Granted Patent B2

US 10,823,879 · App. 16/047,846 · Granted Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

Claims (58)

1. An obstacle detection system of a movable barrier operator, the obstacle detection system comprising:

a first light emitter configured to emit a light signal;

a collimator configured to receive a portion of the light signal reflected back from an object;

a first light detector configured to receive light from the collimator;

a second light emitter at least partially in the collimator, the second light emitter configured to emit a test signal toward the first light detector;

a second light detector configured to detect the light signal emitted by the first light emitter; and

a processor operatively coupled to the first light emitter, the first light detector, the second light emitter, and the second light detector, the processor configured to:

use the second light detector for determining whether the first light emitter is operable; and

use the second light emitter for determining whether the first light detector is operable.

2. The obstacle detection system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first light emitter and the first light detector are operable in response to the first light emitter emitting the light signal and the first light detector not receiving the portion of the light signal.

3. The obstacle detection system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first light emitter is operable by:

causing the first light emitter to emit a second light signal; and

determining whether the second light detector received the second light signal from the first light emitter.

4. The obstacle detection system of claim 3 wherein the processor is further configured to output a signal indicative of a failure of the first light emitter in response to a determination that the second light detector did not receive the second light signal.

5. The obstacle detection system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first light detector is operable by:

causing the second light emitter to emit the test signal toward the first light detector; and

determining whether the first light detector received the test signal.

6. The obstacle detection system of claim 5 wherein the processor is further configured to output a signal indicative of a failure of the first light detector in response to a determination that the first light detector did not receive the test signal.

7. The obstacle detection system of claim 1 further comprising a memory configured to store a baseline time value representative of an unobstructed light signal being emitted from the first light emitter and received at the first light detector; and

the processor further configured to:

determine whether the light signal emitted from the first light emitter encountered an obstacle based at least in part on the baseline time value; and

output a signal in response to a determination that the light signal emitted from the first light emitter encountered an obstacle.

8. The obstacle detection system of claim 7 wherein the baseline time value is a baseline time-of-flight of an unobstructed light signal emitted from the first light emitter and received at the first light detector; and

the processor is further configured to determine whether the light signal emitted from the first light emitter encountered an obstacle by determining whether the time-of-flight of the portion of the light signal received by the first light detector is less than the baseline time-of-flight.

9. The obstacle detection system of claim 1 further comprising communication circuitry, and wherein the processor is further configured to cause the communication circuitry to send a signal representative of a failure mode to a user device in response to the processor determining that at least one of the first light emitter and the first light detector are inoperable.

10. The obstacle detection system of claim 1 further comprising:

an additional collimator configured to collimate the light signal emitted from the first light emitter, wherein the second light detector is at least partially in the additional collimator.

11. The obstacle detection system of claim 10 , wherein the collimator defines a first axis and the second light emitter is configured off-axis or coaxial with the first axis, and wherein the additional collimator defines a second axis and the second light detector is configured off-axis or coaxial with the second axis.

12. A method of operating an obstacle detection system of a movable barrier operator, the method comprising:

causing a first light emitter to emit a light signal for receipt by a first light detector via a collimator associated with the first light detector to determine whether an object obstructs an opening, the collimator configured to receive a portion of the light signal at an aperture of the collimator and direct the received portion of the light signal toward the first light detector;

using a second light detector to determine whether the first light emitter is operable; and

using a second light emitter to determine whether the first light detector is operable, wherein using the second light emitter to determine whether the first light detector is operable includes causing the second light emitter to emit a second light signal into the collimator of the first light detector intermediate the aperture of the collimator and the first light detector.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether the first light detector and the first light emitter are operable is performed in response to being unable to determine whether an object obstructs the opening using the first light emitter and the first light detector.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether the first light emitter is operable includes:

determining whether the first light emitter is operable by causing the first light emitter to emit a second light signal and determining whether the second light detector received the second light signal.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising transmitting a signal indicative of a failure mode in response to a determination that at least one of the first light emitter and the first light detector is inoperable.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein determining whether the first light emitter and the first light detector are operable includes a processor operating the second light emitter and the second light detector, and the processor determining whether the first light emitter and the first light detector are operable relative to operating the second light emitter and the second light detector.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

storing a baseline time value representative of an unobstructed light signal being emitted from the first light emitter and received at the first light detector;

determining whether an object obstructs the opening based at least in part on the baseline time value; and

transmitting a signal in response to a determination that an obstacle obstructs the opening.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein storing a baseline time value involves calculating the baseline time value as a baseline time-of-flight of an unobstructed light signal emitted from the first light emitter and received at the first light detector; and

determining whether a time-of-flight of the portion of the light signal received by the first light detector is less than the baseline time-of-flight to determine whether an obstacle obstructs the opening.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising sending a signal representative of a failure mode to a user device in response to a determination that at least one of the first light emitter and the first light detector are inoperable.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein causing the first light emitter to emit the light signal includes causing the first light emitter to emit the light signal into an additional collimator associated with the first light emitter.

21. An obstacle detection system comprising:

a first light emitter configured to emit a light signal;

a first light detector;

a collimator having an aperture to receive a portion of the light signal reflected back from an object, the collimator configured to direct the received portion of the light signal toward the first light detector;

a second light emitter configured to emit a test signal into the collimator intermediate the aperture of the collimator and the first light detector;

a second light detector configured to detect the light signal emitted by the first light emitter; and

a processor operatively coupled to the first light emitter, the first light detector, the second light emitter, and the second light detector, the processor configured to:

use the second light detector for determining whether the first light emitter is operable; and

use the second light emitter for determining whether the first light detector is operable.

22. The obstacle detection system of claim 21 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the first light detector is operable by:

causing the second light emitter to emit the test signal into the collimator intermediate the aperture of the collimator and the first light detector; and

determining whether the first light detector received the test signal.

23. The obstacle detection system of claim 22 wherein the processor is further configured to output a signal indicative of a failure of the first light detector in response to a determination that the first light detector did not receive the test signal.

Assignments (7)