Automatic transmission of a barrier status and change of status over a network

• US 10,096,187 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Overhead Door Corporation (Sanwa Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Deneen, Tom, Rauscher, Brent Alan, Buescher, Jr., Brent, Dragomier, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US14/682,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20160300415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/668 for overhead wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/66 Wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/80 User interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit

Abstract

An Internet based system for remotely monitoring and changing the open/closed door status of a garage door. A position detector is coupled to the door. The position detector has at least one tilt switch, and preferably two substantially orthogonal with respect to one another, for determining the barrier status, which indicates whether the door is in the open or closed position, and a wireless transmitter that transmits the barrier status to a multi-functional control module based upon a change thereof and/or an automatic pre-established periodic pulse. A multi-functional control module transmits the barrier status, upon a change thereof and/or an automatic pre-established periodic pulse to the Internet Cloud, and thereafter to a Smartphone. No request is ever made to obtain door status. The control module also receives a command from the Internet Cloud to move one or more doors. The control module pushes the barrier status to the Internet in response to receipt thereof, and not in response to a request for the barrier status. A Smartphone sends the command to the Internet, receives the barrier status therefrom, and displays the barrier status.

Claims

1. An Internet based communication system for remotely monitoring, as well as remotely changing, via the Internet, the open or closed door status of respective ones of a plurality of garage doors, the garage doors adapted to be respectively moved between their open and closed positions by, when actuated, associated door operators, the communication system comprising:

door position detectors sufficiently proximate to respective ones of said plurality of garage doors to monitor and wirelessly transmit their respective open or closed door status;

a control module in wireless communication with said door position detectors for receiving the so transmitted door status, the control module in wireless communication with a router;

each of the door operators respectively conductively connected to the control module by way of wire connections through normally-open electrical relays, the closing of the electrical relay associated with its door operator enabling actuation of that door operator;

the control module configured to (a) enable pairing of the electrical relays with respective door position detectors, and thus pairing with the garage doors to which the door position detectors are respectively associated, and (b) wirelessly transmit, via said router and the Internet, to an Internet server, first coded information representing (i) the open or closed door status of respective garage doors, (ii) the pairing of the electrical relays with the respective garage doors, and (iii) the identification of the said router;

the Internet server configured to store said first coded information for subsequent transmission to a Smartphone; and

the control module additionally configured to receive second coded information transmitted by the Smartphone representing (i) a change of door status command for each garage door selected by the user of the Smartphone, (ii) the pairing of the electrical relay with each so-selected garage door, and (iii) the identification of the said router, whereby each electrical relay paired with a selected garage door closes, thereby enabling the actuation of the associated door operator in compliance with the change of door status command.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the door position detectors push the door status to the control module at regular time intervals or change of door status, and without request therefor.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the control module pushes the first coded information to the Internet server at regular time intervals or change of door status, and without request therefor.