Patents by Inventor Edward Thomas Laird

Edward Thomas Laird has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11799648
    Abstract: An encrypted rolling code, a plurality of differing data bit order patterns, and a plurality of differing data inversion patterns are provided. One then selects a particular one of each of these patterns and uses those selected patterns as transmission characteristics when transmitting at least part of the encrypted rolling code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Eric Gregori, Edward Thomas Laird
  • Publication number: 20230336342
    Abstract: An encrypted rolling code, a plurality of differing data bit order patterns, and a plurality of differing data inversion patterns are provided. One then selects a particular one of each of these patterns and uses those selected patterns as transmission characteristics when transmitting at least part of the encrypted rolling code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Eric Gregori, Edward Thomas Laird
  • Publication number: 20230336341
    Abstract: An encrypted rolling code, a plurality of differing data bit order patterns, and a plurality of differing data inversion patterns are provided. Based on the encrypted rolling code, patterns are selected from one or more of the plurality of differing data bit order patterns and the plurality of differing data inversion patterns. At least a part of the encrypted rolling code is transmitted to a movable barrier operator using the selected patterns as transmission characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Eric Gregori, Edward Thomas Laird
  • Patent number: 11440766
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group LLC
    Inventors: Edward Thomas Laird, Robert J. Olmsted
  • Publication number: 20210281405
    Abstract: An encrypted rolling code, a plurality of differing data bit order patterns, and a plurality of differing data inversion patterns are provided. One then selects a particular one of each of these patterns and uses those selected patterns as transmission characteristics when transmitting at least part of the encrypted rolling code.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Eric Gregori, Edward Thomas Laird
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20190337754
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Edward Thomas Laird, Robert J. Olmsted
  • Patent number: 10358317
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward Thomas Laird, Robert John Olmsted
  • Publication number: 20170002596
    Abstract: A sensor apparatus for a movable barrier system having a rotatable drum and an elongate member that winds up on and pays out from an external surface of the rotatable drum. The sensor apparatus includes a base portion, a sensing portion, and a controller. The sensing portion senses a first spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion and a second spaced apart proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion. The controller detects a change in the proximity of the elongate member relative to the sensing portion without the elongate member contacting the sensing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Edward Thomas Laird, Robert John Olmsted
  • Publication number: 20160021140
    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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: James J. Fitzgibbon, Edward Thomas Laird
  • Patent number: 8279040
    Abstract: A system for controlling operation of a plurality of movable barrier operators includes a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of movable barrier operators. The controller is programmed to receive a command to operate the plurality of movable barrier operators and to send a signal to start operation of a first movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators in response to receiving the command. The controller is also programmed to send a signal to start a second movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators at a time after sending the signal to start the operation of the first movable barrier operator. An arbitration of confirmation signals from the plurality of movable barrier operators may be used to determine the order of operation of the movable barrier operators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: The Chamberlain Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Edward Thomas Laird
  • Publication number: 20100085145
    Abstract: A system for controlling operation of a plurality of movable barrier operators includes a controller configured to communicate with a plurality of movable barrier operators. The controller is programmed to receive a command to operate the plurality of movable barrier operators and to send a signal to start operation of a first movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators in response to receiving the command. The controller is also programmed to send a signal to start a second movable barrier operator of the plurality of movable barrier operators at a time after sending the signal to start the operation of the first movable barrier operator. An arbitration of confirmation signals from the plurality of movable barrier operators may be used to determine the order of operation of the movable barrier operators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: THE CHAMBERLAIN GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Edward Thomas Laird