Garage door communication systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258202-A1
Application number	US-201615060332-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 3, 2016
Priority date	Jul 26, 2013
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

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.

First claim

The following is claimed:

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

Assignees

• Skybell Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Scalisi Joseph Frank

Classifications

• G07C9/20 Primary

  involving the use of a pass · CPC title

• G07C9/00857

  where the code of the data carrier can be programmed · CPC title

• G07C2009/00928

  for garage doors · CPC title

• G07C9/00944

  Details of construction or manufacture · CPC title

• G07C9/00309 Primary

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title