Wireless barrier-edge monitor method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Generally speaking, pursuant to these various embodiments, a first unit is mounted on a movable barrier and is operably coupled to an obstacle sensor.
This first unit has both an obstacle detection capability and a testing capability to facilitate determining the operability status of the obstacle sensor.
Information regarding both the viability of the sensor and the presence or absence of obstacles is coded and transmitted via a wireless transmitter to a second unit that is operably coupled to the movable barrier operator for the movable barrier.
Such transmissions are provided at least once every two seconds and about once each second in a preferred embodiment.
Also in a preferred embodiment, these transmissions comprise a short burst transmission that consumes little power.
The minimal power requirements of this approach suggest usable battery life of one year or more.
As a result, viability of the obstacle sensor can be assessed on effectively a continuous basis while simultaneously achieving the benefits of a wireless embodiment without the difficulties presented by a rapidly depleting power source.
The second unit noted above has a wireless receiver to receive the message from the first unit.
Received messages are decoded and the recovered information used to at least indicate to the movable barrier operator when an obstacle is present or when the obstacle sensor is inoperable.
The operator can use this information to reverse the direction of the movable barrier.
In the case of an inoperable sensor, the operator can prohibit movement of the movable barrier from an opened position until the sensor has been repaired, thereby effectively providing fail-safe operation of the barrier.
The second unit can also, in a preferred embodiment, use the recovered information to provide alarm information such as, for example, audible alarm sounds and/or visible alarm indicators.
Different alarms can be used to signify different monitored events.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG