Patent Publication Number: US-6911898-B2

Title: System for automatically opening and closing a garage door and a method thereof

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a system for automatically opening and closing a garage door, and more particularly, to a system using a wireless communication network for automatically opening and closing a garage door. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Generally, a driver opens and closes a door of a garage for himself when he intends to park his car in the garage. However, to open and close the door of the garage by hand is inconvenient and troublesome in many cases. Automatic garage door openers have been developed, but still have disadvantages, including small hand-held controllers that can be lost and require the driver to remove his hand from the wheel to depress a button. Such controllers also typically run on batteries that can unexpectedly run down, rendering the garage door inoperable from the vehicle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a system for opening and closing a garage door comprises vehicle and garage controllers and communication modules, as well as a garage door opening device. The vehicle controller controls operation of the vehicle and detects vehicle information such as the engine operation state. The vehicle module is mounted on the vehicle and is provided with an input port through which the vehicle information is input. The garage module has an output port and performs wireless communication with the vehicle module. The garage controller generates a garage door opening/closing control signal using data input from the output port of the garage module according to whether the vehicle is registered or not. The garage door opening/closing device is actuated by the garage door opening/closing control signal input from the garage controller. In a further preferred embodiment, both the vehicle module and the garage module are Bluetooth™ wireless communication modules. 
   In an alternative preferred embodiment of the invention, a vehicle state monitor is disposed in a vehicle to receive information regarding the vehicle engine state. This monitor may comprise a vehicle controller. A vehicle communication module is also disposed in the vehicle and receives the engine state information from the vehicle state monitor. This module further contains a unique vehicle identifier. A garage communication module is associated with the garage door. The vehicle and garage communication modules provide for wireless communication between each other. Preferably, the communication protocol may be Bluetooth™ wireless communications. A garage door unit communicates with the garage communication module and cooperates with the garage door to open and close the door in response to information regarding the engine state and vehicle identifier received from the garage communication module as transmitted from the vehicle communication module. 
   Preferably, the garage door unit comprises a garage door controller and a door opening and closing device. The garage door controller communicates with the garage communication module and generates a door open or close signal based on the received vehicle identifier and engine state information. The garage door opening and closing device communicates with the controller to open or close the door in response to the signal generated thereby. 
   In an another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for automatically opening and closing a garage door via wireless communication between a garage communication module and a vehicle communication module. The method may comprise querying for a unique identifier of a vehicle that approaches a garage, detecting the querying for the unique identifier of the vehicle, transmitting the identifier of the vehicle if the querying is detected, comparing the transmitted identifier of the vehicle to a predetermined registered identifier, querying for vehicle information such as an engine operating state if the transmitted identifier is identical to the predetermined registered identifier, detecting the querying for the vehicle information, transmitting vehicle information if the querying is detected, and analyzing the transmitted vehicle information and generating a garage door opening/closing control signal according to the engine operating state. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention, where: 
       FIG. 1  schematically illustrates a system for automatically opening and closing a door of a garage according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart showing a control process for automatically opening and closing the garage door according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
   A system for automatically opening and closing the door of a garage according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention uses Bluetooth™ wireless communication modules. Bluetooth™ is the name given to a technology standard using short-range radio links, which is intended to replace the cables(s) connecting portable and/or fixed electronic device. Information regarding the protocol is available at www.bluetooth.com. While Bluetooth™ wireless communications may be employed ina preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention is not limited thereto, any suitable local wireless communication system or protocl may be used by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the system for automatically opening and closing the door of a garage according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a vehicle controller  100 , a vehicle communication module  110 , a garage communication module  120 , a garage controller  130  and a garage door opening/closing device  140 . 
   The vehicle controller  100  generally controls operation of vehicle  150 , and it is connected to an input port  111  in order to input vehicle operating information such as an engine operating state to the vehicle communication module  110 . Alternatively, a monitoring unit (not shown) communicates with a vehicle controller or relevant vehicle state sensors to monitor vehicle or engine state, and communicates such information to vehicle communication module  110 . Such a monitoring unit may be a separate component or integrated into vehicle communication module  110 . 
   The garage controller  130  analyzes vehicle information input from an output port  121  of the garage communication module  120 , and generates an opening or closing control signal of the garage door according to the vehicle identification and an engine operating state. For this purpose controller  130  preferably includes a conventional processor (CPU) and memory. 
