GARAGE DOOR COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20160258202A1
• Filed: 03/03/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SkyBell Technologies Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Skybell Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Scalisi, Joseph Frank
• Granted Patent: US 10,733,823 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00928 for garage doors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/06 Involving synchronization or resynchronization between transmitter and receiver; reordering of codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00944 Details of construction or manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass

Abstract

Methods for replacing a first garage door controller with a second garage door controller can include electrically decoupling the first garage door controller from a first wire that is electrically coupled to the garage door opener. Methods can include electrically decoupling the first garage door controller from a second wire that is electrically coupled to the garage door opener. Methods can also include electrically coupling the second garage door controller to the first wire and electrically coupling the second garage door controller to the second wire. Methods can even include communicatively coupling the second garage door controller to an Internet router to thereby communicatively couple the second garage door controller to a wireless network.

Claims

1. A method for replacing a first garage door controller with a second garage door controller, wherein the first garage door controller comprises a button configured to open and close a circuit between a power supply and a garage door opener to allow electricity to flow through the garage door opener to thereby move a garage door between an open position and a closed position, the method comprising:

electrically decoupling the first garage door controller from a first wire, wherein the first wire is electrically coupled to the garage door opener;

electrically decoupling the first garage door controller from a second wire, wherein the second wire is electrically coupled to the garage door opener;

electrically coupling the second garage door controller to the first wire, wherein the second garage door controller comprises an outer housing, a button configured to open and close the circuit between the power supply and the garage door opener, and a wireless communication module configured to communicatively couple to a remote computing device via one of WiFi and cellular communication;

electrically coupling the second garage door controller to the second wire; and

communicatively coupling the second garage door controller to an Internet router to thereby communicatively couple the second garage door controller to a wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicatively coupling the second garage door controller, by the Internet router, to a remote server.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising communicatively coupling the second garage door controller, by the Internet router and the remote server, to the remote computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

programming the remote server to instruct the garage door controller to perform a first predetermined action at a first time of day; and

programming the remote server to instruct the garage door controller to perform a second predetermined action at a second time of day.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second garage door controller comprises a camera configured to record a video, wherein the garage door moves between the open position and the closed position with respect to a garage door frame, wherein the garage door opener is electrically coupled to a first safety sensor and a second safety sensor, wherein the first safety sensor is located at a first location adjacent a first vertical surface of the garage door frame, and the second safety sensor is located at a second location adjacent a second vertical surface of the garage door frame, wherein the first vertical surface is horizontally spaced from the second vertical surface and the first vertical surface faces the second vertical surface, wherein a third wire is electrically coupled between the first safety sensor and a first terminal on the garage door opener, and wherein a fourth wire is electrically coupled between the second safety sensor and a second terminal on the garage door opener, the method further comprising:

arranging and configuring the second garage door controller such that at least a portion of the garage door is located within a line of sight of the camera;

arranging and configuring the camera to detect whether an object enters a line of sight between the first location and the second location;

electrically decoupling the first safety sensor and the third wire from the garage door opener;

electrically decoupling the second safety sensor and the fourth wire from the garage door opener; and

electrically coupling a jumper between the first terminal and the second terminal of the garage door opener, wherein the jumper completes an electrical circuit between the second garage door controller and the garage door opener to thereby allow the garage door to move between the open and closed positions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second garage door controller comprises a bracket, the method further comprising:

mechanically decoupling the first garage door controller from a wall;

passing the first and second wires through an aperture in the bracket;

mechanically coupling the bracket to the wall;

mechanically coupling the outer housing to the bracket; and

rotatably coupling a mechanical fastener between the outer housing and the bracket to thereby mechanically couple the outer housing to the bracket.

7. A method of using a garage door controller, wherein the garage door controller is electrically coupled to a first wire that is electrically coupled to a garage door opener, wherein the garage door controller is electrically coupled to a second wire that is electrically coupled to the garage door opener, wherein the garage door controller includes a button configured to open and close a circuit between a power supply and the garage door opener to enable a garage door to move to one of an open position, partially open position, and closed position, and wherein the garage door controller further includes a wireless communication module configured to communicatively couple to a remote computing device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the garage door controller, a transmission from the remote computing device, wherein the transmission includes a command to move the garage door to one of the open position, partially open position, and closed position; and

