System and method for automatically closing a garage door

• US 9,458,657 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GBF Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GBF Incorporated
• Inventors: French, John Stuhr, Brennan, Patrick Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): STRIMBU, GREGORY J
• Application Number:
  US13/644,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20130081329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 318264-266, 318/272, 318/275, 318/277, 318/282, 318/286, 318466-469, 318/626
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/73 responsive to movement or presence of persons or objects
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/79 using time control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/324 Switches
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45242 Door, panel, window operation, opening, closing
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatically closing a garage door can include one or more door open sensors, one or more motion sensors, one or more timers, and a door close activator. In certain embodiments, the one or more door open sensors are configured to detect whether the garage door is completely open. In various embodiments, the one or more motion sensors are focused in a garage and configured to detect motion within the garage. In certain embodiments, the one or more timers are configured to delay for a predetermined time period after motion is no longer detected. In various embodiments, the door close activator is configured to close the garage door after the delay of the predetermined period of time.

Claims

1. An automatic garage door closing system comprising:

at least one door open sensor operable to detect whether a garage door is completely open;

at least one passive infrared sensor operable to be focused in a garage and operable to detect motion within the garage, wherein the at least one passive infrared sensor is operable to activate at least one timer if the motion is detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor;

the at least one timer operable to start running for a predetermined period of time only after the motion is no longer detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor, wherein the at least one timer is operable to reset if the motion is detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor during the predetermined period of time and then start running for the predetermined period of time only after the motion is no longer detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor; and

a door close activator operable to close the garage door after the predetermined period of time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one door open sensor is operable to enable the at least one timer and the door close activator if the at least one door open sensor detects that the garage door is completely open.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one door open sensor comprises an optical interrupted switch.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one passive infrared sensor comprises two passive infrared sensors.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one timer and the door close activator are part of at least one processing device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one timer comprises:

a first timer operable to delay a first predetermined period of time after the motion is no longer detected,

a second timer operable to delay a second predetermined period of time after the first predetermined period of time, and

a third timer operable to delay a third predetermined period of time after the second predetermined period of time,

wherein the predetermined period of time is the sum of the first, second, and third predetermined periods of time.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first timer comprises a charging capacitor and a discharging resistor, the charging capacitor operable to charge if the motion is detected, and the charging capacitor operable to discharge through the discharging resistor during the first predetermined period of time.

8. The system of claim 6, comprising an analog-to-digital converter, wherein the analog-to-digital converter receives an analog signal from the first timer and provides the second timer with a digital signal.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the second timer comprises a timing capacitor and a timing resistor, the timing capacitor operable to discharge if the motion is detected, and the timing capacitor operable to charge through the timing resistor during the second predetermined period of time.

10. The system of claim 6, comprising an alarm, wherein the third timer is operable to activate the alarm for a duration of the third predetermined period of time.

11. The system of claim 1, comprising an alarm that comprises two astable circuits and a speaker operable to generate a pulsed audible alarm.

12. A garage door system comprising the automatic garage door closing system of claim 1 and a switch operable to turn on and off the automatic garage door closing system and the garage door system.

13. A garage door system comprising the automatic garage door closing system of claim 1, wherein the automatic garage door closing system is integrated with the garage door system.

14. A method for automatically closing a garage door, the method comprising:

detecting that the garage door is completely open with a door open sensor device;

detecting motion in a garage with at least one passive infrared sensor operable to be focused in the garage;

activating, by the at least one passive infrared sensor, at least one timer if the at least one passive infrared sensor detects the motion;

starting to run the at least one timer for a predetermined period of time only after the motion is no longer detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor;

resetting the at least one timer if the motion is detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor during the predetermined period of time and starting to run the at least one timer for the predetermined period of time only after the motion is no longer detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor; and

automatically closing the garage door after the predetermined period of time has expired.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising enabling the at least one timer if the door open sensor device detects that the garage door is completely open.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined period of time comprises a first predetermined time period, a second predetermined time period and a third predetermined time period, and wherein the step of starting to run the at least one timer comprises:

triggering a first timer to run for the first predetermined time period after the motion is no longer detected by the at least one passive infrared sensor,

triggering a second timer to run for the second predetermined time period after the first predetermined time period has expired, and

triggering a third timer to run for the third predetermined time period after the second predetermined time period has expired.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising activating an alarm for the third predetermined time period.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising deactivating the alarm after the third predetermined time period has expired.

19. The method of claim 14, comprising disabling the at least one timer if the door open sensor device detects that the garage door is not completely open.