Garage door remote monitoring system

• US 20020180600A1
• Filed: 05/29/2001
• Published: 12/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael F. Balanky, Ronnie L. Kirkland
• Original Assignee: Michael F. Balanky, Ronnie L. Kirkland
• Inventors: Rubin, Benjamin M., Shadwell, Percy F. Jr., Kirkland, Ronnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/866,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180600A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/545.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/00 Power-operated mechanisms for wings motor-operated accessories in locks for completing closing or initiating opening of a wing E05B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/603 using rotary electromotors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/354 End positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/452 for saving energy, e.g. sleep or wake-up
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/51 of position, of back drive
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/61 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/66 Wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/812 Acoustic
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/818 Visual
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind

Abstract

A remote monitoring system for determining and transmitting information indicating the status of a door movable to a plurality of positions or alternatively, an alarm system includes sensor for determining each position of a door and providing output signals indicative of each position detected, a transmitter responsive to the output signal and repetitively transmitting a broadcast signal indicative of the output signal received, a first timer operatively connected to the transmitter means for selectively controlling periodic transmission of the broadcast signal in accord with first time intervals as established by the first timer means. A receiver receives the broadcast signal and includes a second timer for periodically energizing the receiver at predetermined second time intervals as established by the second timer to allow for reception of the broadcast signal. Energy management includes synchronization circuitry, which synchronizes the energization of the receiver means with the transmission of the broadcast signal by the transmitter means. The synchronizing circuitry is responsive to the reception of a broadcast signal by the receiver and includes the capability for selectively resetting the second timer in response to the reception of the broadcast signal to provide that the second time intervals occur substantially with the first time intervals.

Claims

1. A remote monitoring system for determining and transmitting information indicating the status of a door movable to a plurality of positions comprising sensor means for determining a position of a door and providing an output signal indicative of a position detected, transmitter means responsive to said output signal and repetitively transmitting a broadcast signal indicative of said output signal received, and receiver means for receiving said broadcast signal.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 further including first timer means operatively connected to said transmitter means for selectively controlling periodic transmission of said broadcast signal in accord with first time intervals as established by said first timer means.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said receiver means includes second timer means for periodically energizing said receiver means at predetermined second time intervals as established by said second timer means to allow for reception of said broadcast signal.

4. The system as defined in claim 3 further including synchronization means for synchronizing the energization of said receiver means with the transmission of said broadcast signal by said transmitter means.

5. The system as defined in claim 4 wherein said synchronizing means includes means for selectively resetting said second timer means to establish said second time intervals to occur substantially simultaneously with said first time intervals.

6. The system as defined in claim 4 wherein said synchronizing means is responsive to the reception of a said broadcast signal by said receiver means, said synchronizing means further including means for selectively resetting said second timer means in response to said reception of said broadcast signal to provide that said second time intervals occur substantially simultaneously with said first time intervals.

7. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said transmitter means transmits a first said broadcast signal at said first time intervals when said sensor means provides a said output signal indicating that a door is fully open.

8. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said transmitter means transmits a second said broadcast signal at said first time intervals when said sensor means provides a said output signal indicating that a door is fully closed.

9. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said transmitter means transmits a third said broadcast signal when said sensor means provides a said output signal indicating that a door is neither fully open nor fully closed.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein said transmitter means transmits said third broadcast signal once after one said first time interval.

11. The system as defined in claim 9 wherein said receiver means includes means for maintaining said receiver means energized for a third time interval after reception of said third broadcast signal by said receiver means.

12. The system as defined in claim 11 wherein said third time interval is a multiple of said first time interval.

13. The system as defined in claim 3 wherein said receiver means has third timer means for establishing third time intervals for selectively energizing said receiver for a third time interval if said broadcast signal is not received by said receiver means for a predetermined time period as established by said receiver means.

14. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said receiver means includes indicating means responsive to reception of said broadcast signal for indicating a position of a door.

15. The system as defined in claim 14 wherein said indicating means includes audible alarm means for providing an audible alarm if said broadcast signal is not received by said receiver within a predetermined time period and a door is not indicated as being in a predetermined position as established by said receiver means.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein step B includes the step of:

D. periodically transmitting the signal.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein step C includes the step of:

E. periodically enabling the reception of the signal.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of:

F. synchronizing the enabling of reception in step E with the transmission of a signal in step D so that the steps occur substantially simultaneously.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein step D includes the step of:

F. periodically energizing a receiver responsive to the signal transmitted in step B.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein step D includes the step of:

G. creating time intervals for periodic transmission in step D with a resettable first timer.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein step G includes the step of:

H. resetting the first timer upon movement of the door to a predetermined position.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein step E includes the step of:

H. creating time intervals that determine when the receiver will be energized with a resettable second timer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein step F includes the step of:

I. resetting the second timer upon reception of a selected transmitted signal as established by the receiver.

25. The method of claim 16 further including the step of:

D. providing an audible alarm if the door is detected as being open and there has been no reception of a transmitted signal for a predetermined time period.

26. The method of claim 16 further including a step of:

D. indicating the position of a door detected in step A at the remote location of step C.

16. A method of remotely monitoring the status of a door movable to a plurality of positions comprising the steps of:

A. detecting the position of a door;

B. transmitting a signal indicative of the position detected in step A; and

C. receiving the signal transmitted in step B at a remote location.