SYSTEM FOR CAUSING GARAGE DOOR OPENER TO OPEN GARAGE DOOR AND METHOD

• US 20100171588A1
• Filed: 01/02/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Vanderwall, Philip J., Chutorash, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,643,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.710
• 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 system for causing a garage door opener to open a garage door, the system comprising:

an interface coupled to an environment sensor and configured to receive data from the environment sensor; and

processing electronics coupled to the interface, configured to receive data from the interface, configured to use the received data to determine whether an environmental condition exists, and configured to provide a command to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door based on a determination that the environmental condition exists.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the environment sensor includes an emission sensor configured to sense at least one vehicle emission.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensed vehicle emission includes at least one of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides (NO_x), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), particulates and sulfur oxides (SO_x).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the environment sensor includes at least one of a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is disposed in a garage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is disposed in a vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a transmitter coupled to the processing electronics and configured to receive a command from the processing electronics and to transmit a control signal to a wireless receiver of the garage door opener in response to the command, the control signal formatted for recognition by the wireless receiver, wherein the processing electronics provides the command to the transmitter based on the determination that the environmental condition exists.

6. They system of claim 6, wherein the environment sensor is coupled to the interface via one of a physical communication connection and a wireless communication connection.

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

receiving data from an environment sensor;

determining that an environmental condition exists based on the received data; and

providing a command to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door, wherein providing the command is based on the determination that the environmental condition exists.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the environment sensor includes an emission sensor configured to sense at least one vehicle emission.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensed vehicle emission includes at least one of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides (NO_x), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO₂), particulates and sulfur oxides (SO_x).

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the environment sensor includes at least one of a vibration sensor and a temperature sensor.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining step is performed by processing electronics disposed in a garage.

14. They method of claim 13, wherein the environment sensor is coupled to the interface via at least one of a physical communication connection and a wireless communication connection.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining step is performed by processing electronics disposed in a vehicle.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing a command includes providing the command to a transmitter to transmit a control signal formatted for recognition by a wireless receiver of the garage door opener and to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door;

and

transmitting the control signal to the wireless receiver of the garage door opener in response to the command;

wherein the control signal is configured to cause the garage door opener to actuate the garage door.

17. A system for a vehicle and configured to cause a garage door opener to open a garage door, the system comprising:

an interface coupled to a first sensor and configured to receive first data from the first sensor;

processing electronics coupled to the interface, configured to receive the first data from the interface, and configured to use the first data to determine whether to actuate the garage door;

a transmitter coupled to the processing electronics and configured to receive a command from the processing electronics and to transmit a control signal to a wireless receiver of the garage door opener in response to the command, the control signal formatted for recognition by the wireless receiver and to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door;

wherein the processing electronics provides the command to the transmitter based on the determination of whether to actuate the garage door.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the first data indicates at least one of whether an engine of the vehicle has started, whether the vehicle is in the garage, and whether the garage door is closed.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a receiver coupled to processing electronics and configured to receive second data from a remote device disposed in the garage, wherein the processing electronics is configured to receive the second data from the receiver and to use the first and the second data to determine whether to actuate the garage door.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second data indicates at least one of whether an engine of the vehicle has started, whether the vehicle is in the garage, and whether the garage door is closed.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote device disposed in the garage includes the garage door opener.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote device disposed in the garage is configured to be coupled to the garage door opener via at least one of a physical communication connection and wireless communication connection.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the first sensor includes at least one of an environment sensor, a field sensor, an engine control unit, a camera, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a photoelectric sensor, an RF sensor, and a GPS.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein determining whether to actuate the garage door comprises:

(a) determining whether an engine of the vehicle is started;

(b) determining whether the vehicle is in the garage; and

(c) determining whether the garage door is closed.

25. A garage door opener configured to actuate a garage door and coupled to a wireless receiver for receiving a control signal, the garage door opener comprising:

an interface coupled to a first sensor and configured to receive first data;

processing electronics coupled to the interface and configured to receive the first data from the interface and to use the first data to determine whether to actuate the garage door;

wherein the processing electronics provides a command to the garage door opener to actuate the garage door based on the determination of whether to actuate the garage door.

26. The garage door opener of claim 25, wherein the first data indicates at least one of whether an engine of the vehicle has started, whether the vehicle is in the garage, and whether the garage door is closed.

27. The garage door opener of claim 25, wherein the wireless receiver is coupled to processing electronics and configured to receive second data from a control system disposed in a vehicle, wherein the processing electronics is configured to receive the second data from the receiver and to use the first and the second data to determine whether to actuate the garage door.

28. The garage door opener of claim 27, wherein the second data indicates at least one of whether an engine of the vehicle has started, whether the vehicle is in the garage and whether the garage door is closed.

29. The garage door opener of claim 25, wherein determining whether to actuate the garage door comprises:

(a) determining whether an engine of the vehicle has started;

(b) determining whether the vehicle is in the garage; and

(c) determining whether the garage door is closed.

30. The garage door opener of claim 25, wherein the first sensor includes at least one of an environment sensor, a field sensor, an emission pattern sensor, a camera, a radar sensor, a sonar sensor, a photoelectric sensor, an RF sensor, a capacitive sensor, and a pressure sensor.

31. The garage door opener of claim 25, wherein the first sensor is disposed in the garage and outside of the garage door opener.

32. The garage door opener of claim 25, wherein the first sensor is coupled to the garage door opener via at least one of a physical communication connection and a wireless communication connection.

33. A method for opening a garage door using a garage door opener, comprising:

receiving first data from a first sensor;

receiving second data from a remote source via a wireless receiver;

determining whether to actuate the garage door based on the first and second data received; and

providing a command to cause the garage door opener to open the garage door, wherein providing the command is based on the determination of whether to actuate the garage door.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the interface and wireless receiver are disposed in the garage door opener and the remote source is a control system of a vehicle.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein determining whether to actuate the garage door comprises:

(a) determining whether an engine of vehicle engine has started;

(b) determining whether the vehicle is in the garage; and

(c) determining whether the garage door is closed.