Patent Publication Number: US-8970352-B2

Title: Remote activated garage door opener functions via a graphical user interface in a vehicle

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject invention relates to vehicle systems and, more particularly, to remote activated garage door opener functions via a graphical user interface in a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently, many vehicle owners enjoy the convenience of universal garage door openers that enable individuals to open and close garage doors without having to exit a vehicle. In some cases, a garage door opener unit is installed in a garage and a remote control device is provided to control the operation of the unit. In other cases, some vehicles are equipped with buttons that can be programmed for use with a garage door opener unit. 
     What is desirable is a way to integrate garage door opener functions within an existing display device of the vehicle, such as a display device of a vehicle&#39;s infotainment system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one exemplary embodiment of the invention a system is provided. The system includes a computer processor embedded in a vehicle, a transceiver, a display device, and a vehicle network communicatively coupling the computer processor to the transceiver and to the display device. The system also includes logic executable by the computer processor. The logic is configured to implement a method. The method includes providing a graphical user interface on the display device and prompting a user via the graphical user interface to program a garage door opener unit that is in communicative range of the transceiver. The method also includes receiving a response, from the user via an input control of the display device, indicating an acceptance by the user to program the garage door opener unit. Upon determining via the transceiver that the garage door opener unit is in programming mode, the method includes transmitting a request, to the transceiver over the vehicle network, to initiate synchronization between the vehicle and the garage door opener unit. The request is forwarded by the transceiver to the garage door opener unit. The method includes receiving, from the garage door opener unit upon completion of the synchronization, an acknowledgement of successful synchronization. The synchronization is operable to enable the user to control operation of the garage door opener unit via the graphical user interface. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided. The method includes providing, via a computer processor embedded in a vehicle, a graphical user interface on a display device and prompting a user via the graphical user interface to program a garage door opener unit that is in communicative range of a transceiver. The transceiver and the display device are communicatively coupled to the computer processor over a vehicle network. The method also includes receiving a response, from the user via an input control of the display device, indicating an acceptance by the user to program the garage door opener unit. Upon determining via the transceiver that the garage door opener unit is in programming mode, the method includes transmitting a request, to the transceiver over the vehicle network, to initiate synchronization between the vehicle and the garage door opener unit. The request is forwarded by the transceiver to the garage door opener unit. The method includes receiving, from the garage door opener unit upon completion of the synchronization, an acknowledgement of successful synchronization. The synchronization is operable to enable the user to control operation of the garage door opener unit via the graphical user interface. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes a storage medium having computer program instructions embodied thereon, which when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to implement a method. The method includes providing a graphical user interface on a display device and prompting a user via the graphical user interface to program a garage door opener unit that is in communicative range of a transceiver. The transceiver and the display device are communicatively coupled to the computer processor over a vehicle network. The method also includes receiving a response, from the user via an input control of the display device, indicating an acceptance by the user to program the garage door opener unit. Upon determining via the transceiver that the garage door opener unit is in programming mode, the method includes transmitting a request, to the transceiver over the vehicle network, to initiate synchronization between the vehicle and the garage door opener unit. The request is forwarded by the transceiver to the garage door opener unit. The method also includes receiving, from the garage door opener unit upon completion of the synchronization, an acknowledgement of successful synchronization. The synchronization is operable to enable the user to control operation of the garage door opener unit via the graphical user interface. 
     The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, in the following detailed description of embodiments, the detailed description referring to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system upon which remote activated garage door opener functions via a graphical user interface in a vehicle may be implemented in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram describing a process for programming a garage door opener unit via a graphical user interface in a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIGS. 3A-3D  are user interface screens for programming a garage door opener unit in accordance with an embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram describing a process for activating a garage door opener unit via a graphical user interface in a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment; and 
         FIG. 5  is a user interface screen for activating a garage door opener unit in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
     In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, remote activated garage door opener functions are implemented through a graphical user interface of a vehicle&#39;s display device. The graphical user interface is configured to receive user input through the display device, which input enables the user to synchronize components of a vehicle with the garage door opener unit, open and close garage doors programmed through the user interface, and view a status of the garage doors (e.g., open or closed). By providing the remote activated garage door opener functions via the graphical user interface and vehicle display device, the need for mechanically controlled buttons in the vehicle or removable remote devices is eliminated. These and other features of the remote activated garage door opener functions are described herein. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 1 , a system  100  upon which the remote activated garage door opener functions may be implemented will now be described in an embodiment. The system  100  includes a portion of a vehicle  102  including components used in performing the remote activated garage door opener functions. The vehicle  102  may be any type of automobile known in the art. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  also includes a garage door opener unit  104  that is wirelessly coupled to the vehicle  102  over a short range communication network  122  (e.g., using radio frequency transmissions). The garage door opener unit  104  includes a transceiver  106  which communicates with a transceiver  108  of the vehicle  102 . Each of the transceivers  106  and  108  may be implemented via a radio frequency antenna to send and receive signals. In addition to the transceiver  108 , the garage door opener unit  104  may include various components (not shown), such as a drive mechanism, a power unit, one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs), a processor and logic that enable the unit  104  to be programmed and activated. The garage door opener unit  104  may be installed in a garage having one or more garage doors. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the vehicle  102  includes a computer processor  110  and an infotainment system  118 , each of which is communicatively coupled to a vehicle network  114 . The computer processor  110  may include computer hardware and related circuitry. The computer processor  110  executes logic  116  for implementing the remote activated garage door opener functions described herein. In an embodiment, the logic  116  may be stored in a memory device  112  that is communicatively coupled to the computer processor  110 . 
