Movable barrier operator and method
View Patent ↗A movable barrier operator includes a communication interface configured to receive commands that cause the motor to move the movable barrier. The movable barrier operator further includes a processing circuit configured to cause the motor to automatically move the movable barrier from a first open position toward a closed position and then from the closed position toward a second open position different from the first open position in response to receipt of an intermediate open command by the communication interface. The processing circuit can also cause the motor of the movable barrier operator to move the movable barrier toward the first open position in response to the processing circuit determining that the movable barrier had been obstructed while moving from the first open position toward the closed position.
1. A movable barrier operator comprising:
a motor configured to be coupled to a movable barrier;
a communication interface configured to receive commands that cause the motor to move the movable barrier; and
a processing circuit in communication with the motor and the communication interface, the processing circuit configured to:
cause the motor to automatically move the movable barrier from a first open position toward a closed position in response to receipt of an intermediate open command at the communication interface; and
upon the movable barrier moving to the closed position due to receipt of the intermediate open command at the communication interface and without the communication interface receiving another command, cause the motor to automatically move the movable barrier from the closed position toward a second open position different from the first open position; and
the processing circuit further configured to cause the motor to move the movable barrier toward the first open position in response to the processing circuit determining that the movable barrier has encountered an obstruction while moving from the first open position toward the closed position,
wherein the processing circuit includes a memory configured to store a second open position setting associated with the second open position of the movable barrier.
2. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine whether the movable barrier is in the first open position and, in response to the processing circuit determining the movable barrier is in the first open position and the communication interface receiving the intermediate open command, to cause the motor to move the movable barrier from the first open position toward the closed position, and then toward the second open position.
3. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether the movable barrier is in the closed position and, in response to the processing circuit determining the movable barrier is in the closed position and the communication interface receiving the intermediate open command, to cause the motor to move the movable barrier from the closed position toward the second open position.
4. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the second open position based on the intermediate open command.
5. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect the movable barrier encountering an obstruction and send a signal indicative of the movable barrier encountering the obstruction to the processing circuit, the processing circuit further configured to determine that the movable barrier has encountered an obstruction based on the signal.
6. The movable barrier operator of claim 5 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of sensitive edging associated with the movable barrier and a force sensor associated with the motor.
7. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the first open position of the movable barrier is a fully open position and the second open position of the movable barrier is between the first open position and the closed position.
8. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the first open position of the movable barrier is intermediate the second open position and the closed position.
9. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to change the second open position setting stored in the memory in response to the communication interface receiving a set command.
10. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive a signal comprising at least one sensed characteristic of a vehicle, and wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine the second open position based on the signal.
11. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive the intermediate open command over a protocol-based communications network.
12. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to send, via the communication interface, a status of the movable barrier to an external device configured to control the movable barrier operator.
13. The movable barrier operator of claim 1 , in combination with the movable barrier, wherein the movable barrier is a garage door.
14. A movable barrier operator comprising:
a motor configured to be coupled to a movable barrier;
a communication interface configured to receive commands;
a processing circuit in communication with the motor and the communication interface;
the processing circuit operates the motor, relative to receipt of an intermediate open command by the communication interface, to:
move the movable barrier from a first open position toward a closed position; and
move the movable barrier from the closed position to a second open position different from the first open position; and
the processing circuit is configured to cause the motor to move the movable barrier toward the first open position in response to the processing circuit determining that the movable barrier has encountered an obstruction while moving from the first open position toward the closed position,
wherein the processing circuit includes a memory configured to store a second open position setting associated with the second open position of the movable barrier.
15. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine whether the movable barrier is in the first open position and, in response to the processing circuit determining the movable barrier is in the first open position and the communication interface receiving the intermediate open command, to cause the motor to move the movable barrier from the first open position toward the closed position, and then toward the second open position.
16. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine whether the movable barrier is in the closed position and, in response to the processing circuit determining the movable barrier is in the closed position and the communication interface receiving the intermediate open command, to cause the motor to move the movable barrier from the closed position toward the second open position.
17. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine the second open position based on the intermediate open command.
18. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect the movable barrier encountering an obstruction and send a signal indicative of the movable barrier encountering the obstruction to the processing circuit, the processing circuit further configured to determine that the movable barrier has encountered an obstruction based on the signal.
19. The movable barrier operator of claim 18 , wherein the sensor includes at least one of sensitive edging associated with the movable barrier and a force sensor associated with the motor.
20. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the first open position of the movable barrier is a fully open position and the second open position of the movable barrier is between the first open position and the closed position.
21. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the first open position of the movable barrier is intermediate the second open position and the closed position.
22. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to change the second open position setting stored in the memory in response to the communication interface receiving a set command.
23. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive a signal comprising at least one sensed characteristic of a vehicle, and wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine the second open position based on the signal.
24. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive the intermediate open command over a protocol-based communications network.
25. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to send, via the communication interface, a status of the movable barrier to an external device configured to control the movable barrier operator.
26. The movable barrier operator of claim 14 , in combination with the movable barrier, wherein the movable barrier is a garage door.