Abstract: A system for preventing a security gate from making hard contact with an object in its path is disclosed. The apparatus detects the presence of an object by use of ultra sonic detectors that use ultra sonic transceivers. When an object is detected the gate operator makes the appropriate calculations to avoid hitting the object. The system operates continuously and can determine if the object is still in the protected area or has moved beyond the protected area.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for moving a gate a distance in a predetermined period of time. In one embodiment the current load for an electric motor to move a gate is first measured to determine whether the gate's motion is being hindered or helped. A microprocessor then controls voltage supplied to the motor to enhance or retard the evolved power of the motor according to the load and the predetermined time.

Abstract: A apparatus for recording information on power surges in an electrical or electronic system is disclosed. The apparatus has a gas discharge tube connected between an input line of the electrical or electronic circuit protected and ground. The gas discharge tube is set to activate at a predetermined voltage. The gas discharge tube has adjacent to it a light sensor that reacts to discharges in the tube and the sensor in conjunction with enabling circuitry generates a signal representative of discharge of the gas discharge tube. The signal produced provides information on the time, magnitude and duration of discharges in the gas discharge tube which are in turn representative of the power surge experienced by the system.

Abstract: An access control apparatus has a visual display, a plurality of input keys, and an encoder, all of which are operably connected to a communication device. The communication device includes a memory and an electronic directory of names and associated codes. The electronic directory may be configured as a sequential data structure. In one embodiment, an encoder is associated with an alphabetical index and can be set to refer to a particular portion of the alphabet. Another embodiment utilizes a portion of the visual display itself to show the alphabet, and uses slew switches to allow movement within the alphabet. On the visual display, the communication device displays one or more entries from the electronic directory corresponding to the portion of the alphabet selected on the encoder or on the alphabet portion of the display. The apparatus may also include a scrolling device that enables a user to scroll through the electronic directory, beginning at the name or names that are displayed on the display.

Abstract: An automatic gate operator includes an electric drive motor coupled by a drive train to a movable gate, and includes provisions for sensing an actual or impending obstruction or blockage of the movement of the gate by a human, object, or animal, for example. In response to such an actual or impending blocking of the gate's movement, the drive motor is shut off and the gate is braked to a stop. Then the gate is reversed to move a short distance away from the actual or impending blockage or obstruction, and is braked again to a stop. Next, the gate is freed from its connection with the drive motor, allowing manual movement of the gate to allow clearance of the actual or impending blockage or obstruction from the path of the gate. This stop-reverse-stop-release sequence of movements for the gate may release any entrapped person or object which may have been contacted by the moving gate. Also, after the gate is released for free movement it can be moved manually.

Abstract: An automatic gate operator includes an electric drive motor coupled by a drive train to a movable gate, and includes provision for measuring the coasting distance which the gate moves after shut off of the drive motor. This coasting distance varies both with the weight and momentum of the gate in comparison to frictional drag of the gate hardware, and the drag provided by the gate operator with the drive motor shut off, and also varies in response to a great number of other variables many of which are unpredictable. These other variables include such factors as wind, weather, temperature, wear, adequacy of lubrication, time interval since last operation of the gate operator, and off-level installation of the gate, for example. However, the coasting distance is measured and recorded, and is subsequently used as a predictor of gate coast on subsequent operation of the gate operator in order to coast the gate to a stop precisely at a selected limit position.

Abstract: A powered gate operator includes an electric motor coupled by a drive train to a movable gate in order to drive the gate between opened and closed positions. The gate may also be moved manually between these opened and closed positions, or may be moved by powered operation of the gate operator under manual input control of velocity and acceleration of the gate. The gate operator includes a control system with a learning mode allowing a human to move the gate either manually or under powered operation with manual control, and during which the control system learns desired accelerations, deceleration's, pauses, etc., along with start and finish positions for the gate movement in each direction of movement for the gate between opened and closed positions. Thereafter, during powered operation of the gate by the operator the desired movement profile taught by a human to the operator during a learning mode experience is replicated.

Abstract: A device and method is provided for sensing an object or vehicle in proximity to a sensing zone, wherein the device is exposed to an environment temperature. The object sensing device comprises a sensor, such as an inductive loop having a characteristic, such as the inductance of the inductive loop, responsive to the proximity of the object is to the sensor; a signal generator, such as an oscillator, coupled to the sensor for producing a first periodical signal cycling at a first frequency dependent on the sensor characteristic and the environment temperature.