     The memory device  112  may be implemented as a storage device (e.g., hard disk drive, removable storage unit, cache memory, etc.) that stores data produced via the computer processor  110  and logic  116 , as will be described further herein. 
     The infotainment system  118  may be integrated into a dashboard or center stack system of the vehicle  102 . The infotainment system  118  includes a display device  120  and input controls, which are further illustrated in  FIGS. 3A-3D  and  FIG. 5 . The display device  120  and the input controls are used in implementing features of the infotainment system  118  (e.g., listening to music, navigation assistance, etc.), as well as implementing features of the remote activated garage door opener functions. The input controls of the infotainment system  118  may include physical controls (knobs or buttons as shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D  and  FIG. 5 ) or may be implemented by voice recognition technology and voice commands. In another embodiment, the input controls may be implemented directly through the display device  120  if the display device is configured with touch screen technology. The display device  120  may be implemented in part as a liquid crystal display or plasma device. In an embodiment, the logic  116  is configured to receive inputs via the input controls of the display device  120  for assisting a user in programming remote operation of the garage door opener unit  104  and to process these inputs to synchronize the vehicle  102  with the garage door opener unit  104  and to remotely activate garage doors. 
     The vehicle network  114  may be a local area network (LAN) implemented through physical wiring or may be a wireless network. In one embodiment, the vehicle network  114  is implemented through a serial data bus. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2  and  FIGS. 3A-3D , a process and user interface screens, respectively, for programming the garage door opener unit  104  will now be described. The user interface screens are illustrated on display devices  300 A- 300 D of  FIGS. 3A-3D , which display devices correspond to the display device  120  described in  FIG. 1 . The process described in  FIG. 2  assumes that the vehicle  102  is within communicative range of the garage door opener unit  104  via the transceivers  106  and  108 . 
     At step  202 , the logic  116  prompts the user to synchronize the vehicle  102  with the garage door opener unit  104 . The prompt may be implemented through a message displayed on the display screen  120 . In an embodiment, the prompt is initiated in response to the user&#39;s selection of an option on a menu screen of the display device  120 . For example, in  FIG. 3A  a prompt  302  “SELECT [X] TO PROGRAM REMOTE GARAGE DOOR OPENER” may be provided for the user, in which the [X] refers to a particular control button (e.g., one of input controls  320 ) on the display device  300 A. 
     At step  204 , the logic  116  receives a response accepting the prompt from the user, e.g., via one of the input controls  320  on the display device  300 A. 
     The logic  116  then prompts the user to place the garage door opener unit  104  in programming mode. Placing the garage door opener unit  104  in programming mode may involve exiting the vehicle  102  by the user and physically activating a programming option on the garage door opener unit  104 . When the garage door opener unit  104  is in programming mode, this means it is in a state for receiving communications from the vehicle  102 , which communications are operable for synchronizing the vehicle  102  with the unit  104 , such that only the vehicle  102  may activate the garage door opener unit  104  functions with respect to opening and closing the garage doors. As shown in  FIG. 3B , a user interface screen on display device  300 B illustrates a prompt  304  “PLACE GARAGE DOOR OPENER UNIT IN PROGRAMMING MODE.” 
     At step  206 , the logic  116  determines whether the garage door opener unit  104  is in programming mode. This may be implemented by sending a signal over the vehicle network  114  to the transceiver  108 , and the transceiver  108  sends the signal to the transceiver  106  of the garage door opener unit  104  via the network  122  requesting a status of the unit  104 . The transceiver  108  receives this status from the garage door opener unit  104  and sends the status over the vehicle network  114  to the computer processor  110 . If the logic  116  determines that the garage door opener unit  104  is not in programming mode, the logic  116  is configured to wait a specified period of time (e.g., 5 seconds) for the user to adjust the garage door opener unit  104  at step  208  and check again. The process returns to step  206 . 
     If, however, the logic  116  determines that the garage door opener unit  104  is in programming mode, the logic  116  transmits a request over the vehicle network  114  to the transceiver  108  to initiate a synchronization process with the garage door opener unit  104  at step  210 . The transceiver  108 , in turn, forwards the request to the transceiver  106  of the garage door opener unit  104  at step  212 . 
