Patent Publication Number: US-11035166-B2

Title: Smart system for remote opening and closing a door or window

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/297,621, filed on Mar. 9, 2019, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/646,371, entitled “Remote Mobile Operated Actuator Sliding Door,” filed Mar. 22, 2018 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/728,799, entitled “Remote Mobile Operated Actuator Sliding Door with Embeddable Option,” filed Sep. 9, 2018, all of which are incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application is directed to a system for remote opening and closing of a door or window, and more particularly, to a smart window/door system that (1) can easily be retrofitted for use with an existing door or window or can be built-in by the door or window manufacturer, (2) can be programmed to activate the opening or closing of the door or window either (a) remotely, (b) automatically by a pet and/or (c) automatically by a voice command, (3) is disengaged when use is not desired, (4) provides safety and security to prevent unwanted opening or closing of the door or window, and (5) is integrated with a wireless communication network to enable smart and remote control of the window/door actuator. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     In modern life, there are a number of trends, including more and more families having (1) two working adults, (2) pets that are home alone during major portions of the day and (3) package deliveries for online purchases while no one is home. These trends give rise to a number of safety and security concerns. 
     Pets often need access to outside spaces, such as the backyard, to exercise and/or relieve themselves when no one is home. One known approach is to leave a door or window, such as a sliding patio door, at least partially open, so the pet can freely exit from and enter into the residence. The drawback to this approach is unwanted intruders, including unwanted animals, bugs, flies or people can also enter the residence. Also, depending on the weather and/or season, leaving a door or window open all day long may be impractical, especially during rainy or windy conditions, or during the winter or summer months when the outside temperature is either cold or hot and/or humid A so called “doggie” door is a known alternative to leaving a door or window open. With a doggie door, a trained pet can exit and enter the residence when they wish. The drawback with doggie doors is that they are expensive to install, requiring structural modifications (i.e., cut a hole, replace a pane, etc.) to either a wall or a door, do not prevent other unwanted animals from entering the residence, can potentially be used by an intruder to gain access into the residence, and typically provide poor weather performance (e.g., may leak in the rain, allow hot or cold air into the residence, etc.) 
     Packages delivered by carriers such as UPS, FedEx or US Postal are typically left at the door if no one is home, often in plain sight and unsecured. These packages are sometimes stolen by a passerby, or worse, by unscrupulous people who follow delivery trucks and then steal the delivered packages left at a door. 
     A smart window/door actuator that can be opened and closed by a pet, or can be remotely opened or closed by those living in a residence to allow egress and ingress by pets or the delivery of packages inside the residence, is therefore needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     A smart window/door opening-closing device that can easily be installed for use with an existing door or window or can be built-in by the door or window manufacturer, can be programmed to activate the opening or closing of the door or window either (a) remotely, (b) automatically by a pet and/or (c) automatically by a voice command, is easily disengaged when use is not desired, provides safety and security to prevent unwanted opening or closing of the door or window, and is integrated with a wireless communication network to enable smart and remote control of the window/door actuator. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present application and the advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a diagram of a smart door or window opening-closing system retrofitted into an existing sliding door and placed in an operable position in accordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a diagram of the retrofitted smart door or window opening-closing system moved to an inoperable position in accordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the present invention 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are diagrams of the smart door or window opening-closing system in accordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a logic block diagram of an electronic controller used in the smart door or window opening-closing system in accordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating the smart door or window opening-closing system operating within a wireless network in accordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating a learning mode of the door or window actuator in accordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram illustrating operation of the smart door or window opening-closing system in accordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates several examples of operation of the smart door or window opening-closing system in accordance with non-exclusive embodiments of the invention. 
         FIGS. 8A-8D  illustrates another embodiment of a built-in smart door or window opening-closing system as fabricated by a door or window manufacturer. 
