Garage door opener communications gateway module for enabling communications among vehicles, house devices, and telecommunications networks

• US 7,778,604 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Rudnick, Kenan R., Harwood, Jody K., Bauman, Jason G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phu; Sanh D
• Application Number:
  US11/690,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20070167138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/66.1, 455/344, 455/345, 455/423, 455/569.1, 340/5.61, 340/5.71
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/664 by radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2999/00 Subject-matter not otherwise provided for in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A garage door opener (GDO) communications gateway module includes a receiver for receiving garage door signals and a transmitter for transmitting control signals to a GDO operable for opening and closing a garage door of a garage of a house. The transmitter transmits a control signal to the GDO to control the garage door upon receipt of a garage door signal by the receiver. The module includes a Bluetooth enabled first transceiver for communicating with a Bluetooth enabled appliance of a vehicle over a wireless communications path when the vehicle is located within the vicinity of the garage. The module includes a second transceiver for communicating with a device of the house over another communications path. The vehicle appliance and the house device communicate with one another over the communications paths via the transceivers. The receiver, the transmitter, and the transceivers are contained within a housing mountable to the garage.

Claims

1. A garage door opener communications gateway module comprising:

a garage door receiver for receiving garage door signals;

a garage door transmitter for transmitting control signals to a garage door opener operable for opening and closing a garage door of a garage of a house, wherein the garage door transmitter transmits a control signal to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt of a garage door signal by the garage door receiver;

a first transceiver, the first transceiver being Bluetooth enabled for wirelessly communicating with a Bluetooth enabled appliance of a vehicle over a first communications path when the vehicle is located within the vicinity of the garage; and

a second transceiver for communicating with a device of the house over a second communications path;

wherein the vehicle appliance and the house device communicate with one another over the first and second communications paths via the first and second transceivers;

wherein the garage door receiver, the garage door transmitter, and the first and second transceivers are contained within a housing mountable to the garage.

2. The module of claim 1 wherein the house device is a personal computer connected to the Internet, wherein:

the second transceiver communicates with the personal computer to receive information from the Internet and the first transceiver communicates with the vehicle appliance to transfer the information from the Internet to the vehicle appliance.

3. The module of claim 2 wherein:

the vehicle appliance communicates with the personal computer via the first and second transceivers in order to access the Internet from the vehicle.

4. The module of claim 1 wherein the house device is lighting system, wherein:

the first transceiver wirelessly communicates with the vehicle appliance over the first communications path to receive a lighting command for the lighting system from the vehicle appliance, wherein the second transceiver transmits the lighting command over the second communications path to the lighting system to control the operation of the lighting system in accordance with the lighting command.

5. The module of claim 1 wherein the house device is a security system, wherein:

the first transceiver wirelessly communicates with the vehicle appliance over the first communications path to receive a security command for the security system from the vehicle appliance, wherein the second transceiver transmits the security command over the second communications path to the security system to control the operation of the security system in accordance with the security command.

6. The module of claim 1 further comprising:

a paging receiver for wireles sly receiving paging signals from a paging telecommunications network;

wherein the garage door transmitter transmits a control signal to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt by the paging receiver of a paging signal containing information indicative of the garage door signal.

7. The module of claim 6 wherein the house device includes at least one of a lighting system and a security system, wherein:

the second transceiver transmits a control signal to the house device to control the house device upon receipt by the paging receiver of a paging signal containing information indicative of a command for controlling the house device.

8. The module of claim 1 further comprising:

a telephone receiver for receiving telephone signals from the PTSN;

wherein the garage door transmitter transmits a control signal to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt by the telephone receiver of a telephone signal containing information indicative of the garage door signal.

9. The module of claim 8 wherein the house device includes at least one of a lighting system and a security system, wherein:

the second transceiver transmits a control signal to the house device to control the house device upon receipt by the paging receiver of a paging signal containing information indicative of a command for controlling the house device.

10. The module of claim 1 wherein the house device includes a personal computer connected to the Internet, wherein:

the second transceiver and the personal computer communicate with one another over an Ethernet line of the second communications path such that information is transferrable to and from the Internet and the vehicle appliance via the personal computer and the second transceiver.

11. The module of claim 1 wherein:

the second transceiver is WiFi enabled and the second communications path includes a WiFi communications path.

12. The module of claim 1 wherein:

the second transceiver is Bluetooth enabled and the second communications path includes a Bluetooth communications path.

13. The module of claim 1 wherein:

the second transceiver is radio frequency (RF) enabled and the second communications path includes a RF communications path.

14. The module of claim 1 wherein the vehicle appliance includes a hands-free telephone system having a Bluetooth enabled communications module for communicating with a Bluetooth enabled cell phone within the vehicle, wherein:

the house device and the cell phone communicate with one another via the first and second transceivers and the Bluetooth enabled communications module of the vehicle appliance.

15. The module of claim 1 wherein:

the garage door transmitter transmits control signals over a wireless connection to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt of a garage door signal by the garage door receiver.

16. The module of claim 1 wherein:

the garage door transmitter transmits control signals over a wired connection to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt of a garage door signal by the garage door receiver.

17. A garage door opener communications gateway module comprising:

a garage door receiver for receiving garage door signals;

a garage door transmitter for transmitting control signals to a garage door opener operable for opening and closing a garage door of a garage of a house, wherein the garage door transmitter transmits a control signal to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt of a garage door signal by the receiver;

a telecommunications receiver for receiving telecommunications signals from a telecommunications network; and

a transceiver for wirelessly communicating with a device of the house;

wherein the garage door transmitter transmits a control signal to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt by the telecommunications receiver of a telecommunications signal containing information indicative of the garage door signal;

wherein the transceiver wirelessly transmits a control signal to the house device to control the house device upon receipt by the telecommunications receiver of a telecommunications signal containing information indicative of a command for controlling the house device;

wherein the garage door receiver, the garage door transmitter, and the telecommunications receiver are contained within a housing mountable to the garage.

18. The module of claim 17 wherein:

the telecommunications receiver is a paging receiver for receiving paging signals from a pager telecommunications network;

wherein the garage door transmitter transmits a control signal to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt by the paging receiver of a paging signal containing information indicative of the garage door signal.

19. The module of claim 17 wherein:

the telecommunications receiver is a telephone receiver for receiving telephone signals from the PSTN;

wherein the garage door transmitter transmits a control signal to the garage door opener to control the garage door upon receipt by the telephone receiver of a telephone signal containing information indicative of the garage door signal.