Patent ID: 7797881
Filing Date: 2010-09-21
Classification: E05F,E05Y

Abstract:
1. A garage door control system for a garage door that is located at an opening to a garage, in which the garage door is opened by a user-operated garage door opener system that includes a motor that opens the door, wherein the control system temporarily disables operation of the garage door opener system when a vehicle is about to enter the garage carrying an object that is temporarily being carried on a roof of the vehicle and that projects above the opening of the garage, the control system comprising: an object sensor located at least in part proximate the garage door and at a height that is above the height of the roof of the vehicle, the object sensor thus sensing an object that is temporarily located on the roof of the vehicle approaching the garage and projecting higher than is safe to enter the garage without hitting an opened garage door or the garage proximate the garage opening, wherein the object sensor transmits a sense signal in response to the sensing of the object; an interrupt, responsive to the sense signal, that automatically prevents the motor from opening the garage door when the interrupt receives the sense signal from the object sensor; and a user-operable switch that, when operated after the motor has been prevented by the interrupt from opening the door, allows the motor to operate again, so that the control system is reactivated by a user after the object is removed from the roof of the vehicle.