         FIGS. 9A-9C  illustrate another embodiment of a smart door opening-closing system for use with a swing door. 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, like reference numerals are sometimes used to designate like structural elements. It should also be appreciated that the depictions in the figures are diagrammatic and not necessarily to scale. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present application will now be described in detail with reference to a few non-exclusive embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present discloser may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1A , a diagram  10  of a smart door or window opening-closing system  12  installed or retrofitted in an existing sliding door  14  is illustrated. The opening-closing system  12 , as shown, is installed just above the track  16  adjacent to and at the base of a fixed pane  18  of the sliding door  14 . As described in detail below, the opening-closing system  12  is in a horizontal, operable, position and is engaged with a sliding pane  20  of the sliding door  14 . When in the operable position, the opening-closing system  12  can be used to open and close the sliding pane  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1B , a diagram  10  of the door or window opening-closing system  12  installed in the same sliding door  14  is illustrated. In this diagram, however, the opening-closing system  12  is rotated into a resting, inoperable, vertical position along the frame of the fixed pane  18  opposite the sliding pane  20 . By rotating to the vertical position, the actuator  12  is disengaged with and is incapable of opening or closing the sliding pane  20 . Instead, the sliding door can only be opened or closed manually. 
     The ability to selectively engage or disengage the opening-closing system  12  in the operable or inoperable position by simply rotating to either the horizontal or vertical position offers a number of benefits. Foremost, the occupant(s) of the residence or building in which the opening-closing system  12  is installed can easily move it between the operable and the inoperable position. For instance, when the occupant(s) are present, it may be more convenient for the opening-closing system  12  to be moved to the vertical, inoperable, position. On the other hand, when no one is present, it may be convenient to rotate the actuator  12  to the horizontal, operable, position, so that pets can exit or enter the building, or packages can be delivered inside the building. 
     It should be noted that although  FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrates a sliding door, this should in no way be construed as a limitation. On the contrary, the opening-closing system  12  can be used with either a door or window of just about any type and size, including a sliding door, a swing door, a sliding window, casement window, etc. As such, the use of or reference to the term “door” or “window” should not be construed as limiting in any regard. On the contrary, the terms as used herein should be understood to be interchangeable and each should be broadly construed to include any type of door or window respectively, not just those that are described or illustrated herein. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , diagrams of the opening-closing system  12  are illustrated. The opening-closing system  12  includes the first base  22 , a second base  24 , a housing  26 , a sensor  28  provided on the housing  26 , an adjustable shutter  30  provided adjacent the sensor  28 , an actuator motor  32  provided inside the housing  26  for rotating a screw  34 , an internally threaded actuator rod  36  that engages or is screwed onto the screw  34 , an adaptor  38  provided at the end of the actuator rod opposite the housing  26 , and a rotating connector  40  for connecting and allowing the housing  26 , screw  34  and actuator rod  36  to all rotate about the rotating connector  40  provided in the second base  24 . 
     The first base  22  is arranged to attach to the moving portion of the door or window that the opening-closing system  12  is intended to open and close. For instance, as provided in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the base  22  is attached to the sliding pane  20  of the sliding door  14 . In various embodiments, the base  22  is attached to the moving portion of the door or window using any fastening mechanism, including but not limited to double-stick tape, screw(s), bolt(s), etc. 
     The base  22  includes a catch  42  for selectively latching the actuator rod  36  and the adaptor  38 . With this arrangement, the actuator rod  36  and adaptor  38  can either be positioned horizontally to engage or lifted vertically to disengage the actuator rod  36  and actuator  38  from the catch  42  of the first base  22 . In an alternative embodiment, the actuator rod  36  can directly engage and disengage the latch  42  of the base  22  without the use of the adaptor  38 . Regardless of the embodiment, the opening-closing system  12  is capable of opening or closing the moving portion of the door or window when engaged and incapable of opening or closing the door or window when disengaged. 
     In yet another non-exclusive embodiment, the opening-closing system  12  can be supplied with multiple adaptors  38 , each having a different length. The actuator rod  36  typically will have a fixed length, which may or may not provide an adequate fit for a particularly sized door or window. With multiple adaptors  38 , each of different lengths, the most appropriate can be selected and attached to the end of the actuator rod  36 . As a result, in spite of the actuator rod  36  being made with a fixed length, it can be used in cooperation with one of the adaptors  38  to fit a wide variety of different door and/or window sizes. 
