Patents Assigned to The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11122430
    Abstract: Electronic systems are provided for secure actuation of a remote device such as a moveable barrier operator. The systems address the “man in the middle” problem of persons intercepting and duplicating radio frequency signals from a control device by introducing timing parameters into a bidirectional communication sequence between at least two devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Fitzgibbon
  • Patent number: 11111714
    Abstract: In one aspect, a movable barrier operator includes a housing and a motor. The movable barrier operator further includes a camera mount that is connected to the housing and that supports a camera. The camera mount is configured to facilitate movement of the camera between a storage position wherein at least a portion of the camera is inside the housing and an operative position wherein the at least a portion of the camera is outside of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew James Baer, Jimmy Bedolla, Matthew Peter Crane, Corey Lyn Herrboldt, Sapta Gireesh Pudipeddi
  • Patent number: 11074773
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a system and method for enabling on-demand, temporary storage of an autonomous vehicle in vehicle storage areas of existing infrastructures. The vehicle storage areas include one or more movable barrier operators configured to control access to the vehicle storage areas via movable barriers. An autonomous vehicle access control platform is configured to enable access to individual ones of the vehicle storage areas by a single-use access credential sent to at least one of the autonomous vehicle and one of the movable barrier operators. The autonomous vehicle access control platform communicates with a transportation-as-a-service (TaaS) platform that pairs an autonomous vehicle with a vehicle storage area for storage based at least on a factor or parameter including the location of the vehicle storage area relative to the autonomous vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventor: David R. Morris
  • Patent number: 11055942
    Abstract: In one aspect, a portable electronic device is provided for accessing a secured area to deliver a package therein. The portable electronic device includes a sensor configured to detect an indicium of the package and communication circuitry configured to communicate a message to a server computer associated with the package upon the sensor detecting the indicium. The communication circuitry is further configured to receive delivery information from the server computer, the delivery information including at least a location of the secured area. The portable electronic device further includes a processor operatively coupled to the sensor and the communication circuitry. The processor is configured to cause, via the communication circuitry, the movable barrier operator to open a movable barrier associated with the secured area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Charles Coates, Jeremy Eugene Jenkins, David R. Morris, Gregory John Stanek, Adam Joshua Schrems, James Scott Murray
  • Patent number: 11040841
    Abstract: A control panel is configured to operate one or more dock devices in a loading dock environment. The control panel can be supported at least in part by a bollard disposed in the loading dock environment. In one form, the bollard is configured to contain portions of the control panel and dock devices including sensors, lights, and the like. In one form, the control panel and one or more dock devices are mounted to a preexisting bollard to add functionality to the loading dock environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert John Olmsted, Casparus Cate, Randall Lee Planck
  • Patent number: 11028633
    Abstract: In one aspect, an in-vehicle computing device is provided for controlling operation of a movable barrier operator. The in-vehicle computing device includes a sensor configured to detect a vehicle characteristic and communication circuitry operable to cause automatic operation of the movable barrier operator by communicating with the movable barrier operator. The in-vehicle device further includes a processor operatively coupled to the communication circuitry, the sensor, and the memory. The processor configured to determine satisfaction of a user account condition and, upon the user account condition not being satisfied, to inhibit the communication circuitry from initiating automatic operation of the movable barrier operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, James D. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11010999
    Abstract: The systems and methods provided herein use a rolling voice identifier in a multi-factor authentication system to avoid the security problems present in prior voice activated control systems. By implementing a rolling voice identifier in an access control platform, users may no longer need to be concerned with being overheard or recorded when providing voice authentication commands to an access control platform because the rolling voice identifier that the user will be prompted to speak will be specific to the particular instance of control of an access control platform. An access control platform is a platform that controls operation of a movable barrier by, for example, controlling the state of a movable barrier using a remote control. An access control platform may cause a movable barrier to become opened, closed, locked, or unlocked to permit or prevent access to a physical space by a physical object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Casparus Cate, James J. Fitzgibbon, Martin B. Heckmann, James D. Johnson, David R. Morris, Cory Sorice
  • Patent number: 10997810
    Abstract: In an embodiment, an in-vehicle apparatus includes a transmitter operable to transmit radio frequency control signals and communication circuitry configured to communicate with a remote computer via a network. The communication circuitry is configured to receive information from the remote computer via the network, the information pertaining to one or more controllable devices of a user account. The apparatus includes a processor configured to: communicate, via the communication circuitry, a transmitter identifier representative of a transmitter code of the transmitter with the remote computer; effect the movable barrier operator to change a state of a movable barrier by causing the transmitter to transmit a first radio frequency control signal to the movable barrier operator system; and effect the movable barrier operator to learn the transmitter by causing the transmitter to transmit a second radio frequency control signal to the movable barrier operator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Charles Atwell, Garth Wesley Hopkins, Oddy Khamharn, Edward James Lukas, Mark Edward Miller, Jay Edward Peterson
  • Patent number: 10970954
