GARAGE DOOR STATUS AND CONTROL VIA A SECURITY SYSTEM

• US 20140266593A1
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Jeffrey G., Warren, Jeremy B., Nye, James Ellis, Child, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,767,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.71
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices are described that are directed to status and control of a garage door system via an alarm system controller. A garage door system may include one or more garage doors and at least one sensor configured to sense data indicative of a status of a garage door of the one or more garage doors. The at least one sensor may further be configured to convey the sensed data to an alarm system controller.

Claims

1. A centralized garage door control and management method, comprising:

sending at least one of a garage door status query request or a garage control command to a garage door control peripheral;

receiving at a garage door control peripheral at least one of the garage door status query request or the garage control command; and

transmitting a garage door status to a controller.

2. The centralized garage door control and management method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the garage door status to the controller at pre-defined intervals.

3. The centralized garage door control and management method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a garage door control peripheral with a legacy garage door opener.

4. The centralized garage door control and management method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing a change of state of the garage door.

5. The centralized garage door control and management method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a signal indicative of a garage door status change; and

toggling a relay control device from a first position to a second position in response to the detected signal.

6. The centralized garage door control and management method of claim 1, further comprising:

conveying at least one of an audible alert or a visual alert proximate the garage door at least one of prior to, during, or after a garage door change of state.

7. The centralized garage door control and management method of claim 1, further comprising:

conveying one or more garage control commands from the controller to the peripheral garage control unit; and

converting one or more of the garage door commands.

8. A centralized garage door control and management system comprising:

a controller;

a garage door control peripheral configured to;

receive at least one of a garage door status query request or a garage door command from the controller; and

transmit a garage door status to the controller;

a garage door system control; and

a garage door system.

9. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, wherein the garage door control peripheral is further configured to:

associate with a legacy garage door opener.

10. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, wherein the garage door control peripheral is further configured to:

communicate wirelessly with the controller; and

receive at least one of a garage control command or a signal indicative of a status of one or more garage doors.

11. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 10, wherein the garage door control peripheral is further configured to:

send the garage door status to the controller at pre-defined intervals.

12. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 10, further comprising:

a garage door system interface configured to convert garage door status or garage door commands.

13. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, wherein the garage door control peripheral is communicatively coupled with the garage door system control via a hard-wired serial interface.

14. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, wherein the garage door control peripheral comprises a relay control device.

15. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 14, wherein the relay control device is configured to:

detect a signal indicative of a garage door status change; and

toggle from a first position to a second position in response to the detected signal.

16. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, further comprising:

a user interface configured to convey a status of the garage door.

17. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, further comprising:

a user interface configured to convey an alert prior to, during, or after a garage door status change.

18. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, further comprising:

a camera for capturing one of a video and an image of an area proximate one or more garage doors.

19. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, further comprising:

an alert device for conveying an alert prior to, during, or after a change of state of the garage door.

20. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 19, wherein the alert device further comprises at least one of an audible alert device or a visual alert device.

21. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 8, wherein the controller comprises at least one of an automation system controller or a security system controller.

22. A computer program product for a centralized garage door control and management system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

send at least one of a garage door status query request or a garage control command to a garage door control peripheral;

receive at a garage door control peripheral at least one of the garage door status query request or the garage control command; and

transmit the garage door status to a controller.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

transmit the garage door status to the controller at pre-defined intervals.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

associate a garage door control peripheral with a legacy garage door opener.

25. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

sense a change of state of one or more garage doors.

26. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

detect a signal indicative of a garage door status change; and

toggle a relay control device from a first position to a second position in response to the detected signal.

27. A centralized garage door control and management system comprising:

means for sending at least one of a garage door status query request or a garage control command to a garage door control peripheral;

means for receiving at a garage door control peripheral at least one of the garage door status, query request, or the garage control command; and

means for transmitting the garage door status to a controller.

28. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for associating a garage door control peripheral with a legacy garage door opener.

29. The centralized garage door control and management system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for sensing a change of state of one or more garage doors.