System for causing garage door opener to open garage door and method

• US 9,836,905 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Chutorash, Richard J., Vanderwall, Philip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/985,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20160117879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 340 52, 340 523, 340 564, 340 571, 34082569, 380270
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/72 responsive to emergency conditions, e.g. fire
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/42 against smoke or gas
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/64 using a proximity sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass

Abstract

A system and a method for causing a garage door to open using a garage door opener having a wireless receiver is provided. The system comprises an interface coupled to an environment sensor and configured to receive data from the environment sensor. The system can include processing electronics coupled to the interface and configured to receive the data from the interface and to use the received data to determine whether an environmental condition exists. The processing electronics provide a command to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door based on the determination of whether the environmental condition exists.

Claims

1. A method for causing a garage door opener to open a garage door, comprising:

receiving first data at a processing circuit;

determining, by the processing circuit, whether an engine of a vehicle is started based on the first data;

determining, by the processing circuit, whether the vehicle is in a garage and the garage door is closed based on the data;

wherein the data used to determine whether the vehicle is in the garage and the garage door is closed includes data related to an environmental condition within the garage and provided by at least one of an emission sensor, a vibration sensor, and a temperature sensor; and

generating, by the processing circuit, a command configured to open the garage door based on determining that the engine of the vehicle is started, the vehicle is in the garage, and the garage door is closed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the command to the garage door opener via a transmitter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from an engine control unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from an environment sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes state data stored in a memory indicating one of an open state or a closed state of the garage door.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising setting the state data in the memory to the open state in response to generating the command to open the garage door.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising continuously receiving the data until determining that the engine is started.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the vehicle is started includes comparing the data to a threshold value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is received from a field sensor configured to sense a change in a magnetic field when the engine is started.

10. A system for opening a garage door, comprising:

an interface configured to receive data from a source; and

a processing circuit configured to;

determine whether an engine of a vehicle is started based on the data;

determine whether the vehicle is in a garage and the garage door is closed based on the data;

wherein the data used to determine whether the vehicle is in the garage and the garage door is closed includes data related to an environmental condition within the garage and provided by at least one of an emission sensor, a vibration sensor, and a temperature sensor; and

generate a command configured to open the garage door based on determining that the engine of the vehicle is started, the vehicle is in the garage, and the garage door is closed.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the command to the garage door opener.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the data is received from an engine control unit.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the data is received form an environment sensor.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a memory coupled to the processing circuit, the memory configured to store state data indicating one of an open state or a closed state of the garage door.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to set the state data to the open state in response to generating the command to open the garage door.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing circuit is configured to continuously receive the data until determining that the engine is started.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine that the vehicle is started based on comparing the data to a threshold value.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the data is received from a field sensor configured to sense a change in a magnetic field when the engine is started.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is disposed in the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is disposed in the garage.