GARAGE DOOR SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20130328663A1
• Filed: 06/12/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GMI Holdings Incorporated (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: GMI Holdings Incorporated (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ordaz, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,583 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.62
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25168 Domotique, access through internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25187 Transmission of signals, medium, ultrasonic, radio
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2628 Door, window
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass

Abstract

A universal system and method for controlling existing garage doors via existing garage door openers. The system includes a module operable both manually and automatically to control the existing garage door, Wifi communication circuitry to receive instructions wirelessly from a remote, circuitry for automatic and remote control of the garage door and circuitry for pushing garage door status information.

Claims

1. A universal system for controlling existing garage doors via existing garage door openers, the universal system comprising:

a module that replaces a manual switch for controlling an existing garage door, said module operable both manually and automatically to control the existing garage door, said module further incorporating Wifi communication circuitry to receive instructions wirelessly from a remote user while said remote user is away from home, said module having logic circuitry to direct the garage door opener to open or close the existing garage door based upon said instructions received from said remote user, said module having circuitry to direct the garage door opener to close or open the existing garage door when said module is manually operated by a user, and said module having circuitry to automatically push, without user request, garage door status information to a remotely located server via the Internet so the remote user can obtain garage door status information while the user is away from home.

2. The universal system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless router communicably coupled to said module and the Internet.

3. The universal system of claim 2 wherein said router communicates garage door status information between the module and a remotely located server via the Internet

4. The universal system of claim 3 wherein the module is remotely accessible to the user via a mobile device communicably coupled to the server.

5. A universal control system comprising:

a module operable to manually and remotely control an existing garage door, said module including wireless communication circuitry to receive instructions wirelessly from a remote user while said remote user is away from home, said module having logic circuitry to control the existing garage door based upon said instructions received from said remote user, said module having circuitry to control the existing garage door when said module is manually operated by a user, and said module having circuitry to intermittently push, without user request, garage door status information to a remotely located server via the Internet so the remote user can access said remotely located server using a computing device to obtain garage door status information while the user is away from home.

6. The universal system of claim 5 further comprising a wireless router communicably coupled to said module and the Internet.

7. The universal system of claim 6 wherein said router communicates information between the module and a remotely located server via the Internet

8. The universal system of claim 5 wherein the module is remotely accessible to the user via a mobile device communicably coupled to the server.

9. A method for controlling existing garage doors via existing garage door openers, the method comprising:

using a module to receive indications from a user to both manually and remotely control a garage door, wherein said module receives instructions wirelessly from said user, and using said module to signal an existing garage door opener to open or close the garage door based upon said instructions received from the user, using said module to direct the existing garage door opener to either open or close the garage door when said controller is manually operated by said user, and using said module to push without user request garage door status information to a remotely located server so that the user can access said remotely located server to receive said garage door status information.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising using a wireless router for communicating with the module and a remotely located server.