Remote control system for an access door having remote transmitter verification

• US 7,737,820 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2001
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US09/993,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20020075133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,133 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.64, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/426, 340/539, 340/825.37, 340/5.71, 340/5.22, 340 523- 528, 340 53- 532, 340 57- 574, 340/7.39, 340 751- 759, 341/176, 341/174, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/5.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00261 the keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00888 programming by learning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed

Abstract

A remote control system for moving an access door includes an indicator, at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter, and a controller that is switchable to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter. The controller is switchable to a door moving mode based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter. The controller cooperates with the indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned based upon the controller being switched to the door moving mode to thereby alert a user of a potentially unauthorized learned remote transmitter. Alternately, a remote switch may be used to activate the indicator.

Claims

1. A remote control system for moving an access door and comprising:

at least one indicator;

at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter; and

a controller being switchable to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter, said controller also being switchable to a door moving mode for moving the access door based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter;

said controller cooperating with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned based upon said controller being switched to the door moving mode.

2. A remote control system according to claim 1 wherein indication of whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned comprises indicating a number of learned remote transmitters.

3. A remote control system according to claim 1 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating a change in a number of learned remote transmitters.

4. A remote control system according to claim 1 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating a change in a unique code of learned remote transmitters.

5. A remote control system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one indicator comprises at least one of a light, a visual display, a speech message generator, and an audible signal generator.

6. A remote control system according to claim 1 further comprising a remote door switch for switching said controller to the door moving mode.

7. A remote control system according to claim 1 further comprising a remote indicator switch for causing said controller to cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

8. A remote control system according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one light connected to said controller and being energized when said controller is switched to the door moving mode; and

a remote light switch for also causing said at least one light to be energized, and for causing said controller to cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

9. A remote control system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a learned transmitter indicator switch for causing said controller to cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

10. A remote control system according to claim 9 wherein said controller comprises a fixed transceiver, and wherein said at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a remote transceiver and a remote indicator associated therewith so that selection of said learned transmitter indicator switch causes said controller to cooperate with said remote indicator via said fixed and remote transceivers for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

11. A remote control system according to claim 1 wherein the learned remote transmitter transmits a pseudorandomly coded signal to said controller.

12. A remote control system according to claim 1 wherein the access door comprises a garage door.

13. A remote control system for moving an access door and comprising:

at least one indicator;

at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter;

a controller being switchable to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter, said controller also being switchable to a door moving mode for moving the access door based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter; and

at least one remote switch for causing said controller to cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned;

wherein indication of whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned comprises indicating a number of learned remote transmitters.

14. A remote control system according to claim 13 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating a change in a number of learned remote transmitters.

15. A remote control system according to claim 14 wherein the access door comprises a garage door.

16. A remote control system according to claim 13 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating a change in a unique code of learned remote transmitters.

17. A remote control system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one indicator comprises at least one of a light, a visual display, a speech message generator, and an audible signal generator.

18. A remote control system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one remote switch also switches said controller to the door moving mode.

19. A remote control system according to claim 13 wherein said controller further cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned based upon said controller being switched to the door moving mode.

20. A remote control system according to claim 13 further comprising at least one light connected to said controller and being energized when said controller is switched to the door moving mode;

and wherein said at least one remote switch also causes said at least one light to be energized.

21. A remote control system according to claim 13 wherein said at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a learned transmitter indicator switch for causing said controller to cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

22. A remote control system according to claim 21 wherein said controller comprises a fixed transceiver, and wherein said at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a remote transceiver and a remote indicator associated therewith so that selection of said learned transmitter indicator switch causes said controller to cooperate with said remote indicator via said fixed and remote transceivers for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

23. A remote control system for moving an access door and comprising:

at least one indicator;

at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter; and

a controller being switchable to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter, said controller also being switchable to a door moving mode for moving the access door based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter;

said controller cooperating with said at least one indicator for continuously indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned;

wherein indication of whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned comprises indicating a number of learned remote transmitters.

24. A remote control system according to claim 23 wherein said at least one indicator comprises at least one of a light, a visual display, a speech message generator, and an audible signal generator.

25. A remote control system according to claim 23 further comprising a remote door switch for switching said controller to the door moving mode.

26. A remote control system according to claim 23 wherein the access door comprises a garage door.

27. A remote control system for moving an access door and comprising:

at least one indicator;

at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter; and

a controller being switchable to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter, said controller also being switchable to a door moving mode for moving the access door based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter;

said controller cooperating with said at least one indicator for repeatedly indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned;

wherein indication of whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned comprises indicating a number of learned remote transmitters.

28. A remote control system according to claim 27 wherein said at least one indicator comprises at least one of a light, a visual display, a speech message generator, and an audible signal generator.

29. A remote control system according to claim 27 further comprising a remote door switch for switching said controller to the door moving mode.

30. A remote control system according to claim 27 wherein the access door comprises a garage door.

31. A remote control system for moving an access door and comprising:

at least one indicator;

at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter; and

a controller being switchable to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter, said controller also being switchable to a door moving mode for moving the access door based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter;

said controller cooperating with said at least one indicator for indicating that the learning mode has recently been exited;

wherein said at least one indicator progressively indicates a passage of time since the learning mode has been exited.

