Patent ID: 11926497
Assignee: ASSA ABLOY ENTRANCE SYSTEMS AB
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  G | IPC B  G

Claim 9:
10. A method for operating a loading dock having a control panel for controlling operation of loading dock equipment at the loading dock, the loading dock equipment including at least a first piece of loading dock equipment and a second piece of loading dock equipment, the method comprising:
receiving, by the control panel, information related to operation of the loading dock, the information received from a dock management system located remotely from the loading dock, wherein the information includes:
a map of an authorization code to a corresponding authorization level, wherein:
the authorization level is one of a first authorization level or a second authorization level,
the first authorization level corresponds to providing a first sequence of control elements on a screen of the control panel,
the second authorization level corresponds to providing a second sequence of control elements on the screen that is at least partially different than the first sequence of control elements,
the first sequence of control elements includes a first control element and a second control element;
user interaction with the first control element causes activation of the first piece of loading dock equipment;
user interaction with the second control element causes activation of the second piece of loading dock equipment; and
the screen is configured to display the first control element and then, after user interaction with the first control element and activation of the first piece of loading dock equipment, display the second control element; and

an unlock command configured to render the control panel available to accept user input;

receiving an authorization code by user interaction with the control panel;
determining, by the control panel, the authorization level corresponding to the authorization code based on the map of the authorization code to the corresponding authorization level;
providing one of the first or second sequences of control elements on the screen of the control panel for controlling the loading dock equipment based on the authorization level corresponding to the authorization code, and
operating the loading dock equipment according to user interaction with the provided sequence of control elements.