     In various embodiments, the sensor  28  can be a still camera, a video or security camera or a Passive Infrared (PIR) sensor. An optional shutter  30 , which either surrounds or is otherwise is positioned adjacent the sensor  28 , is a mechanical device that may be provided to control the field of vision of the sensor  28 . By either opening or closing the shutter  30 , the view of the sensor  28  can be either enlarged or decreased. For instance, if it is preferred that the sensor  28  “see” just the area immediately near the door  14 , then shutter is partially shut. On the other hand, if a wider field of view is preferred, then the shutter  30  is opened wider. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a logic diagram of a controller system  50  included in the housing  26  of the opening-closing system  12  is shown. The controller system  50  includes a controller  52 , a ball sensor  54 , a sensor interface  56  for interfacing with the sensor  28  provided on the housing  26 , a Wireless network interface  58 , an optional Internet of Things (IoT) interface module  60  and firmware  62 . 
     In various embodiments, the controller  52  is a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic device such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), logic circuitry, an integrated circuit, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or module, or any combination thereof. 
     The firmware  62  is implemented in some form of memory or storage, such as but not limited to persistent or non-volatile memory, volatile memory, or a combination thereof. The firmware  62  is generally software or code used to control the operation of the controller  52  in response to the various sensors  54 - 60 . In turn, the controller  52  controls the operation of the actuator motor  32  to rotate the screw  34  and actuator rod  36  to either open or close the sliding pane  20  of the door or window  14 . 
     The ball sensor  54  is essentially a “ball circuit” that includes a small ball within an enclosure that is arranged to roll between a closed-circuit position and an open circuit position. When the opening-closing system  12  is positioned in the horizontal, operable, position, the ball moves within the enclosure to the closed-circuit position. When the opening-closing system  12  is moved to the vertical, inoperable, position, then the ball moves to the open circuit position. With this arrangement, the ball sensor  54  is used to signify to the controller  52  the opening-closing system  12  is in either the operable or inoperable position. When operational, the actuator motor  32  and the controller system  50  and are powered on by a power source (not illustrated), such as batteries or a power cord to a standard wall electrical outlet. When not operational, the actuator motor  32  and the controller system  50  can either be powered off completely or placed in a power saving standby or sleep mode. 
     The sensor interface  56  is designed to operate in cooperate with the sensor  28  provided on the housing  26 . As previously noted, the sensor  28  can be a still camera, a video or security camera or a PIR sensor. The sensor interface  56  thus provides to the controller  52  data indicative of still images, video images and/or infrared signals, depending on the type of sensor  28 . 
     The wireless network interface  58  is provided to enable bi-directional communication between the controller  52  and one or more remote communication device(s) over a wireless network. In various embodiments, as is described in more detail below, the remote communication device(s) may include indoor and/or outdoor security camera(s), a voice-activated personal digital assistant (e.g., Alexa by Google, Amazon Echo, Apple Siri, etc.), an application running on a computing device (e.g., smart phone, tablet computer, laptop or desktop computer, etc.), or an identifier tag (e.g., RFID or Bluetooth) attached to or associated with a pet. 
     The IoT interface  60  module enables the opening-closing system  12 , and in particular the controller  52 , to be connected as a “Thing” among the IoT. With the IoT interface module  60  receiving signals and commands interpreted by the firmware, the firmware then imposes open and close commands through the controller  52 , which in turn, controls the actuator motor  32  to open or close the door. Thus, the IoT interface module  60  can communicate and interact over the Internet with the aforementioned remote devices and be remotely monitored and controlled. As is well understood in the art, the wireless network interface  58  and the IoT interface module  60  can be integrated together into a single interface. In a non-exclusive example, an integrated commercially available wireless network interface  58  and IoT interface module  60  is the Imp 004 offered by a company called Electric Imp, Los Altos, Calif. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a diagram  70  illustrating the door or window opening-closing system  12  operating as a Thing among the IoT is illustrated. In this particular embodiment, the opening-closing system  12  is arranged to interface over a wireless network  71  with an indoor camera  72 , an outdoor camera  74 , a personal digital assistant  76 , an application (not illustrated) running on a computing device  78 , such as a smart phone, and one or more identification tags  80 , such as either a RFID tag or a Bluetooth tag, that is provided on the collar of a pet. In various embodiments, the wireless network  71  can be the Internet, a local area wireless network, a WiFi network, a Bluetooth network, a cellular network, or any combination thereof. 
     The remote monitoring and control of the opening-closing system  12  to either open or close the sliding pane  20  of the door  14  may be implemented in a number of ways. For instance: 
     (1) A pet may wander into the field of vision of the sensor  28 . In response, the controller  52  generates a notice, for example in the form of a text message, that is sent via the wireless network  71  to the mobile phone  78  of a designated person, such the pet owner and/or resident of the home. In response, the person can send a reply command back to the opening-closing system  12 , instructing the controller  52  to activate the actuator motor  32  to open the sliding pane  20  of door  14 , letting the pet out of the residence. 
