IP Library Granted Patent US 11,328,424
Granted Patent B1
US 11,328,424 · App. 16/535,738 · Granted May 10, 2022

Systems and methods for monitoring a movable barrier

Inventors: James Fitzgibbon (Batavia, IL); Thomas Jason Grinter (Wheaton, IL)
Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
G06T7/11E05F15/73G06T7/12G06T7/174G06T7/73E05F2015/767
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,328,424
App. No.
16/535,738
Granted
May 10, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein that may be used to monitor a movable barrier operated by a movable barrier operator. In some embodiments, a system includes a camera configured to capture frames, and a control circuit. The camera has a field of view that defines a boundary of each of the frames. The control circuit is configured to receive a first frame, identify a stationary object in the first frame, and define a region of interest “ROI” relative to the stationary object in the first frame. The control circuit is further configured to receive a second frame, identify the stationary object in the second frame, determine whether at least a portion of the ROI is outside of the second frame, and cause the movable barrier operator to enter a failsafe mode upon the at least a portion of the ROI being outside of the second frame.

Claims (51)

1. A system for monitoring a region of interest (“ROI”) with respect to a movable barrier operated by a movable barrier operator, the system comprising:

a camera configured to capture a plurality of frames, the camera having a field of view (“FOV”) that defines a boundary of each of the plurality of frames;

a control circuit configured to be communicatively coupled to the camera and to the movable barrier operator, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

receive a first frame of the plurality of frames from the camera;

identify a stationary object in the first frame;

define a ROI relative to the stationary object in the first frame;

receive a second frame of the plurality of frames from the camera;

identify the stationary object in the second frame;

determine whether at least a portion of the ROI defined relative to the stationary object is outside of the second frame; and

cause the movable barrier operator to enter a failsafe mode upon the at least a portion of the ROI defined relative to the stationary object being outside of the second frame.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

identify, based on the first frame, a location of the stationary object within the first frame;

identify, based on the second frame, a location of the stationary object within the second frame; and

wherein the determination of whether the at least a portion of the ROI defined relative to the stationary object is outside of the second frame is based on a difference between the location of the stationary object within the first frame and the location of the stationary object within the second frame.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

translate, based on the location of the stationary object within the first frame and the location of the stationary object within the second fame, the ROI between the first frame and the second frame.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein translation of the ROI includes at least one of a linear translation and a rotational translation.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the stationary object is identified by at least one coordinate.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the at least a portion of the ROI is outside of the second frame includes determining that the at least a portion of the ROI is outside of the second frame upon the ROI being within a threshold distance of a boundary of the second frame.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the movable barrier operator to enter the failsafe mode which includes at least one of:

stopping the movable barrier;

opening the movable barrier; and

closing the movable barrier.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

generate, based on causing the movable barrier operator to enter the failsafe mode, a notification, wherein the notification indicates that the failsafe mode has been entered; and

cause communication of the notification to a user device.

9. A method for monitoring a region of interest (“ROI”) with respect to a movable barrier operated by a movable barrier operator, the method comprising:

at control circuit:

receiving a first frame of a plurality of frames via a camera, the camera having a field of view (“FOV”) that defines a boundary of each of the plurality of frames;

identifying a stationary object in the first frame;

defining a ROI relative to the stationary object in the first frame;

receiving a second frame of the plurality of frames via the camera;

identifying the stationary object in the second frame;

determining whether at least a portion of the ROI defined relative to the stationary object is outside of the second frame; and

causing the movable barrier operator to enter a failsafe mode upon the at least a portion of the ROI defined relative to the stationary object being outside of the second frame.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

identifying, by the control circuit based on the first frame, a location of the stationary object within the first frame;

identifying, by the control circuit based on the second frame, a location of the stationary object within the second frame; and

wherein the determining whether at least a portion of the ROI defined relative to the stationary object is outside of the second frame is based on the location of the stationary object within the first frame and the location of the stationary object within the second frame.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

translating, by the control circuit based on the location of the stationary object within the first frame and the location of the stationary object within the second frame, the ROI between the first frame and the second frame.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the translating includes at least one of a linear translation and a rotational translation.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the stationary object is identified by at least one coordinate.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the determining whether the at least a portion of the ROI is outside of the second frame includes determining the at least a portion of the ROI is outside of the second frame upon the ROI being within a threshold distance of a boundary of the second frame.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the causing the movable barrier operator to enter the failsafe mode includes at least one of:

stopping the movable barrier;

opening the movable barrier; and

closing the movable barrier.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

generating, upon causing the movable barrier operator to enter the failsafe mode, a notification by the control circuit, wherein the notification indicates that the failsafe mode has been entered; and

causing, by the control circuit, communication of the notification to a user device.

Assignments (5)
NOTICE OF TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 26, 2024
From: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC; SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 066374/0749 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC; SYSTEMS, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058014/0931 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC; SYSTEMS, LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058015/0001 →
CONVERSION Recorded Sep 3, 2021
From: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP, INC.
To: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 057407/0080 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2019
From: FITZGIBBON, JAMES; GRINTER, THOMAS JASON
To: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 050419/0847 →
Cited By (2)
US 12,536,156 US 12,574,441