC)
• Inventors: Bodurka, Alex Josef
• Granted Patent: US 10,032,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/142 external to the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/146 where the parking area is a limited parking space, e.g. parking garage, restricted space

Abstract

A remotely configurable sensor and method for remotely configuring detection of a vehicle in a secured area for housing the vehicle are provided. The method includes providing a sensor in the secured area to detect the vehicle; wirelessly coupling a computing device to the sensor; displaying a configurable sensor setting on a display coupled to the computing device, the configurable sensor setting including at least one of the group consisting of a detection sensitivity, a detection duration, a threshold distance, a rate of approach, a detection rate when idle, a detection rate when active, a threshold distance for an active state, and a detection area; and saving a change to the configurable sensor setting at the sensor.

Claims

1. A method for remotely configuring detection of a vehicle in a secured area for housing the vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly coupling a computing device to a sensor disposed in the secured area to detect the vehicle;

displaying a configurable sensor setting on a display operatively coupled to the computing device, the configurable sensor setting including at least one of the group consisting of;

a detection sensitivity, a detection duration, a threshold distance, a rate of approach, a detection rate when idle, a detection rate when active, a threshold distance for an active state, modes of operation, and a detection area;

receiving by the computing device user input indicating a change to the configurable sensor setting; and

saving the change to the configurable sensor setting at the sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a signal to the computing device indicative of sensing the vehicle in the secured area.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the current status of the configurable sensor setting.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a range of adjustment available for the configurable sensor setting.

5. A system for remotely configuring detection of a vehicle in a secured area for housing the vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensor having a configurable sensor setting;

a computing device wirelessly coupled to the sensor; and

a display operatively coupled to the computing device and configured to display the configurable sensor setting,

wherein the configurable sensor setting includes at least one of the group consisting;

of a detection sensitivity, a detection duration, a threshold distance, a rate of approach, a detection rate when idle, a detection rate when active, a threshold distance for an active state, modes of operation, and a detection area.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising an indicator providing an alert indicative of sensing a vehicle in the secured area, the alert selected from the group consisting of:

text, graphics, lights, vibration, audio, and combinations thereof.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the indicator is the display.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of:

a light, a speaker, a movable barrier operator, a vehicle display system, a mobile computing device, an automation interface, and combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the sensor is configured to detect at least one of a position of the vehicle in the secured area, a presence of the vehicle in the secured area, a rate of approach of the vehicle to the sensor, a change in movement of the vehicle in the secured area, and a distance of the vehicle from the sensor.

10. The system of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the vehicle through at least one of sound, light, radio, induction, capacitive, thermal, and vibration.

11. A method for detection of a vehicle in a secured area for housing the vehicle, the method comprising:

wirelessly coupling a remote device to a sensor disposed in the secure area to detect the vehicle, the remote device selected from the group consisting of;

a movable barrier operator, a mobile computing device, and a vehicle computing device;

detecting at the sensor at least one of a distance of the vehicle from the sensor, a rate of approach of the vehicle to the sensor, and a position of the vehicle in a predetermined position relative to the sensor; and

providing an alert to the remote device indicative of the detection at the sensor of at least one of the distance of the vehicle from the sensor, the rate of approach of the vehicle to the sensor, and the position of the vehicle in a predetermined position relative to the sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising changing a configurable sensor setting, the configurable sensor setting including at least one of the group consisting of:

a detection sensitivity, a detection duration, a threshold distance, a rate of approach, a detection rate when idle, a detection rate when active, a threshold distance for an active state, a mode of operation, and a detection area.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying the current status of the configurable sensor setting at the remote device.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising displaying a range of adjustment available for the configurable sensor setting at the remote device.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing an alert indicative of sensing a vehicle in the secured area, the alert selected from the group consisting of:

text, graphics, lights, vibration, audio, and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the alert is provided at the remote device.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the alert is provided at a device other than the remote device.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the detecting at the sensor begins in response to at least one of the group consisting of:

operation of a movable barrier operator, approach of a mobile computing device, and detection of motion in the secured area.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising operating the sensor in a passive, power saving mode until the detecting step begins in response to at least one of the group consisting of:

operation of a movable barrier operator, approach of a mobile computing device, and detection of motion in the secured area.