     (2) In other examples, the indoor camera  72  may recognize and/or the ID tag  80  worn by a pet may identify the pet near the inside of the door  14 . If the controller  52  has been so instructed by commands processed by the firmware, then the controller  52  can automatically activate the actuator motor  32  to open the door  14 , letting the pet out. Conversely, when the outdoor camera and/or ID tag  80  recognizes the pet near the outside of the door, then the controller can automatically activate the motor  32  to open the door again to let the pet inside. 
     (3) In a variation of the above example, the camera(s)  72 ,  74  and/or the ID tag  80  are used to recognize or identify a pet near the door. Instead of the controller  52  automatically opening or closing the door  14 , a text message is sent to the mobile phone  78  of one or more designated person(s). In response, one of the designated person(s) can generate a command to either open the sliding pane  20  of the door  14  or maintain it closed, which is delivered to the controller  52  via the wireless network  71 . 
     (4) The personal assistant  76  may also be used to either open or close the door  14 . For example, consider the situation where the door  14  is a sliding patio door adjacent a kitchen. While a person is washing dishes or is otherwise preoccupied, the family pet wanders by the door  14  indicating a desire to go out into the backyard. In response to an “open door” voice command, the personal assistant  76  issues and sends over the wireless network  71  an electronic command to the controller  52 , which in turn, activates the actuator motor  32  to open the sliding pane  20  of door  14 , allowing the pet out. Similarly, when the pet indicates a desired to be let back in, an “open door” voice command is spoken to the personal assistant  76 . In turn, the personal assistant  76  sends an electric command to the controller  52 , which in response, opens the door to allow the pet back into the house. 
     (5) In certain circumstances, the controller  52  can be programmed to not open or close the door in response to the identification of a particular pet, regardless of how identified (e.g., by either camera  72 ,  74  and/or identifier tag, etc.). For instance, a family may have both a dog and a cat. The controller  52  may be preset or programmed to give the dog in/out privileges, but not the cat. Whenever the cat is identified near the door  14 , the controller  52  will not open the door  14 . On the other hand, when the dog is identified, the controller  52  will automatically open the door. 
     There are several issues or concerns involved with the operation of the opening-closing system  12 . 
     One such concern is the detection of some type of obstruction along the track  16 , such as a sleeping pet or a baby crawling through the doorway, etc. When there is an obstruction, then the opening-closing system  12  is preferably instructed to stop the closing of the door to prevent entrapment and/or injury. 
     Another issue is that over time, the mechanical force needed to open or close a given door or window will typically change for a number of reasons, such as wear and tear, a lack of lubrication of the opening/closing mechanism, changes in temperature during the course of a day (e.g., cold at night, warmer during the day), changes in temperature depending on the season of the year (e.g., cold in winter, warm in summer) or changes in humidity, etc. 
     The opening-closing system  12  is, in non-exclusive embodiments, tasked with differentiating between an actual obstruction and the door or window becoming increasingly more difficult to open or close due to wear and tear and/or the other operating conditions discussed above. If an actual obstruction exists, then the opening or closing of the door should be stopped. On the other hand if more force is required to open or close the door due to other circumstances, then the opening or closing of the door is typically continued. 
     The opening-closing system  12  may determine if an obstruction exists in a number of different ways. For example: (1) detecting an unusual spike in current or other electrical parameter of the actuator motor  32 ; (2) defining or setting a maximum force for the actuator motor  32  and stopping the opening or closing of the door or window if the force is exceeded, (3) using an electrical or mechanical fuse that is preset to “blow” if a predetermined electrical parameter or mechanical force is exceeded and/or (4) using one or more of the sensors  28  and/or cameras  72 ,  74  to detect the obstruction and/or motion within the opening of the door or window. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram  100  illustrating a method for (1) learning and updating an electric signature for opening and closing a door or window  14  and (2) for obstruction detection is shown. 
     In an initial step  102 , the opening-closing system  12  is installed in a door or window  14 . In different embodiments, installation may mean either the opening-closing system  12  has been retro-fitted into an existing door or window or it can be installed in a factory when the door and/or window is made (as further described below). 
