Garage carbon monoxide detector with automatic garage door opening command

• US 7,183,933 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northcoast Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Northcoast Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Cogan, Edward, Heidenreich, James, Dzurko, Thomas A, Osmani, Lulzim
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US11/087,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20050212681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 340/632
• US Class Current: 340/632
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/14 Toxic gas alarms G08B21/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A garage monitoring system for use with an automatic garage door opening mechanism that includes a carbon monoxide detector configured to sense the presence of carbon monoxide within the garage and generate an audible alarm when carbon monoxide reaches a predetermined level in the garage. A heater is positioned adjacent the carbon monoxide detector for maintaining the carbon monoxide detector above a minimum operational temperature. The garage monitoring system further includes a garage door position sensor for determining the position of the garage door and generating a signal corresponding to the position of the garage door. A monitoring mechanism interfaces with the garage door opening mechanism, the monitoring mechanism including an acoustic detector for sensing audible sounds, including an audible alarm from the carbon monoxide detector, and for generating a signal to the garage door opening mechanism to open the garage door when the carbon monoxide detector generates an alarm and the garage door position sensor indicates that the garage door is not in the open position.

Claims

1. A garage monitoring system for use with an automatic garage door opening mechanism configured to move a garage door between an open and a closed position, the garage monitoring system comprising:

a carbon monoxide detector configured to sense the presence of carbon monoxide within the garage and generate an audible alarm when carbon monoxide reaches a predetermined level in the garage;

a heater positioned adjacent the carbon monoxide detector for maintaining the carbon monoxide detector above a minimum operational temperature;

a garage door position sensor for determining the position of the garage door; and

a monitoring mechanism interfacing with the garage door opening mechanism, the monitoring system comprising an acoustic detector for sensing audible sounds, including an audible alarm from the carbon monoxide detector, and for generating a signal to the garage door opening mechanism to open the garage door when the carbon monoxide detector generates an alarm and the garage door position sensor indicates that the garage door is not in an open position.

2. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the garage monitoring system comprises a casing for the monitoring mechanism and the carbon monoxide detector plugs into said casing.

3. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the garage door position sensor is a distance measuring unit that uses ultrasonic waves to detect the distance to a nearest point of an object.

4. The garage monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the garage door position sensor comprises an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver.

5. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the garage door position sensor is attached above the open garage door a distance between about 12 inches (30 cm) and about 36 inches (91 cm) from a top edge of the of the garage door.

6. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the garage monitoring system is configured to open the garage door in response to a carbon monoxide alarm when the garage door is not in the open position but not shut the garage door if the garage door is in the open position.

7. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the garage monitoring system contains a calibration switch to calibrate the height of the garage door position sensor above the open garage door.

8. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the garage monitoring system interfaces with the garage door opening mechanism with wires to transmit a signal to open the garage door.

9. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic detector is an electret microphone.

10. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, wherein monitoring mechanism integrates electric signals produced by the acoustic detector greater than a determined magnitude over a determined time.

11. The garage monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature in the vicinity of the carbon monoxide detector.

12. A garage monitoring system for use with an automatic garage door opening mechanism configured to move a garage door between an open and a closed position, the garage monitoring system comprising:

a carbon monoxide detector configured to sense the presence of carbon monoxide within the garage;

a garage door position sensor comprising an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver for measuring the distance to an object using ultrasonic waves for determining the position of the garage door; and

a monitoring mechanism interfacing with the garage door opening mechanism, the monitoring system generating a signal to the garage door opening mechanism to open the garage door when the carbon monoxide detector generates an alarm and the garage door position sensor indicates that the garage door is not in an open position.

13. The garage monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the carbon monoxide detector generates an audible alarm when carbon monoxide reaches a predetermined level in the garage and the monitoring mechanism comprises an acoustic detector for sensing audible sounds, including an audible alarm from the carbon monoxide detector.

14. The garage monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the garage door position sensor is attached above the open garage door a distance between about 12 inches (30 cm) and about 36 inches (91 cm) from a top edge of the of the garage door.

15. The garage monitoring system of claim 12, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature in the vicinity of the carbon monoxide detector and a heater positioned adjacent the carbon monoxide detector for maintaining the carbon monoxide detector above a minimum operational temperature.

16. A garage monitoring system for use with an automatic garage door opening mechanism configured to move a garage door between an open and a closed position, and a carbon monoxide detector configured to sense the presence of carbon monoxide within the garage and generate an audible alarm when carbon monoxide reaches a predetermined level in the garage, the garage monitoring system comprising:

a garage door position sensor for determining the position of the garage door; and

a monitoring mechanism interfacing with the garage door opening mechanism, the monitoring system comprising an acoustic microphone for sensing audible sounds, including an audible alarm from the carbon monoxide detector, wherein monitoring mechanism integrates electric signals from the microphone greater than a determined magnitude over a determined time to generate a signal to the garage door opening mechanism to open the garage door when the garage door position sensor indicates that the garage door is not in an open position.

17. The garage monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the garage door position sensor comprises an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver for measuring the distance to an object using ultrasonic waves for determining the position of the garage door.

18. The garage monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the garage door position sensor is attached above the open garage door a distance between about 12 inches (30 cm) and about 36 inches (91 cm) from a top edge of the of the garage door.

19. The garage monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the garage monitoring system interfaces with the garage door opening mechanism with wires to transmit a signal to open the garage door.

20. The garage monitoring system of claim 16, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature in the vicinity of the carbon monoxide detector and a heater positioned adjacent the carbon monoxide detector for maintaining the carbon monoxide detector above a minimum operational temperature.