Remote control and monitoring of barrier operators with radio frequency transceivers
AssigneeOverhead Door Corporation
InventorsLarry Murphy, Brian Yackey, Grant Carlson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Low cost, low power consumption radio frequency transceivers are incorporated in barrier operator control systems for transmitting signals between an operator control unit, one or more remote control units, a diagnostic or calibration device and an obstruction detector. Similar detector devices, including such transceivers, may be employed in loading docks for detecting the status of dock levelers and vehicle restraint devices. Radio frequency communication eliminates the need for hard wiring and also provides for transmission of commands and status information between various control units.
Claims27
In a barrier operator system for moving a barrier between open and closed positions, a motor operably connected to a mechanism connected to said barrier, a base controller operably connected to said motor and operable to receive signals from barrier position limit detection means, and at least one remote control unit operable for wireless communication with said base controller, the improvement characterized by:
- said base controller includes an RF base transceiver and said at least one remote control unit includes an RF remote transceiver for communicating with said base transceiver, said remote control unit including status indicator means operable to indicate the status of said barrier as being one of open, opening, closed, closing, and obstruction detected in response to receiving signals from said base transceiver by way of said remote transceiver.
In a movable barrier operator system including a base controller having a radio frequency base transceiver and a remote control unit for controlling movement of said barrier, said remote control unit including a radio frequency remote transceiver operable to communicate with said base transceiver, a method including the steps of:
- communicating a wireless control signal from said remote transceiver to said base transceiver instructing said operator system to change the state of said barrier by either one of opening said barrier or closing said barrier;
- said base transceiver, upon receiving said wireless control signal, causing said base controller to either open or close said barrier;
- transmitting a wireless status signal from said base transceiver to said remote transceiver indicating a change of state of said barrier;
- and
- causing said remote control unit to provide a signal to alert a user thereof as to the status of said barrier.
In a barrier operator system for moving a barrier between open and closed positions, a motor operably connected to a mechanism connected to said barrier, a base controller operably connected to said motor and operable to receive signals from barrier position limit detection means, at least one remote control unit operable for wireless communication with said base controller, at least one of a barrier status indicating unit and an obstruction detection unit operable for wireless communication with at least one of said base controller and said one remote control unit;
- said base controller including an RF base transceiver, said at least one remote control unit including an RF remote transceiver, said at least one of said barrier status indicating unit and obstruction detection unit including an RF transceiver;
- and
- said transceivers being operable to transmit signals to at least one of said base transceiver and said remote transceiver indicating a status of said barrier of being one of in an open position, moving toward an open position, a closed position, moving toward a closed position and an obstruction detected;
- and
- said remote control unit includes signal means for generating a status signal in response to transmissions from at least one of said base transceiver and said transceiver of said status indicating unit and said obstruction detection unit.
In a barrier operator system for moving a barrier between open and closed positions, a motor operably connected to a mechanism connected to said barrier, a base controller operably connected to said motor and operable to receive signals from barrier position limit detection means, at least one remote control unit operable for wireless communication with said base controller, at least one of a barrier status indicating unit and an obstruction detection unit operable for wireless communication with at least one of said base controller and said one remote control unit;
- said base controller including an RF base transceiver, said at least one of said status indicating unit and obstruction detection unit including an RF transceiver operable to transmit signals to said base transceiver indicating one of a status of said barrier and an obstruction detected;
- and
- control means associated with said transceiver of said one of said status indicating unit and said obstruction detection unit for changing from a low power consumption state to a higher power consumption state upon receiving a signal from said base transceiver.
In a loading dock, including a dock leveler and at least one vehicle restraint disposed adjacent said dock leveler, said vehicle restraint and said dock leveler including, respectively, detector units associated therewith for transmitting radio frequency signals to a transceiver and control unit indicating the status of said vehicle restraint and said dock leveler, respectively, and a master, control unit operably connected to respective control units for said vehicle restraint and said dock levelers transmitting radio frequency signals to indicate the status of each of said vehicle restraints and said dock levelers, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.