     In step  104 , the opening-closing system  12  “learns” an electronic signature of the actuator motor  32  for opening and closing the door or window. The electronic signature is learned by performing one or more trial runs of opening and/or closing the door or window. Specifically, the electronic signature is learned during the trial runs by: 
     (a) Measuring an electric parameter of the actuator motor  32 , such as the amount of current used, at discrete distance intervals (e.g., every ¼ or ½ of an inch) of travel of the actuator rod  36  during the trial opening(s) and/or closing(s) of the door or window; and 
     (b) Averaging the measured electric parameter values for each of the measured discrete distance intervals over the several trial runs. 
     In the example provided above, the measured electrical parameter of the actuator motor  32  is current and the distance between each of the discrete intervals is ¼ of an inch. It should be understood, however, that neither of these is a strict requirement and that other electrical parameters (e.g., voltage, resistance, inductance, or a combination thereof, etc.) can be used and the distance between measurement points can widely vary as well and be smaller or larger than ¼ inch intervals (e.g., ⅛, ¾, 1 of an inch, etc). Once the electronic signature is learned, it is stored in a location accessible by the opening-closing system  12 . 
     In step  106 , the controller  52  receives an actual command (i.e., a non-trial command) to either open or close the door or window  14 . In various embodiments, the command may be derived by any of the methods or procedures as described above. 
     In step  108 , the controller  52  controls the operation of the actuator motor  32  to turn the screw  34  either in (1) a first rotational direction to retract the actuator rod  36  and open the door or window or (2) a second rotational direction to extend the actuator rod  36  when closing the door or window. 
     In step  110 , the same electrical parameter(s) used to generate the learned electronic signature is/are measured at the same discrete distance intervals of travel of the actuator rod  36  as the door or window  14  is either opened or closed during the non-trial. 
     In step  112 , the measured electrical parameters at each of the discrete distance intervals of travel of the actuator rod  36  are compared to the same averaged measurement at the same discrete interval included in the learned electrical signature respectively. 
     In decision  114 , it is determined if one or more comparison(s) exceeds a threshold. 
     In step  116 , the controller  52  controls the actuator motor  32  to proceed with the opening or closing of the door or window  14  if the threshold is not exceeded. 
     In step  118 , on the other hand, the controller  52  directs the actuator motor  32  to stop with the opening or closing of the door or window  14  if the threshold is exceeded one or multiple times. When the threshold is exceeded one or multiple times, the controller  52  makes an assumption that either (a) the door or window  14  is hitting an obstruction during the attempt to either open or close the door or window or (b) the door or window is closed and locked when the attempt to open the door or window is made. 
     Finally, in step  120 , if Step  116  is successful, the learned electronic signature is updated with the measured electrical parameter(s) at each of the discrete distance intervals with the measurements collected in step  110 . 
     The above-described steps  106  through  120  are preferably repeated with each command to either open or close the door or window  14 . With each non-trial opening or closing, the learned electronic signature is updated. By updating using measurements collected during non-trial openings and closings of the door or window  14 , the learned electrical signature is updated over time. As a result, the updated learned electrical signature compensates for a wide variety of changing conditions, such as wear and tear, a state of maintenance of the door or window  14 , varying temperatures, humidity levels, season of the year, etc. 
     In various embodiments, the threshold may be set at different values. For instance, if one or more measured parameter(s) exceeds the corresponding measured parameter(s) in the in the learned electronic signature by ten percent or more, then the threshold is considered exceeded. The threshold percentage, however, may widely vary depending on a desired sensitivity. If a high degree of sensitivity is desired, then the threshold percentage is reduced, meaning just a small deviation between the measured parameter(s) and the learned electronic signature is sufficient to stop an opening or closing. On the other hand, if less sensitivity is desired, then the threshold percentage can be raised, meaning a larger deviation is required to stop the opening or closing. 
     Also, the number of times the threshold needs to be exceeded to stop the opening or closing may also vary based on sensitivity or accuracy. In general, more times the threshold is exceeded, the more accurate the assumption there is an obstruction. The few times the threshold is exceed before stopping an opening or closing, the more sensitive, or potentially, the less accurate. The number of times the threshold is exceeded, in addition to the magnitude, can also used to trigger when the opening or closing of a door or window is stopped. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a flow diagram  130  illustrating set up and operation of the door or window opening-closing system  12  is illustrated. 
