Active monitoring system for use with a garage door opener
First Claim
1. An active monitoring system for use with an automatic garage door opener that is installed in a garage comprising:
- means for sending an alert to a remote control unit that is in communication with the automatic garage door opener when a prescribed event occurs;
means for opening the garage door upon occurrence of the prescribed event and a vehicle monitoring means that detects a position of a vehicle, that carries the remote control unit, relative to the garage and calculates whether the vehicle is moving towards the garage, the means for sending an alert including a main control unit that takes into consideration information received from the vehicle monitoring means when determining whether the alert is to be sent.
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Accused Products
Abstract
According to aspect of the present invention, an automatic garage door opener is provided and includes: (1) a mechanical mechanism operatively coupled to the garage door for opening and closing thereof; (2) a main control unit for processing command signals to open and close the garage door; (3) a remote control unit in operative communication with the main control unit and capable of sending the command signals; and (4) an active monitoring system that is operatively associated and in communication with the main control unit and the remote control unit, wherein the active monitoring system is configured to send an alert to the remote control unit upon the occurrence of a prescribed event, such as the detection of a gas within the garage at a concentration greater than a predetermined threshold. The main control unit is preferably configured to deliver a control signal to open the garage door upon the occurrence of the gas exceeding the threshold level.
72 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An active monitoring system for use with an automatic garage door opener that is installed in a garage comprising:
- means for sending an alert to a remote control unit that is in communication with the automatic garage door opener when a prescribed event occurs;
means for opening the garage door upon occurrence of the prescribed event and a vehicle monitoring means that detects a position of a vehicle, that carries the remote control unit, relative to the garage and calculates whether the vehicle is moving towards the garage, the means for sending an alert including a main control unit that takes into consideration information received from the vehicle monitoring means when determining whether the alert is to be sent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- means for sending an alert to a remote control unit that is in communication with the automatic garage door opener when a prescribed event occurs;
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18. An automatic garage door opener comprising:
- a mechanical mechanism operatively coupled to the garage door for opening and closing thereof;
a main control unit for processing command signals to open and close the garage door;
a handheld device in operative communication with the main control unit and capable of sending the command signals;
an active monitoring system that is operatively associated and in communication with the main control unit and the handheld device, the active monitoring system being configured to send an alert to the handheld device after the garage door is open and upon the occurrence of a prescribed event; and
a network over which the alert is delivered to the handheld device; and
wherein the prescribed event is when the system is in an active monitoring mode and the garage door is in an open position for more than a predetermined period of time inputted by a user, wherein once the predetermined period of time passes, the system enters a call back mode and the main control unit sends the alert to a device that is associated with a programmable stored identification number, the system having a bypass mode in which the user can disable the automatic call back mode, the system further being capable of detecting a gas within the garage at a concentration greater than a predetermined threshold, the main control unit being configured to deliver a control signal to open the garage door when the concentration of the gas is greater than the threshold and wherein the active monitoring system is configured so that the handheld device can remotely send a control signal to the main control unit to close the garage door after the detection of gas concentration exceeding the threshold and after the alert has been delivered to the handheld device, the active monitoring system resetting itself if the garage door is closed using the handheld device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
- a mechanical mechanism operatively coupled to the garage door for opening and closing thereof;
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22. An active monitoring system for use with an automatic garage door opener that is installed in a garage comprising:
- a main control unit including a transmitter in the form of an underground wire that extends at least underneath all vehicle entrances and exits, the main control unit including means for sending an alert to a remote control unit that is in communication with the automatic garage door opener when a prescribed event occurs, the remote control unit including a receiver that is configured to receive a signal emitted by the transmitter.
- View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
Specification