System for automatically opening and closing a garage door and a method thereof

• US 20030043021A1
• Filed: 04/24/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Chung, Ha-Yong
• Granted Patent: US 6,911,898 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.71
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00396 starting with prompting the keyless data carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A system for opening and closing a garage door is provided. The system includes a vehicle communication module mounted to a vehicle, and a garage communication module, the vehicle communication module and the garage communication module preferably performing bluetooth communication. On the basis of the communication of a vehicle identifier and engine state information, a garage door can be automatically opened and closed.

Claims

1. A system for automatically opening and closing a garage door, comprising:

a vehicle controller for controlling an operation of a vehicle and detecting vehicle information such as an engine operation state;

a vehicle communication module mounted on the vehicle, said vehicle module being provided with an input port through which said vehicle information is input and containing an indicator that the vehicle is a registered vehicle;

a garage communication module having an output port, said garage module performing wireless communication with the vehicle module;

a garage controller generating a garage door opening/closing control signal using data input from said output port of said garage module according to whether the vehicle is registered or not; and

a garage door opening/closing device actuated by the garage door opening/closing control signal input from said garage controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein both said vehicle communication module and said garage communication module are bluetooth™

communication modules.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said garage controller generates the garage door opening/closing control signal according to an operating state of the vehicle that enters the garage or exits the garage if the vehicle is registered.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said garage controller analyzes engine information input from said garage communication module, and provides the garage door opening control signal to the garage door opening/closing device if the engine of the vehicle operates.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said garage controller provides the garage door closing control signal to the garage door opening/closing device if the engine of the vehicle does not operate after the vehicle is parked in the garage.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said garage controller provides the garage door opening control signal to the garage door opening/closing device if the engine of the vehicle starts to operate while the vehicle is parked in the garage.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said garage controller provides the garage door closing control signal to the garage door opening/closing device if the registered vehicle deviates from a communication range.

8. A method for automatically opening and closing a garage, comprising:

querying for a unique identifier of a vehicle that approaches a garage;

detecting said querying for the unique identifier of the vehicle;

transmitting the unique identifier of the vehicle if said querying is detected;

comparing the transmitted unique identifier of the vehicle to a predetermined registered identifier;

querying for vehicle information, including engine operating state if the transmitted unique identifier is identical to the predetermined registered identifier;

detecting said querying for the vehicle information;

transmitting vehicle information if said querying is detected; and

analyzing said transmitted vehicle information and generating a garage door opening/closing control signal according to the engine operating state.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a garage door closing control signal if the unique identifier of the vehicle is not identical to the predetermined registered identifier in said comparing.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a garage door opening control signal if the engine of the vehicle starts to operate.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising generating a garage door closing control signal if the engine of the vehicle stops.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said querying and transmitting occur via wireless communication.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said wireless communication employs a bluetooth™

protocol.

14. A system for automatically opening and closing a garage door, comprising:

a vehicle state monitor disposed in a vehicle receiving information regarding vehicle engine state;

a vehicle communication module disposed in the vehicle and receiving the engine state information from the vehicle state monitor, said module further containing a unique vehicle identifier;

a garage communication module associated with the garage door, said vehicle and garage communication modules providing for wireless communication therebetween; and

a garage door unit communicating with said garage communication module and cooperating with the garage door to open and close said door in response to information regarding the engine state and vehicle identifier received from said garage communication module as transmitted from the vehicle communication module.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said vehicle state monitor comprises a vehicle controller.

16. The system according to claim 14, wherein said garage door unit comprises:

a garage door controller communicating with said garage communication module and generating a door open or close signal based on the received vehicle identifier and engine state information; and

a garage door opening and closing device communicating with said controller to open or close the door in response to said signal.