     In the initial step  132 , the opening-closing system  12  is installed in a door or window. As previously noted, the installation may involve the retro-fitting into an already installed door or window in a building, such as a home, office or other structure. Alternatively, installation may mean integrating the installation at least partially inside the frame of the door or window  14  in the factory where the door or window is made. The door or window is then shipped to a building, again such as a home or office, were it is installed within the structure. 
     In step  134 , an application or “app”, intended to remotely interact with and control the opening-closing system  12 , is installed on one or more computing devices  78  belonging to one or more persons. In various embodiments, the one or more computing devices may include smart phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, desktop computers, etc. The application or app is typically software or code intended to be executed on any of the above-listed devices and can be distributed to the one or more persons in a variety of ways, such as by downloading from a web site, via a hard storage medium such as a CD-ROM or memory stick, or can be downloaded from an “app store”, such as Apple App Store or Google Play. 
     In step  136 , each opening-closing system  12  is synchronized with each of the devices it is intended to interoperate with. Such devices may include, but is not limited to, the app running on one or more computing devices  78 , one or more indoor camera(s)  72 , one or more outdoor camera(s)  74 , one or more personal assistant(s)  76 , including RFID and/or Bluetooth tags ( 80 ). During the synchronization, certain credentials such as identifiers, IP addresses, and Wifi credentials are exchanged so that all the synchronized devices can communicate with one another over the wireless network  71 , such as the Internet, a local area network, a Wifi network, or a combination thereof. In step  138 , preferences for the opening-closing system  12  are set. Such preferences may include the person or people who may control the remote opening and closing of the door or window in which the device is installed, the hours of operation, the pet(s) that may or may not have exit or entry privileges. As noted above for example, a dog may be granted exit/entry privileges, while a cat may not. Other preferences may include setting a limit on how much the door or window  14  is opened, depending on who is attempting to enter or exit. For example, with a large dog, the setting may limit the opening of the door to 20 inches wide, but only 10 inches wide for a smaller dog. 
     In other non-exclusive embodiments, the settings may also include if a pet can automatically trigger the open and/or closing of the door or window  14  or if human intervention is required. 
     Similarly, in the case of package deliveries, the opening of the door may be limited to only a few inches to allow the insertion of a small package or envelope, but small enough to prevent the delivery person access through the door and into the building or residence. Alternatively, settings can be established to control how wide a door or window  14  is opened based on package size. Using either visual recognition and/or artificial intelligence, the size of a package can be estimated. In response, the opening-closing system  12  opens the door or window  14  just enough to receive the package. In a variation of this embodiment, the delivery person can scan a bar code provided on the package. In response, information detailing the dimensions of the package is wirelessly delivered over network  71  to the opening-closing system  12 , which in turn, opens the door or window  14  the appropriate amount to accommodate the delivery of the package. 
     Steps  142 - 146  detail operation of the opening-closing system  12  when preferences are set for pet activation. Typically, the pet will initiate some behavior that the opening-closing system  12  determines as an open or close request event (Step  142 ). Such an event may include the pet approaching the door or window and being sensed by one or more of the sensors  28 , one or more of the of the cameras  72  and/or  74 , the opening-closing system  12  is notified via an identification tag  80 , or some combination of the above. In response to the sensed request event, the system  12  operates the actuator motor  32  to either open or close the door or window (step  144 ) by implementing the steps  106  through  120  of  FIG. 5  and a notice may optionally be sent to a designated person or persons (step  146 ) by way of app notification, text, email message or voice message. 
     Steps  150 - 158  detail operation of the opening-closing system  12  when preferences are set for human activation. With this scenario, an open or close event (step  150 ) is sensed by one or more of the sensors  28 , indoor or outdoor camera(s)  72 / 74  and/or an ID tag  80 . In response to the sensed event, the opening-closing system  12  notifies (step  152 ) one or more designated person(s) via a message such as an in-app notification, text message, voice or email message. In response the recipient is required to generate a command by way of app or voice controlled device instructing the opening or closing if the door or window  14  (step  156 ), which is typically delivered to the opening-closing system  12  via the wireless network  72 . In response, the controller  52  opens or closes the door or window  14  (step  158 ) by implementing the steps  106  through  120  of  FIG. 5 . 
