Systems and methods for automatically controlling loading dock equipment
AssigneeAssa Abloy Entrance Systems AB
InventorsBrett A. Walford, Eric Breen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for automatically controlling loading dock equipment, such as in response to a trailer approaching and docking at a docking station, are disclosed. The systems and methods can provide scanning devices and scanning operations which assist with, for example, properly aligning a trailer at a docking station and/or checking an interior area in front of the dock door for obstructions. The systems and methods can also transmit messages between components of the system and/or to users of the system regarding the status of components of the systems and/or the status of the overall docking process.
Claims30
An automated docking system for use with a loading dock station, comprising:
- a first sensor system configured to detect the presence of a vehicle in an exterior area proximate a loading dock door;
- a second sensor system configured to detect obstructions in an interior area proximate the loading dock door;
- and
- a control unit communicatively coupled with the first sensor system and the second sensor system, the control unit being programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed:
- automatically instruct the second sensor system to perform a scan of the interior area when the control unit receives a first signal from the first sensor system indicating that the vehicle is present in the exterior area;
- and
- automatically enable operation of at least a portion of the loading dock station when the control unit receives a second signal from the second sensor system indicating that no obstructions have been detected in the interior area.
A method for automatically controlling operation of a loading dock station, the method comprising:
- automatically activating a first sensor system when a vehicle approaches a loading dock door, wherein the first sensor system is configured to detect the presence of the vehicle in an exterior area proximate the loading dock door;
- automatically activating a second sensor system when the vehicle is present in the exterior area, wherein the second sensor system is configured to scan an interior area of the loading dock door for obstructions;
- and
- automatically activating at least a portion of the loading dock station when the scan of the interior area of the loading dock door indicates no obstructions are present in the interior area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.