Garage door monitoring system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for monitoring a panel comprising:
- a reflective element associated with the panel;
a sensor comprised of an infrared emitter, a first infrared receiver and a second infrared receiver, each positioned along said panel, wherein said sensor is to detect a status of the reflective element and the infrared emitter is to provide a sensor signal to at least one of said first and second infrared receivers, and wherein said sensor signal is an infrared signal;
a transmitter, connected to said sensor, comprising;
a power source, a sensor signal input to receive said sensor signal, a control circuit connected to said power source and said sensor signal input, said control circuit to cause a position signal to be transmitted, said position signal corresponding to said status, and an antenna connected to said control circuit;
a remote receiver to receive said position signal and to provide a position indicator corresponding to said status.
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Abstract
A system and method for monitoring a garage door position from a remote location. A local sensor detects the position of a garage door and provides this information to a local transmitter. The transmitter is capable of generating a signal indicating the garage door position, where the signal can be detected by a remote receiver. In one embodiment, infrared sensors are used to detect the garage door position, while in another embodiment trigger switches detect the direction in which the garage door is moving.
100 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring a panel comprising:
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a reflective element associated with the panel;
a sensor comprised of an infrared emitter, a first infrared receiver and a second infrared receiver, each positioned along said panel, wherein said sensor is to detect a status of the reflective element and the infrared emitter is to provide a sensor signal to at least one of said first and second infrared receivers, and wherein said sensor signal is an infrared signal;
a transmitter, connected to said sensor, comprising;
a power source, a sensor signal input to receive said sensor signal, a control circuit connected to said power source and said sensor signal input, said control circuit to cause a position signal to be transmitted, said position signal corresponding to said status, and an antenna connected to said control circuit;
a remote receiver to receive said position signal and to provide a position indicator corresponding to said status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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7. A system for monitoring a panel comprising:
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a sensor to detect a status of the panel and to provide a sensor signal corresponding to said status, wherein said sensor comprises a limit switch, said limit switch to be comprised of an infrared emitter and an infrared receiver, said limit switch to detect a number of revolutions within a motor assembly using said infrared emitter and infrared receiver, said limit switch to provide said sensor signal to said transmitter when the number of revolutions equals a preset limit;
a transmitter, connected to said sensor, comprising;
a power source, a sensor signal input to receive said sensor signal, a control circuit connected to said power source and said sensor signal input, said control circuit to cause a position signal to be transmitted, said position signal corresponding to said status, and a remote receiver to receive said position signal and to provide a position indicator corresponding to said status.
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8. A system for monitoring a panel comprising:
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a reflective element associated with the panel;
a sensor to detect a status of the reflective element, said sensor including an infrared emitter and an infrared receiver positioned along said panel and positioned essentially perpendicular to said reflective element, where the infrared emitter is to provide a sensor signal to the infrared receiver, said sensor signal to be an infrared signal which, after contacting said reflective element, is reflected in an essentially perpendicular path back towards said infrared receiver when said panel is in a closed position;
a transmitter, connected to said sensor, comprising;
a power source, a sensor signal input to receive said sensor signal, a control circuit connected to said power source and said sensor signal input, said control circuit to cause a position signal to be transmitted, said position signal corresponding to said status, and an antenna connected to said control circuit;
a remote receiver to receive said position signal and to provide a position indicator corresponding to said status.
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9. A system for monitoring a panel comprising:
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a sensor to detect a status of the panel and to provide a sensor signal corresponding to said status, wherein said sensor comprises a device attached to a side of said panel, said side to contact a surface when the panel is in a closed position, said device to detect said surface when the panel is in the closed position, said sensor to provide the sensor signal to the transmitter indicating that said panel is not in the closed position when said device does not detect said surface;
a transmitter, connected to said sensor, comprising;
a power source, a sensor signal input to receive said sensor signal, a control circuit connected to said power source and said sensor signal input, said control circuit to cause a position signal to be transmitted, said position signal corresponding to said status, and an antenna connected to said control circuit;
a remote receiver to receive said position signal and to provide a position indicator corresponding to said status. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for monitoring a panel comprising:
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positioning a reflective element on the panel;
sending a sensor signal to a transmitter where the sensor signal is provided by a sensor detecting a status of the reflective element, wherein said sensor is comprised of an infrared emitter, a first infrared receiver and a second infrared receiver, each positioned along said panel, and wherein said sensor signal is an infrared signal;
receiving said sensor signal by the transmitter;
sending a position signal from said transmitter to a remote receiver, said position signal corresponding to the status of the panel; and
,providing a position indicator from said remote receiver corresponding to said status of the panel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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21. A method for monitoring a panel comprising:
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sending a sensor signal to a transmitter where the sensor signal is provided by a sensor detecting a status of a reflective element associated with the panel, said sensor comprised of an infrared emitter and an infrared receiver, where said infrared emitter and infrared receiver are positioned essentially perpendicular to said reflective element, said infrared receiver to provide a sensor signal which, after contacting said reflective element, is reflected in an essentially perpendicular path back towards said infrared receiver when the panel is in the closed position, said sensor signal to be an infrared signal;
receiving said sensor signal by the transmitter;
sending a position signal from said transmitter to a remote receiver, said position signal corresponding to the status of the panel; and
,providing a position indicator from said remote receiver corresponding to said status of the panel.
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22. A method for monitoring a panel comprising:
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sending a sensor signal to a transmitter where the sensor signal is provided by a sensor detecting a status of the panel, said sensor to be comprised of a limit switch having an infrared emitter and an infrared receiver, said limit switch to detect a number of revolutions within a motor assembly using said infrared emitter and infrared receiver, said limit switch to provide said sensor signal to the transmitter when the number of revolutions equals a preset limit;
receiving said sensor signal by the transmitter;
sending a position signal from said transmitter to a remote receiver, said position signal corresponding to the status of the panel; and
,providing a position indicator from said remote receiver corresponding to said status of the panel.
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23. A method for monitoring a panel comprising:
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sending a sensor signal to a transmitter where the sensor signal is provided by a sensor detecting a status of the panel, said sensor to be comprised of a device attached to a side of said panel, said side to contact a surface when the panel is in a closed position, said device to detect said surface when the panel is in the closed position, said sensor to provide the sensor signal to the transmitter indicating that said panel is not in the closed position when said device does not detect said surface;
receiving said sensor signal by the transmitter;
sending a position signal from said transmitter to a remote receiver, said position signal corresponding to the status of the panel; and
,providing a position indicator from said remote receiver corresponding to said status of the panel. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification