Patent ID: 8595977

Claim:
A driving system in combination with an automatic sliding door, the driving system including: at activator including an infrared (IR) emitter that emits an IR beam to an object and a sensor that detects a reflected beam from the object, the activator connected to a holder that is movable with respect to the holder, wherein the holder includes aback plate and a pair of ratchet bars extending therefrom and is affixed to a door guard, wall or ceiling; a remotely controllable device that responds to the activator; a driver operatively connected to the remotely controllable device, wherein the driver is attached to a door frame in either one of two locations, a first location in which the driver is substantially aligned with a first edge of the sliding door and a second location in which the driver is substantially aligned with a second edge of the sliding door, the second edge being opposite the first edge; and a pinion that slides the door in a first or second direction when operatively connected to a corresponding rack associated with the door, the pinion attached to the driver in two positions: (a) a first position such that the pinion slides the door in the first direction; and (b) a second position such that the pinion slides the door in the second direction.