Vehicle garage door opener security

• US 10,008,058 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2015
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Piche, David R., Gee, Robert Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKKI, MUNEAR T
• Application Number:
  US14/969,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20170169636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 340 57, 340 571, 340 52- 521, 340 554, 340 52- 522, 340 561, 701 49
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/23 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password

Abstract

The integrated garage door opener controller in a vehicle, i.e., a garage door controller embedded in a vehicle, is prevented from operating pending receipt of a personal identification number (PIN) into a display device. In an alternate embodiment, the embedded garage door controller is enabled by information from occupant sensors, which indicate whether a driver or other person in the vehicle previously used the vehicle. In an alternate embodiment, an alarm is transmitted to a telematics service provider after a predetermined number of attempts to unlock the system have been made.

Claims

1. A method of controlling operation of a garage door opener from a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an actuation signal from a garage door opener switch located in a vehicle;

displaying a keypad on a touch-sensitive display device that is located in the vehicle, in response to receiving the actuation signal, the keypad configured to accept as input a plurality of alpha-numeric characters of a garage-door-access multi-digit security code;

receiving as input from the keypad displayed on the touch-sensitive display device the garage-door-access multi-digit security code;

receiving occupant-identifying information from at least one occupant sensor, the at least one occupant sensor provides information corresponding to a person'"'"'s configuration of vehicle control systems and the person'"'"'s configuration of vehicle control systems is evaluated to identify the person in the vehicle, the occupant sensors include at least one of a seat position detector for measuring seat height, lumbar support position sensor, headrest position sensor, seat angle sensor, seat length for a behind-the-knee bolster sensor, seat title angle sensor, seat forward-back position and occupant weight sensor, steering wheel angle and column length sensors, mirror position sensors, and brake and accelerator pedal height sensors;

comparing the input received at the keypad to a predetermined access code for allowing operation of the garage door opener;

if the input received at the keypad matches the predetermined access code, comparing the received occupant-identifying information to pre-stored occupant-identifying information; and

if the received occupant-identifying information corresponds to a previously known occupant, wirelessly transmitting a door open signal from the vehicle to the garage door opener.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving an input from the keypad displayed on the touch-sensitive display device is performed and completed within a first predetermined amount of time after the keypad is displayed on the touch-sensitive display device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving an input from the keypad displayed on the touch-sensitive display device comprises receiving an input from a keypad that is displayed on a cell phone that is wirelessly coupled to the vehicle by a Bluetooth transceiver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving an input from the keypad displayed on the touch-sensitive display device comprises receiving a biometric measurement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting an alarm message after determining that an input from the keypad displayed on the touch-sensitive display is invalid.

6. An apparatus for controlling operation of a garage door opener from a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a garage door opener transmitter, configured to transmit a wireless signal, which when received by a garage door opener will cause the opener to operate;

a garage door opener control switch;

a touch-sensitive display device, configured to be able to receive a tactile input and display images;

a plurality of occupant sensors including at least one of a seat position detector for measuring seat height, lumbar support position sensor, headrest position sensor, seat angle sensor, seat length for a behind-the-knee bolster sensor, seat title angle sensor, seat forward-back position and occupant weight sensor, steering wheel angle and column length sensors, mirror position sensors, and brake and accelerator pedal height sensors;

a controller coupled to the garage door opener transmitter, the garage door opener control switch, the occupant sensors and coupled to the touch-sensitive display device;

a memory device coupled to the controller and storing executable program instructions for said controller, the instructions being selected and arranged to;

detect an actuation of the garage door opener control switch;

in response to detecting actuation of the garage door opener control switch, cause the display of a keypad on the touch-sensitive display device, the keypad being configured to accept as input a plurality of alpha-numeric characters of a garage-door-access multi-digit security code;

receive as input from the touch-sensitive display device the garage-door-access multi-digit security code;

compare the input received from the touch-sensitive display device to a predetermined access code that allows operation of the garage door opener, the predetermined access code being stored in the memory device;

receive and evaluate information from the occupant sensors, wherein the occupant sensors provide information corresponding to a person'"'"'s configuration of vehicle control systems and wherein the person'"'"'s configuration of vehicle control systems is evaluated to identify the person in the vehicle; and

cause the controller to send signals to the garage door opener transmitter, which cause wireless transmission of a door open signal from the garage door opener transmitter, if the input received from the displayed keypad is determined by the controller to be the same as the predetermined access code and if the occupant sensor information indicates that a person in the vehicle is authorized to access a garage, the door of which is opened and closed by a garage door opener.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a biometric scanner coupled to the controller, the biometric scanner being configured to detect a biometric characteristic.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a telematics transceiver operatively coupled to the controller, the telematics transceiver being configured to send an alarm signal to a telematics service provider after an invalid input is received from the displayed keypad.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a Bluetooth transceiver operatively coupled to the controller, the Bluetooth transceiver being configured to wirelessly couple a cell phone to the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory device is configured with additional program instructions, which when executed cause the controller to:

control the Bluetooth transceiver to cause it to transmit the received garage door controller access code to a cell phone coupled to the Bluetooth transceiver.