     After the synchronization step  136  and the set preferences step  138 , the remaining steps  140 - 146  and/or  148 - 158  may be repeated each time an open/close event is sensed. 
     It should be noted that the synchronization step  136  and the set preferences step  138  may need to be repeated from time to time to synchronize with new equipment (e.g., new cameras, identifier tags, personal assistants, new mobile devices, etc.) and/or when changes the set preferences is desired. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , examples requiring human activation are illustrated. 
     In a first example, an arrival of a delivery person is sensed by an outdoor camera  74 . In response, the opening-closing system  12  generates a message  182 , such as a text message, which is sent to a mobile device  78  of one or more designated person(s)  184 . In an optional embodiment, a barcode containing package information or visual recognition and artificial intelligence is used to determine the size of the package the delivery person is attempting to deliver. In response, one of the designated persons generates a remote command  186  to open the door or window  14  which is delivered via the wireless network  71  to the controller  52  of the opening-closing system  12 . In turn, the system  12  activates the motor  32  to first open the door and then close the door after an adequate time period to deliver the package has lapsed. In embodiments where the size of the package is estimated, the controller  52  will open the door or window  14  just enough to readily accept the package, but preferably no wider. For example with an envelope, the door or window is opened just a few inches. But for a larger box or package, the door or window is opened a larger amount to accept the box or package. 
     In a second example also illustrated, a pet  190  triggers the generation of a message  192  by the opening-closing system  12  to the one or more designated persons in response to one of the video cameras  72 ,  74  and/or an ID tag  80 . In reply, one of the designated persons may generate a command  186  to open or close the door or window  14  that is delivered via the wireless network  71 . 
     In a variation of one or both of the examples above, media such as (1) video, (2) a still image and/or (3) a text message may be included in the messages  182 ,  192 . In this way, the recipient will see and be informed of the sensed event that is triggering the request to either open or close the door or window  14 . 
       FIGS. 8A-8C  illustrates another embodiment of the smart door or window opening-closing system  12  built-in or integrated into the frame of a sliding door  14 . With this embodiment, the smart door or window opening-closing system  12  is integrated into the frame of the door  14  when fabricated by a door or window manufacturer. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8A , a sliding door  14  including a track  16 , a fixed frame  200  around fixed window  18  and a sliding frame  202  surrounding sliding window  20  is shown. At the bottom of the fixed frame  200 , a cover  204  is provided for covering a housing or cavity (not shown) that houses the opening-closing system  12 . Preferably, the exterior of the cover  204  is made of the same material (e.g., wood, vinyl or fiberglass) and is the same color as the frames  200 ,  202  of the sliding door  14 . By matching the material and color, the cover  204  aesthetically looks like it is part of the door design and substantially conceals the opening-closing system  12 . By making the cover  204  removable, access is provided to the opening-closing system  12  as needed for maintenance, repairs, etc. In alternative embodiments, the cover  204  can be fixed, meaning it is not removable. 
     Also shown in the diagram is a pin  206  that is used to engage or disengage the sliding frame  202  from the concealed window opening-closing system  12 . When disengaged, the sliding frame  202  can be opened or closed only manually. When engaged, the sliding frame  202  can be remotely opened or closed in any of the ways already described herein. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8B , the sliding door  14  is shown with the cover  204  removed, revealing a cavity  204 A housing the opening-closing system  12 , including the second base  24 , housing  26  and the actuator rod  36 . As detailed below, the pin  206  is either in an engaged or disengaged position with respect to the sliding frame  202 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8C , one embodiment for implementing the pin  206  is illustrated. In this embodiment, the pin  206  is an actuator pin that is actuated by a motor (not shown), such as a solenoid, that is housed inside the actuator rod  36 . In response to a control signal from the controller  52 , the motor can either extend or retract the pin  206  to either engage or disengage the frame  202  from the opening-closing device  12 . As evident in the diagram, when the frame  202  is in the closed position, and the pin  206  is actuated into the extended position, it extends into a recess  208  formed in the frame  202 . As a result, the actuator rod  36  is engaged with the frame  202 . As the actuator rod is either retracted or extended with respect to the housing  26 , the sliding frame  202  is opened or closed. When the pin  206  is retracted, then the frame  202  and the actuator rod  36  are no longer engaged and the sliding frame can only be manually opened or closed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8D , a variation of the above embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the actuated pin  206  is replaced with a thumb-screw  210  that is designed to be manually inserted through the recess  208  formed into the frame  202  and is threaded into a hole  212  provided in the actuator rod  36 . With this arrangement, the sliding frame  202  and the actuator rod  36  can be engaged or disengaged by simply screwing in or unscrewing the thumb-screw  210  from the recess  212 . 
