US 12,232,693 B2
Systems and methods for automatically controlling loading dock equipment
Brett A. Walford, Corinth, TX (US); and Eric Breen, Clermont, FL (US)
Assigned to ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems AB, Landskrona (SE)
Filed by ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems AB, Landskrona (SE)
Filed on May 13, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/743,726.
Application 17/743,726 is a continuation of application No. 16/126,063, filed on Sep. 10, 2018, granted, now 11,358,813.
Application 16/126,063 is a continuation of application No. 15/305,296, granted, now 10,081,504, issued on Sep. 25, 2018, previously published as PCT/IB2015/000698, filed on Apr. 30, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/988,081, filed on May 2, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0338719 A1, Oct. 27, 2022
Prior Publication US 2025/0009207 A9, Jan. 9, 2025
Int. Cl. A61B 1/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/018 (2006.01); A61B 1/05 (2006.01); A61B 1/06 (2006.01); B65G 69/00 (2006.01); B65G 69/28 (2006.01); G05D 1/00 (2006.01); G06V 20/58 (2022.01); H04L 67/12 (2022.01)
CPC A61B 1/00098 (2013.01) [A61B 1/00066 (2013.01); A61B 1/00181 (2013.01); A61B 1/018 (2013.01); B65G 69/001 (2013.01); B65G 69/003 (2013.01); B65G 69/2805 (2013.01); B65G 69/2882 (2013.01); G05D 1/0225 (2013.01); A61B 1/051 (2013.01); A61B 1/0676 (2013.01); A61B 1/0684 (2013.01); G05D 1/0661 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated docking system for use with a loading dock station, the loading dock station including a vehicle restraint system, a loading dock door opening system, and/or a dock leveler, the automated docking system comprising:
a sensor system configured to detect the presence of a vehicle in an exterior area proximate a loading dock door; and
a control unit communicatively coupled with the sensor system, the control unit being programmed with computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the control unit to:
automatically request a readiness status indicative of whether obstructions are present in an interior area proximate the loading dock door when the control unit receives a first signal from the sensor system indicating that a vehicle is present in the exterior area; and
automatically enable operation of at least a portion of the loading dock station when, in response to requesting the readiness status, the control unit receives a second signal indicating that no obstructions have been detected in the interior area, wherein automatically enabling operation of at least a portion of the loading dock station includes—
automatically enabling operation of the vehicle restraint;
automatically enabling operation of the loading dock door opening system; and/or
automatically enabling operation of the dock leveler.