Pressing device for garage door controller

• US 9,922,478 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NICE North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Nortek Security & Control LLC (Melrose Industries Plc)
• Inventors: Wong, Robert King
• Primary Examiner(s): File, Erin
• Application Number:
  US15/393,172
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/60 using electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation

Abstract

A pressing device includes a pressing device switch configured to cover a garage door switch. The garage door switch operates a garage door opener connected to the garage door switch. An actuator is coupled to the pressing device switch. An indicator outputs a combination of an audio and video signal. The pressing device receives a garage door control command and generates a warning signal to the indicator. The indicator outputs the combination of the audio and video signal in response to receiving the warning signal, and generates a trigger signal to the actuator. The actuator physically presses on the garage door switch in response to receiving the trigger signal.

Claims

1. A pressing device comprising:

a pressing device switch configured to cover a garage door switch, the garage door switch configured to operate a garage door opener connected to the garage door switch;

an actuator coupled to the pressing device switch;

an indicator configured to output a combination of an audio and video signal;

a lever coupled to the actuator with the pressing device switch, the lever being supported by a fulcrum, a first end of the lever adjacent to the actuator, a second end adjacent to the pressing device switch, the first end being opposite to the second end;

a processor configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving a garage door control command;

generating a warning signal to the indicator, the indicator configured to output the combination of the audio and video signal in response to receiving the warning signal; and

generating a trigger signal to the actuator, the actuator configured to physically press on the garage door switch in response to receiving the trigger signal.

2. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the trigger signal is generated after a preset time has elapsed after the generating the warning signal.

3. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the first end of the lever is configured to press on the garage door switch in response to the actuator pushing against the second end of the lever.

4. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the first end of the lever is configured to press on the garage door switch in response to the pressing device switch being pushed against the first end of the lever.

5. The pressing device of claim 1, further comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a home control system,

wherein the home control system is not configured to communicate directly with the garage door opener,

wherein the pressing device transparently interfaces from the home control system with the garage door opener.

6. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a movement input and duration input;

adjusting a distance of a movement of an arm of the actuator, the distance corresponding to the movement input; and

adjusting a duration of a pressing of the arm of the actuator, the duration corresponding to the duration input.

7. The pressing device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a model of the garage door switch;

accessing a configuration setting corresponding to the model of the garage door switch; and

adjusting a distance of a movement of an arm of the actuator and a duration of a pressing of the arm of the actuator based on the configuration setting.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a garage door control command at a pressing device having a pressing device switch configured to cover a garage door switch, the garage door switch configured to operate a garage door opener connected to the garage door switch, the pressing device comprising a lever coupled to the actuator and the pressing device switch, the lever being supported by a fulcrum, a first end of the lever being adjacent to the actuator, a second end being adjacent to the pressing device switch, the first end being opposite to the second end;

generating a warning signal to an indicator on the pressing device in response to receiving the garage door control command, the indicator configured to output the combination of audio and video signal in response to receiving the warning signal; and

generating a trigger signal to an actuator of the pressing device, the actuator configured to physically press on the garage door switch in response to receiving the trigger signal.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating the trigger signal after a preset time has elapsed after generating the warning signal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first end of the lever is configured to press on the garage door switch in response to the actuator pushing against the second end of the lever.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first end of the lever is configured to press on the garage door switch in response to the pressing device switch being pushed against the first end of the lever.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

communicating with a home control system using a transceiver in the pressing device; and

interfacing the home control system with the garage door opener using the pressing device,

wherein the home control system is not configured to communicate directly with the garage door opener.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a configuration setting including a movement input and a duration input;

adjusting a distance of a movement of an arm of the actuator, the distance corresponding to the movement input; and

adjusting a duration of a duration of a pressing of the arm of the actuator, the duration corresponding to the duration input.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a garage door control command at a pressing device having a pressing device switch configured to cover a garage door switch, the garage door switch configured to operate a garage door opener connected to the garage door switch, the pressing device comprising a lever coupled to the actuator and the pressing device switch, the lever being supported by a fulcrum, a first end of the lever being adjacent to the actuator, a second end being adjacent to the pressing device switch, the first end being opposite to the second end;

generating a warning signal to an indicator on the pressing device in response to receiving the garage door control command, the indicator configured to output the combination of audio and video signal in response to receiving the warning signal; and

generating a trigger signal to an actuator of the pressing device, the actuator configured to physically press on the garage door switch in response to receiving the trigger signal.