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for managing and controlling network-enabled movable barrier operators is provided. A method for managing network-enabled movable barrier operator includes receiving a user account identifier and a movable barrier operator identifier from a user device, providing an instruction to perform a specified action with a movable barrier operator associated with the movable barrier operator identifier to the user device, determining a registration condition is met upon detecting that the specified action has been performed, and, upon the registration condition being met, associating the movable barrier operator identifier with the user account identifier to allow a user account associated with the user account identifier to control the movable barrier operator over a network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan Ari Farber, James Scott Murray
  • Patent number: 10944559
    Abstract: Binary data relating to a movable barrier operator is converted to ternary data. The ternary data is converted into corresponding binary information in a way not mirroring the first conversion method. In one approach, this second conversion converts each ternary trit into a corresponding binary pair. Initial binary bits correspond to, for example, fixed and/or non-fixed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Eric Gregori
  • Patent number: 10934763
    Abstract: 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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Fitzgibbon
  • Patent number: 10927583
    Abstract: Controlling movable barrier movement with respect to selectively overriding a safety system includes determining whether a safety system is in an operation failure or misalignment state, the safety system being configured to detect obstruction in a path of movement of a movable barrier, receiving a state change request for the movable barrier while the safety system is in the operation failure or misalignment state, determining whether a safety override condition exists, and overriding the safety system and actuating the movable barrier if the safety system is in the operation failure or misalignment state and the safety override condition exists.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Thomas Jason Jankovsky, Michael Lorch, Larry Strait
  • Patent number: 10907398
    Abstract: A movable barrier operator system including a movable barrier operator configured to be connected to a movable barrier and move the movable barrier. The system includes a remote control configured to utilize a first security protocol to wirelessly transmit a communication to the movable barrier operator and cause the movable barrier operator to move the movable barrier. The movable barrier operator is configured to receive information representative of a second security protocol and to eliminate a compatibility of the movable barrier operator with communications from the remote control utilizing the first security protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Casparus Cate, David R. Morris, Brian Roy Skotty, Cory Sorice
  • Patent number: 10880526
    Abstract: A security system notifies a user of a security event when a movable barrier operator light turns on. The security system includes a camera in communication with control circuitry and a communication module. The control circuitry is configured to control operation of the camera. The communication module communicates with a light status detector that determines the status of an operator light associated with a movable barrier operator. When the operator light turns on, the light status detector sends a signal to the communication module, effecting the control circuitry to operate the camera to capture security data. The communication module then transmits the captured security data over a network to be accessible by a mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Jonathan Arnold Lee, Brian Roy Skotty
  • Patent number: 10862924
    Abstract: Upon providing (101) message content (such as a remote control instruction) to be transmitted, and in conjunction with provision (102) of a plurality of different transmission characteristics (as correspond, for example, to different types of transmission) and a corresponding plurality of correlated recovery identifiers (103), a particular transmission characteristic is selected (104) and used to transmit (105) a joint message. In particular, in a preferred approach, the selected transmission characteristic (106) is used when transmitting at least a portion of the message content portion of the joint message while another part of the joint message carries the recovery identifier to thereby facilitate selection of an appropriate reception technique by a receiver when receiving the joint message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Edward Thomas Laird
  • Patent number: 10846956
    Abstract: A movable barrier operator system is provided that includes a moving-barrier imminent motion notification apparatus, a motor, a controller, and communication circuitry configured to communicate with a remote control. In response to the communication circuitry receiving a communication from the remote control, the controller causes the motor to change the state of the movable barrier and additionally operate the moving-barrier imminent motion notification apparatus upon a determination of the remote control being beyond a physical proximity of a location associated with the movable barrier operator system. Upon a determination that the remote control is within the physical proximity, the controller refrains from operation of the moving-barrier imminent motion notification apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Casparus Cate, Jordan Ari Farber, James J. Fitzgibbon, Nathan J. Kopp
  • Patent number: 10837217
    Abstract: A movable barrier operator system is provided that includes a moving-barrier imminent motion notification apparatus, a motor, a controller, and communication circuitry configured to communicate with a remote control. In response to the communication circuitry receiving a communication from the remote control, the controller causes the motor to change the state of the movable barrier and additionally operate the moving-barrier imminent motion notification apparatus upon a determination of the remote control being beyond a physical proximity of a location associated with the movable barrier operator system. Upon a determination that the remote control is within the physical proximity, the controller refrains from operation of the moving-barrier imminent motion notification apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Casparus Cate, James J. Fitzgibbon
  • Patent number: RE48433
    Abstract: An encrypted rolling code (11), a plurality of differing data bit order patterns (13), and a plurality of differing data inversion patterns 14) are provided. One then selects (15) a particular one of each of these patterns and uses those selected patterns as transmission characteristics when transmitting (16) at least part of the encrypted rolling code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Eric M. Gregori, Edward T. Laird
  • Patent number: D914076
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Abel, Corey Jevon Norman
  • Patent number: D930062
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeremy Abel, Corey Jevon Norman