Method and apparatus for a rolling code learning transmitter

• US 7,057,494 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Fitzgibbon, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brain
• Assistant Examiner(s): JENKINS, KIMBERLY YVETTE
• Application Number:
  US09/925,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.22, 340/5.7, 340/5.71, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/5.23, 341/176
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00492 whereby the code is a rolling code
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00888 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/08 With time considerations, e.g. temporary activation, valid time window or time limitations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed

Abstract

A barrier movement operator system having a receiver for receiving, learning and responding to transmitted rolling code access codes. The barrier movement operator provides a method and apparatus for learning valid security codes by a security code receiver comprising receiving a first previously learned security code and beginning a learn mode operation in response thereto, within a predetermined period of time, receiving a second security code, having a predetermined relationship to the first security code; and storing a representation of the second security code as a valid security code.

Claims

1. A method for automatically learning a rolling type access code from a learning transmitter by a barrier movement operator, comprising steps of:

receiving by the barrier movement operator a first rolling type access code from a first transmitter, the first rolling access code having a fixed identification portion recognized by the operator;

beginning a learn mode operation in response to receipt of the first rolling access code by the barrier movement operator;

saving a representation of the first rolling type access code received from the first transmitter in the barrier movement operator;

receiving the first rolling type access code from the first transmitter by the learning transmitter, and storing a representation of the first rolling type access code therein;

receiving, by the operator, a second rolling type access code from the learning transmitter within a predetermined period of time after from receiving the first rolling type access code;

comparing the second rolling type access code with the first rolling type access code saved in the operator;

storing the representation of the second rolling type access code in the operator when the comparing step identifies that a predetermined relationship exists between the first rolling type access code and the second rolling type access code.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising wherein, during the first receiving step, after operator receives the first access code for moving the barrier, the operator further receives a signal from the first transmitter to stop and stopping the barrier on a mid-travel position after the first receiving step level, and this barrier position is being recorded as a starting point for the learning process.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the first rolling type access code and the second rolling type access code comprises a rolling code portion and at least one fixed identification portion.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the first rolling type access code comprises a fixed identification portion recognized by the operator.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said predetermined relationship exists when the second rolling type access code comprises substantially the same fixed identification portion as the first rolling type access code, and the second rolling type access code is next in sequence to the first rolling code access code.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the fixed identification portion is a transmitter number identification portion.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the fixed identification portion is a transmitter type identification portion.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, prior to receiving a first rolling transmitter access code by the operator, a barrier is closed while the first transmitter and the learning transmitter are placed between the barrier and the barrier movement operator.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, after receiving the first rolling code from the first transmitter to open the barrier, the operator further receives a signal from the first transmitter to stop the barrier on a mid-travel level, and this barrier position is being recorded as a starting point for a learning mode.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second rolling code from the learning transmitter is being saved in the operator only if time between last operation of the barrier by the first transmitter and receipt of transmission from the learning transmitter by the operator is within some predetermined time limits.

11. A method for automatically learning a new transmitter rolling type access code by a barrier movement operator, comprising steps of:

sending a first rolling type access code from a previously known transmitter to the operator;

starting an operator auto learn mode by activating the operator in response to the first rolling type access code received by the operator and saving the first rolling type access code in the operator;

storing a representation of the first rolling code in a learning transmitter;

within a predetermined time limit, receiving by operator, a second rolling type access code derived by the learning transmitter from the stored representation of the first rolling type access code; and

saving the second rolling type access code in the operator, when both the second rolling type access code and the first rolling type access code saved in the operator have a correlated fixed identification portion, said fixed identification portion being recognizable by the operator, and the second rolling code is next in sequence to the first rolling code saved in the operator.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the second rolling type access code further comprises an a type identification portion identifying the learning transmitter.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising step of identifying, by operator, the second rolling type access code as coming from a learning transmitter.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the second transmitter access code is saved in the operator when identified as an access code received from a learning type transmitter within some predetermined time limits.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, after receiving the first access code from the previously known transmitter to move the barrier, the operator further receives a signal from the known transmitter to stop the barrier on a mid-travel level, and this barrier position is being recorded as a starting point for the auto learn mode.

16. A barrier movement operator system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving, learning and responding to transmitted rolling code type access codes;

at least one trained transmitter for operating the system by transmitting a rolling code type access code to the receiver, the rolling code including a fixed identification portion recognized by the system;

at least one learning transmitter for learning the rolling code type access code from said trained transmitter in order to operate the system;

a controller for evaluating relationship between a learning transmitter rolling type access code and the a trained transmitter rolling type access code; and

a timer to run time between last operation of the barrier by the trained transmitter and receipt of transmission from the learning transmitter by the system; and

a device for providing a barrier movement in response to access codes received by the receiver.

17. The operator system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the rolling type access code learned by the learning transmitter from the trained transmitter includes the fixed identification portion recognized by the system.

18. The operator system according to claim 17, wherein the fixed identification portion of the rolling type access code is a trained transmitter number identification.

19. The operator system according to claim 18, wherein the fixed identification portion of the rolling type access code is a transmitter type identification.

20. The operator system according to claim 16, wherein the controller is implemented using a programmable microcontroller.

21. A method for modifying a rolling type operation code for a barrier movement operator, comprising steps of:

receiving by the operator a first rolling type operation code from an original learning a transmitter;

beginning a learn mode of the operator upon receipt of the first rolling operation code

saving the first rolling type operation code in the operator;

modifying the first rolling type operation code by a learning transmitter;

within a predetermined period of time from the first receiving step, receiving a the modified rolling type operation code from the learning transmitter, the modified rolling operation code having a predetermined relationship with the first rolling operation code;

storing the modified rolling type operation code in the operator when received within a predetermined period of time after the beginning of the learn mode; and

ending the learn mode the predetermined period of time after the beginning of the learn mode.