in response to receiving the transmission from the remote computing device, moving the garage door to one of the open position, partially open position, and closed position.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein in response to moving the garage door to one of the open position, partially open position, and closed position, the method further comprising transmitting a notification, by a remote server, to the remote computing device, wherein the notification comprises a status of whether the garage door is in one of the open position, partially open position, and closed position.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the garage door moves between the open position and the closed position with respect to a garage door frame, wherein the garage door controller comprises a camera for detecting whether an object enters a space between the garage door frame.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the garage door frame defines a first vertical inner surface, a second vertical inner surface that faces the first vertical inner surface, and a first horizontal inner surface that faces a ground surface whereby the first horizontal inner surface extends between the first vertical inner surface and the second vertical inner surface, wherein the space is a plane that is parallel to the garage door when the garage door is in the closed position, wherein the plane is located between the garage door opener and the garage door when the garage door is in the closed position, the method further comprising:

detecting, by the camera, whether an object breaks a portion of the plane in a location between the first vertical inner surface, the second vertical inner surface, the first horizontal inner surface, and the ground surface;

in response to detecting that an object has entered a portion of the plane, terminating movement of the garage door opener; and

in response to detecting that no object has entered a portion of the plane, moving the garage door to one of the open position, partially open position, and closed position.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the space is a line that extends between a first point and a second point adjacent the garage door frame, wherein the first point is coordinated at a first vertical location and a first horizontal location, wherein the second point is substantially coordinated at the first vertical location and a second horizontal location, wherein the first vertical location is located along a lower portion of the garage door frame, wherein the first horizontal location is horizontally spaced from the second horizontal location such that the first and second horizontal locations are disposed at opposite sides of the garage door frame, the method further comprising:

detecting, by the camera, whether an object breaks a portion of the line;

in response to detecting that an object has entered a portion of the line, terminating movement of the garage door opener; and

in response to detecting that no object has entered a portion of the line, moving the garage door to one of the open position, partially open position, and closed position.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the remote computing device is at least one mile away from the garage door opener.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the garage door controller comprises an outer housing defining an internal portion that is substantially enclosed, wherein the garage door controller comprises a speaker located within the internal portion of the outer housing, whereby the speaker is configured transmit an audible message, and wherein the garage door controller comprises a microphone located within the internal portion of the outer housing, whereby the microphone is configured to receive an audible message, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the microphone, a first audible message, wherein the first audible message comprises an instruction to one of open the garage door, close the garage door, and stop the garage door;

in response to receiving the first audible message to open the garage door, moving the garage door to the open position;

in response to receiving the first audible message to close the garage door, moving the garage door to the closed position;

in response to receiving the first audible message to stop the garage door, terminating movement of the garage door; and

emitting, by the speaker, a second audible message comprising an indication of the garage door status.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the garage door controller comprises a motion detector configured to detect a predetermined motion, the method further comprising:

detecting, by the motion detector, the predetermined motion; and

in response to detecting the predetermined motion, performing, by the garage door controller, a predetermined action.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined action is selected from the group consisting of closing the garage door, opening the garage door, terminating movement of the garage door, illuminating the light, and deactivating the light.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined motion is a first predetermined motion and the predetermined action is a first predetermined action, wherein the motion detector is configured to detect a second predetermined motion, and wherein the second predetermined motion is different than the first predetermined motion, the method comprising:

detecting, by the motion detector, the second predetermined motion; and

in response to detecting the second predetermined motion, performing, by the garage door controller, a second predetermined action, wherein the second predetermined action is different than the first predetermined action.

17. A garage door control system configured to cause a garage door opener to move between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein when the garage door opener is in the extended position, a garage door is in a closed position, and wherein when the garage door opener is in the retracted position, the garage door is in an open position, the garage door control system including a garage door controller, the garage door controller comprising:

an outer housing comprising an internal portion that is substantially enclosed and an outer surface opposite the internal portion;

a communication module located within an internal portion of the outer housing, wherein the communication module is configured to connect to a wireless communication network, and wherein the communication module is configured to receive a first wireless transmission from a remote computing device; and

a transmitter communicatively coupled to the communication module, wherein the transmitter is configured to send a second wireless transmission to the garage door opener, and wherein the second wireless transmission commands the garage door opener to move between the retracted position and the extended position.

18. The garage door control system of claim 17, wherein the transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter, the garage door control system further comprising an antenna electrically coupled to the radio frequency transmitter, wherein the antenna is configured to convert electricity into a radio frequency transmission, and wherein the second wireless transmission is the radio frequency transmission.

19. The garage door control system of claim 18, further comprising a router communicatively coupled to both the garage door controller and the remote computing device, wherein the garage door controller is communicatively coupled to the remote computing device via the router.

20. The garage door control system of claim 19, further comprising the garage door opener communicatively coupled to the garage door controller.