     Although the embodiment above is addresses to the opening-closing system  12  built into a sliding patio door, it should be understood that this is by no means a requirement. On the contrary, the opening-closing system  12  can be built into a wide variety of different types of doors and windows, including a swinging door, a sliding window, a casement window, a tilt-and-turn window, etc. 
       FIGS. 9A-9C  illustrate another embodiment of a smart swing-door opening-closing system  300  for use with a swing door  302 . 
     The swing-door opening closing system  300  is similar to the above-described system  12 , meaning both include a house  26  for housing a sensor  28 , an optional adjustable shutter  30 , a screw  34  and actuator motor  32 . The housing  26  further houses the controller system  50 , including the controller  52 , optionally the ball sensor  54 , the sensor interface  56  for interfacing with the sensor  28  provided on the housing  26 , the wireless network interface  58 , an optional Internet of Things (IoT) interface module  60  and firmware  62 . As each of these elements were previously described, an explanation of each is not provided herein for the sake of brevity. 
     The main difference between the previously described system  12  and the swing-door opening and closing system  300  is that the actuator rod  304  is curved. With a curve, the actuator rod  304  “bends around a corner” and laterally moves between a closed and opened position. The actuator rod  304  also includes a base  304 A that is arranged to be mechanically attached to the swing door  300 . The attachment can be accomplished in any of a number of ways, including screws, bolts, double-stick tape, etc. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9A , the housing  26  and curved actuator rod  304  is illustrated. On the left side, the curved actuator rod  304  is in a retracted position. On the right side, the actuator rod  304  is shown in an laterally extended position. Thus, by (a) attaching the base  304 A end of the actuator rod  304  to a swing door and (b) rotating the screw  34  in either a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction, the door can be swung open or shut by the lateral motion of the actuator rod  304 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9B , the swing-door opening and closing system  300  is shown installed on a swing door  302 . As shown, the housing  26  is attached above and onto the hinged side of the swinging door  302 . The base  304 A end of the curved actuator rod  304  is physically attached to the top non-hinged side of the door  302 . With this arrangement, the actuator motor  32  in the housing  26  can rotate the screw  34  in either a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction. In response, the curved actuator rod moves laterally, swinging the door  302  between an opened or closed position. As described in detail herein, the door  300  can be remotely opened or closed in a variety of ways, including triggering by a pet as sensed by a PIR sensor, video camera, or identifier tag, remotely by human intervention via a voice command from a personal digital assistant, from a remote app running on a smart phone, tablet or computer, etc., as described herein. In addition, the amount or degree to which a swing door or window is opened can also be controlled, for instance, based on pet size or the size of a delivered package or envelope. The smart swing-door opening and closing system  300  can thus be used to open or close a swing door or window in all the same ways as previously described above with regard to the smart opening closing system  12 . 
     Certain swing doors may be used with a door lock that includes a latch bolt that is arranged to inserted into a door frame latch when locked and retracted with the door lock is opened. Referring to  FIG. 9C , a slide-in plate  310  is shown covering the latch bolt of a door knob  312  is illustrated. The slide-in plate  310 , when inserted between the door knob and a door jam, prevents the latch bolt from engaging the door frame latch. As a result, the door can freely swing open and closed. 
     Although the opening and closing system  300  has been described in the context of a swinging door, it should be understood that this is by no means a requirement. The system  300  can also be used with swinging windows as well. 
     It should further be noted that the opening and closing door or window systems  12 ,  300 , as described herein, can be made to be extremely strong. By making the housing  26 , screw  34 , actuator rod  36 / 304  of mechanically strong materials, such as steel, fiberglass, strong plastics, etc., a high level of safety and security can be provided. With strong materials, a door or window can be made just as difficult, if not more difficult, to open and close as a door or window lock. As such, the smart door or window opening devices as described herein provides high degree of convenience, without having to sacrifice security. 
     Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail, it should be appreciated that the present application may be implemented in many other forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure provided herein. Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered illustrative and not restrictive and is not to be limited to the details given herein, but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appended claims.