32. A remote control system according to claim 31 wherein said at least one indicator comprises at least one of a light, a visual display, a speech message generator, and an audible signal generator.

33. A remote control system according to claim 31 wherein said controller also cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned based upon said controller being switched to the door moving mode to thereby alert a user of a potentially unauthorized learned remote transmitter.

34. A remote control system according to claim 33 wherein indication of whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned comprises indicating a number of learned remote transmitters.

35. A remote control system according to claim 33 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating a change in a number of learned remote transmitters.

36. A remote control system according to claim 33 wherein said controller cooperates with said at least one indicator for indicating a change in a unique code of learned remote transmitters.

37. A remote control system according to claim 31 further comprising a remote door switch for switching said controller to the door moving mode.

38. A remote control system according to claim 31 further comprising a remote indicator switch for causing said controller to also cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

39. A remote control system according to claim 31 further comprising:

at least one light connected to said controller and being energized when said controller is switched to the door moving mode; and

a remote light switch for also causing said at least one light to be energized, and for causing said controller to also cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

40. A remote control system according to claim 31 wherein said at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a learned transmitter indicator switch for causing said controller to also cooperate with said at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

41. A remote control system according to claim 40 wherein said controller comprises a fixed transceiver, and wherein said at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a remote transceiver and a remote indicator associated therewith so that selection of said learned transmitter indicator switch causes said controller to cooperate with said remote indicator via said fixed and remote transceivers for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

42. A remote control system according to claim 31 wherein the learned remote transmitter transmits a pseudorandomly coded signal to said controller.

43. A remote control system according to claim 31 wherein the access door comprises a garage door.

44. A method for moving an access door using a remote control system comprising a controller and at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter, the method comprising:

switching the controller to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter;

switching the controller to a door moving mode for moving the access door based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter; and

indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned based upon the controller being switched to the door moving mode to thereby alert a user of a potentially unauthorized learned remote transmitter.

45. A method according to claim 44 wherein the indicating comprises indicating a number of learned remote transmitters.

46. A method according to claim 44 wherein the controller cooperates with the at least one indicator for indicating a change in a number of learned remote transmitters.

47. A method according to claim 44 wherein the controller cooperates with the at least one indicator for indicating a change in a unique code of learned remote transmitters.

48. A method according to claim 44 wherein the indicating is performed using at least one of a light, a visual display, a speech message generator, and an audible signal generator.

49. A method according to claim 44 further comprising switching the controller to the door moving mode using a remote door switch.

50. A method according to claim 44 further comprising using a remote indicator switch for causing the controller to cooperate with the at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

51. A method according to claim 44 wherein the remote control system further comprises at least one light connected to the controller and being energized when the controller is switched to the door moving mode;

and further comprising using a remote light switch for also causing the at least one light to be energized, and for causing the controller to cooperate with the at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

52. A method according to claim 44 wherein the at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a learned transmitter indicator switch for causing the controller to cooperate with the at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

53. A method according to claim 52 wherein the controller comprises a fixed transceiver, and wherein the at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a remote transceiver and a remote indicator associated therewith so that selection of the learned transmitter indicator switch causes the controller to cooperate with the remote indicator via the fixed and remote transceivers for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

54. A method according to claim 44 wherein the learned remote transmitter transmits a pseudorandomly coded signal to the controller.

55. A method according to claim 44 wherein the access door comprises a garage door.

56. A method for moving an access door using a remote control system comprising a controller, at least one remote switch, and at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter, the method comprising:

switching the controller to a learning mode for learning a unique code of a remote transmitter to define a learned remote transmitter;

switching the controller to a door moving mode for moving the access door based upon receiving a signal from the learned remote transmitter; and

indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned based upon activation of the at least one remote switch to thereby alert a user of a potentially unauthorized learned remote transmitter;

wherein the indicating comprises indicating a number of learned remote transmitters.

57. A method according to claim 56 wherein the controller cooperates with the at least one indicator for indicating a change in a number of learned remote transmitters.

58. A method according to claim 56 wherein the controller cooperates with the at least one indicator for indicating a change in a unique code of learned remote transmitters.

59. A method according to claim 56 wherein the indicating is performed using at least one of a light, a visual display, a speech message generator, and an audible signal generator.

60. A method according to claim 56 wherein switching the controller to the door moving also causes the indicating to be performed.

61. A method according to claim 56 wherein the at least one remote switch also switches the controller to the door moving mode.

62. A method according to claim 56 wherein the remote control system further comprises at least one light connected to the controller and being energized when the controller is switched to the door moving mode;

and further comprising using a remote light switch for also causing the at least one light to be energized, and for causing the controller to cooperate with the at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

63. A method according to claim 56 wherein the at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a learned transmitter indicator switch for causing the controller to cooperate with the at least one indicator for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

64. A method according to claim 63 wherein the controller comprises a fixed transceiver, and wherein the at least one uniquely coded remote transmitter comprises a remote transceiver and a remote indicator associated therewith so that selection of the learned transmitter indicator switch causes the controller to cooperate with the remote indicator via the fixed and remote transceivers for indicating whether a new uniquely coded remote transmitter has been learned.

65. A method according to claim 56 wherein the learned remote transmitter transmits a pseudorandomly coded signal to the controller.

66. A method according to claim 56 wherein the access door comprises a garage door.