     In an embodiment, and as shown on display device  300 C of  FIG. 3C , the logic  116  may implement the synchronization process by providing a prompt  306  “SELECT DOOR ICON TO INITIATE SYNCHRONIZATION.” In this embodiment, the logic  116  displays an icon for each candidate garage door to be programmed. As shown in  FIG. 3C  for purposes of illustration, there are three virtual representations of garage doors collectively referred to as icons  310 . Each of the icons  310  may be associated with a corresponding unique identifier that is used by the logic  116  to differentiate among the garage doors to which the icons  310  are assigned during the synchronization process. The logic  116  may be configured to instruct the user via the input controls  320  (or directly through a touch screen) to select one of the icons  310  for a corresponding garage door to synchronize with the garage door opener unit  104 . 
     Once the user has selected an icon, a request signal is transmitted by the computer processor  110  over the vehicle network  114  to the transceiver  108 . The transceiver  108 , in turn, creates and sends a unique synchronization request for that icon  310  to the selected garage door opener unit  104  at step  212 , via the transceiver  108  over the short range communication network  122 . The garage door opener unit  104  receives and stores this unique synchronization request. 
     In an embodiment, the garage door opener unit  104  may transmit notification of successful synchronization for the selected icon  310  over the short-range communication network  122  back to the transceiver  108 , which in turn may communicate the notification acknowledgement at step  214 , and the logic  116  may store the notification acknowledgement in the memory device  104 . The logic  116  may display an indication of the successful synchronization for the selected door on the display device at step  216 . As shown in  FIG. 3D , an acknowledgement message and prompt  308  “SYNCHRONIZATION SUCCESSFUL—SELECT NEXT DOOR TO SYNCHRONIZE” may be displayed on display device  300 D. In an embodiment, the virtual representation of the successfully synchronized garage door may be removed from the user interface screen of the display device  300 D, as shown by dotted lines in  FIG. 3D . The synchronization process described above may be repeated for each garage door to be programmed by the user. 
     Once the vehicle  102  has been successfully synchronized with the garage door opener unit  104 , the system is ready to be implemented with regard to activating garage doors (e.g., open and close) and viewing a status of a garage door. Turning now to  FIG. 4 , a process for implementing the remote activated garage door opener functions will now be described in an embodiment. The process described in  FIG. 4  assumes that the vehicle  102  is in communicative range of the garage door opener unit  104 . 
     At step  402 , the logic  116  prompts the user to select a function via the graphical user interface. In an embodiment, the prompt may occur through an instruction presented on the display device similar to those described in  FIGS. 3A-3D  above. The user may scroll or traverse a menu screen of options that include the function described herein. 
     At step  404 , the logic  116  receives the selected function from the user via the graphical user interface and deciphers the function (e.g., to open or close a garage door (step  406 ) or to view a status of the garage doors (step  408 ). In the case of opening or closing a garage door (step  406 ), the user selects a corresponding function via the graphical user interface. In this embodiment, the virtual representations of garage doors previously programmed by the user may be displayed on the display device, and the user may indicate a particular garage door by selecting a corresponding input control or may directly select an icon from the icons using a touch screen. The logic  116  identifies the garage door to be opened by the unique identifier associated with the selected icon. Thus, the logic  116  retrieves the corresponding identifier from the memory device  104  and identifies the assigned frequency for this icon. Likewise, if the function is to review a status of the garage doors (step  408 ), the user selects a corresponding function via the graphical user interface. 
     The computer processor  110  transmits a request over the vehicle network  114  to the transceiver  108  corresponding to the requested function at step  410 , and the transceiver  108  forwards the request over the short-range network  122  to the transceiver  106  using the assigned frequency at step  412 . The garage door opener unit  104  identifies the assigned frequency as being associated with a particular garage door and performs the corresponding function (e.g., open or close garage door or identify a status of the doors). This status function may be useful, e.g., when the user is driving away from the garage and is unable to remember whether he or she closed the garage doors. The status of the garage doors (e.g., open or closed) may be displayed on the display screen for the user at step  412 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , for example, a display device  500  illustrates three virtual representations of garage doors, collectively referred to as icons  510 , whereby one of the icons  512  reflects that a first garage door is open while the other two are closed. 
     Technical effects of the invention include remote activated garage door opener functions implemented through a graphical user interface of a vehicle&#39;s display device. The graphical user interface is configured to receive user input through the display device, which input enables the user to synchronize components of a vehicle with the garage door opener unit, open and close garage doors programmed through the user interface, and view a status of the garage doors (e.g., open or closed). By providing the remote activated garage door opener functions via the graphical user interface and vehicle display device, the need for mechanically controlled buttons in the vehicle or removable remote devices is eliminated. 
     As described above, the invention may be embodied in the form of computer implemented processes and apparatuses for practicing those processes. Embodiments of the invention may also be embodied in the form of computer program code containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. An embodiment of the invention can also be embodied in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. When implemented on a general-purpose microprocessor, the computer program code segments configure the microprocessor to create specific logic circuits. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the present application.