TRAINABLE TRANSCEIVER AND CAMERA SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20150302737A1
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: GEERLINGS, Steven L., Witkowski, Todd R., Wright, Thomas S., Smeyers, Marc A., Dorst, Jonathan E., Papay, Douglas C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,922,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device including a trainable transceiver, a camera, an output device, and a control circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the camera. The control circuit is configured to use data received from the camera to determine if the vehicle is well positioned within a garage, and the control circuit is configured to provide an indication that the vehicle is well positioned using the output device in response to determining that the vehicle is well positioned within a garage.

Claims

1. A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device, comprising:

a trainable transceiver;

a camera;

an output device; and

a control circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the camera, wherein the control circuit is configured to use data received from the camera to determine if the vehicle is well positioned within a garage, and wherein the control circuit is configured to provide an indication that the vehicle is well positioned using the output device in response to determining that the vehicle is well positioned within a garage.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine, based on data received from the camera if a garage door of the garage is down and the vehicle is approaching the garage door, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to produce, using the output device, at least one of an audible warning or a visual warning.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit an activation signal formatted to control a garage door opener coupled to the garage door in response to determining that the garage is down and the vehicle is approaching the garage door.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a distance between the vehicle and a wall of the garage based on the data received from the camera.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a distance between the vehicle and a wall of the garage based on the data received from the camera and using markings included on at least one wall of the garage.

6. The system of claim 1, further including a remote start interface coupled to the control circuit and configured to at least one of (A) receive a wireless remote start signal from a keyfob associated with the vehicle or (B) receive a wireless remote start indication from a system of the vehicle, and wherein in response to a remote start signal or indication being received, the control circuit is configured to at least one of (C) determine if a garage door of the garage is down based on data from the camera and (D) transmit, via the trainable transceiver, an activation signal configured to control a garage door opener coupled to the garage door.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the camera is a front facing camera or a rear facing camera.

8. A method for positioning a vehicle within a garage using a trainable transceiver and a camera in coupled to the trainable transceiver, comprising:

receiving, at a control circuit of the trainable transceiver, image data from the camera;

determining if the vehicle is well positioned within the garage based on the image data; and

providing an indication that the vehicle is well positioned in the garage using an output device of the trainable transceiver controlled by the control circuit, in response to determining that the vehicle is well positioned within a garage.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining, using the control circuit and the image data, that a garage door of the garage is down and the vehicle is approaching the garage door; and

producing at least one of an audible warning or a visual warning using the control circuit and the output device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting an activation signal formatted to control a garage door opener coupled to the garage door in response to determining that the garage is down and the vehicle is approaching the garage door.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, using the control circuit and based on the image data, a distance between the vehicle and a wall of the garage.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining, using the control circuit and based on the image data and markings included on at least one wall of the garage, a distance between the vehicle and the wall of the garage.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a wireless remote start indication from a system of the vehicle in communication with the control circuit;

in response to receiving the remote start indication being received determining, using the control circuit and image data if a garage door of the garage is down camera; and

in response to determining that the garage door is down transmitting, via the trainable transceiver, an activation signal configured to control a garage door opener coupled to the garage door.

14. A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device, comprising:

a trainable transceiver;

a camera interface configured to receive images through a wired or wireless connection with one or more cameras located in or on the vehicle;

an output device; and

a control circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the camera interface, wherein the control circuit is configured to use data received from the camera to determine if the vehicle is well positioned within a garage and provide an indication via the output device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine, based on data received from the camera interface if a garage door of the garage is down and the vehicle is approaching the garage door, and wherein the control circuit is further configured to produce, using the output device, at least one of an audible warning or a visual warning.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit an activation signal formatted to control a garage door opener coupled to the garage door in response to determining that the garage is down and the vehicle is approaching the garage door.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a distance between the vehicle and a wall of the garage based on the data received from the camera interface.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the control circuit is configured to determine a distance between the vehicle and a wall of the garage based on the data received from the camera interface and using markings included on at least one wall of the garage.

19. The system of claim 14, further including a remote start interface coupled to the control circuit and configured to at least one of (A) receive a wireless remote start signal from a keyfob associated with the vehicle or (B) receive a wireless remote start indication from a system of the vehicle, and wherein in response to a remote start signal or indication being received, the control circuit is configured to at least one of (C) determine if a garage door of the garage is down based on data from the camera and (D) transmit, via the trainable transceiver, an activation signal configured to control a garage door opener coupled to the garage door.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the camera interface receives images from a front facing camera and a rear facing camera.