Trainable transceiver and camera systems and methods

• US 9,858,806 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Geerlings, Steven L., Witkowski, Todd R., Wright, Thomas S., Smeyers, Marc A., Dorst, Jonathan E., Papay, Douglas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, An T
• Application Number:
  US14/690,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/21 Programming remote control devices via third means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device including a trainable transceiver, a camera, and a control circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the camera. The control circuit is configured to use the camera to identify the remote device by comparing information received via the camera to information stored in memory, and the control circuit is configured to automatically transmit an activation signal formatted to control the remote device in response to identifying the remote device.

Claims

1. A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device, comprising:

a trainable transceiver;

a user interface element for activating the remote device;

a camera; and

a control circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the camera, the control circuit configured to;

use, responsive to receipt of an input on the user interface element, the camera to extract information from a machine readable image associated with the remote device;

identify the remote device by comparing the extracted information to information stored in memory;

determine which of a plurality of activation signals to transmit from the trainable transceiver based on the identification of the remote device;

automatically transmit an activation signal formatted to control the remote device, using the trainable transceiver, in response to the determination of which of the plurality of activation signals to transmit based on the identification of the remote device; and

stop comparing the extracted information to information stored in memory when the trainable transceiver is outside a geographic boundary, after a predetermined period of time, or after a predetermined number of failed comparisons of the extracted information to information stored in memory.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit stores activation signal parameters corresponding with one or more remote devices with information stored is memory for use in identifying the one or more remote devices.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable image associated with the remote device is located on a garage door.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable image associated with the remote device is located on a structure of a garage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable image is at least one of a quick reference code and bar code.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine readable image is not visible to a human eye and is visible to the camera.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to, in response to identifying the remote device, automatically transmit a second activation signal formatted to control a second remote device.

6. A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device, comprising:

a trainable transceiver;

a user interface element for activating the remote device;

a camera interface configured to receive images through a wired or wireless connection with one or more cameras located in or on the vehicle; and

a control circuit coupled to the trainable transceiver and the camera interface, the control circuit configured to;

use, responsive to receipt of an input on the user interface element, the camera interface to extract information from a machine readable image associated with the remote device;

identify the remote device by comparing the extracted information to information stored in memory;

determine which of a plurality of activation signals to transmit from the trainable transceiver based on the identification of the remote device;

automatically transmit an activation signal formatted to control the remote device in response to the determination of which of the plurality of activation signals to transmit based on the identification of the remote device; and

stop comparing the extracted information to information stored in memory when the trainable transceiver is outside a geographic boundary, after a predetermined period of time, or after a predetermined number of failed comparisons of the extracted information to information stored in memory.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the control circuit stores activation signal parameters corresponding with one or more remote devices with information stored in memory for use in identifying the one or more remote devices.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the machine readable image associated with the remote device is located on a garage door or on a structure of a garage.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the machine readable image is at least one of a quick reference code and bar code.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the machine readable image is not visible to a human eye and is visible to the camera.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the control circuit is further configured to, in response to identifying the remote device, automatically transmit a second activation signal formatted to control a second remote device.

10. A system for installation in a vehicle and for controlling a remote device, comprising:

a user interface element for activating the remote device;

a camera;

a trainable transceiver; and

a control circuit coupled to the camera and the trainable transceiver, the control circuit configured to use information received at the camera to determine which of at least two possible command signals to transmit from the trainable transceiver, wherein upon receiving an input at the user interface element, the control circuit is configured to transmit a single command signal based on the determination;

wherein two different garage doors are trained to the user interface element and information from the camera is used to determine which garage door the vehicle is approaching and determine which of the at least two possible command signals to transmit from the trainable transceiver.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein global positioning information is not used to determine which of the at least two possible command signals to transmit from the trainable transceiver.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein global positioning information is used to determine which of a set of garage doors the vehicle is approaching, and wherein the single command signal is transmitted automatically when the control circuit identifies the remote device by comparing information received via the camera to information stored in memory.