Patent ID: 7638962

Claim:
A hatch cover manager product comprising: a controller being signal-connected to a cover actuator, the cover actuator being connected to a hatch cover capable of covering a hatch opening in a walking surface; the cover actuator in use moving the hatch cover to and between an open position and a closed position; the controller being signal-connected to a cover-open sensor and monitoring the cover-open sensor for cover condition, the cover conditions comprising: a cover-closed condition; a cover-open condition; a cover-between condition; the controller being signal-connected to a timer and monitoring the timer, the timer signaling a time condition, a no-time condition, and a between-time condition; and the controller responding to the timer, the cover condition, and external conditions, by causing the cover actuator to either move the hatch cover to the closed position, move the hatch cover to the open position, or not move the hatch cover.