   If the garage controller  130  determines that the vehicle  150  approaching the garage is a registered vehicle, it generates an opening or a closing signal according to whether the vehicle is coming into the garage or going out of the garage, and the vehicle operating condition. When the registered vehicle is entering the garage, the garage controller  130  determines whether the engine is operating by analyzing engine condition information transmitted from the garage communication module  120 . If it is determined that the engine is in an on state, the garage controller  130  provides an opening signal to the garage door opening/closing device  140 . 
   When the registered vehicle is in the garage and its engine is off, the garage controller  130  provides a closing signal to the garage door opening/closing device  140 , and if the engine of the registered vehicle parked in the garage starts to operate, the garage controller  130  provides an opening signal to the garage door opening/closing device  140 . 
   If the registered vehicle deviates from the local wireless communication range, the garage controller  130  provides a closing signal to the garage door opening/closing device  140 . Therefore, the garage door opening/closing device  140  opens or closes the door of the garage according to the opening or closing signal input from the garage controller  130 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 1 , the vehicle communication module  110  and the garage communication module  120  will be explained in detail hereinafter. 
   The vehicle communication module  110  comprises the input port  111 , a vehicle communication controller  112 , a transceiver (RF(Radio Frequency) transmitter/receiver)  113 , an RF antenna  114 , a memory  115 , and an oscillator  116 . 
   The vehicle communication controller  112  is connected to the vehicle control device  100  via the input port  111 , and a vehicle operation command signal such as an engine starting signal and a result of the signal are input to the vehicle communication controller  112  through the input port  111 . 
   The vehicle communication controller  112  transforms data input from the vehicle controller  100  into a predetermined type of data packet, and transmits the data packet on a predetermined frequency band through the transceiver  113 . The transceiver  113  amplifies the data packet generated by the vehicle communication controller  112  into a predetermined frequency band and transmits the amplified data packet. On the other hand, when receiving, the transceiver  113  transforms the received signal into a low frequency band and provides it to the vehicle communication controller  112 . The memory  115  includes a read only memory (ROM) for storing a program having control data, a nonvolatile memory storing vehicle information, and a random access memory (RAM) for temporarily storing data generated while the program is executed. The oscillator  116  is a quartz vibrator that provides a constant frequency created by an inherent frequency of a quartz plate to the vehicle communication controller  112 . The garage communication module  120  comprises an output port  121 , a garage communication controller  122 , a transceiver (RF(Radio Frequency) transmitter/receiver)  123 , an RF antenna  124 , a memory  125 , and an oscillator  126 . 
   The garage communication controller  122  is connected to the garage control device  130  via the output port  121 , and it transmits control signals input from the vehicle communication module  110  and data signals resulting from the control signals to the garage controller  130 . The transceiver  123  sends the data packet after amplifying it into a predetermined frequency band. On the other hand, when receiving, the transceiver  123  transforms a received signal into a low frequency band and provides it to the garage communication controller  122 . The memory  125  includes a read-only memory (ROM) for storing a program having control data, a nonvolatile memory storing vehicle information, and a random-access memory (RAM) for temporarily storing data generated while the program is executed. The oscillator  126  is a quartz vibrator that provides a constant frequency created by an inherent frequency of a quartz plate to the vehicle communication controller  122 . 
   In the above stated system, if a vehicle provided with the vehicle communication module  110  that has already registered approaches a garage provided with the garage communication module  120 , the door of the garage is automatically opened. The door of the garage is automatically closed if the engine of the vehicle is turned off after parking in the garage. Then, if the engine of the vehicle is on, the door of the garage is automatically opened. If the vehicle deviates from the wireless communication range of the communication module, the door of the garage is automatically closed. 
   Each communication module has a unique identifier. In a preferred embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 1  wherein the communication modules are Bluetooth™ modules, each Bluetooth™ module has an inherent number according to the Bluetooth™ protocol. The inherent number of the vehicle Bluetooth™ module  100  can be set as an inherent number (ID) of the vehicle. In this preferred embodiment of the present invention, the garage Bluetooth™ module  120  automatically queries for an inherent number of the vehicle  150 . The user can register the inherent number as a key device. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a process for automatically opening/closing the garage door will be explained. 
   If the vehicle  150  approaches a garage that has the registered key device of the unique identifier of the vehicle  150 , local wireless communication is performed between the vehicle communication module  110  and the garage communication module  120 . First, the garage communication module  120  queries for the unique identifier, e.g., an inherent number, of the vehicle  150  (S 210 ). Then, the vehicle communication module  110  determines whether the signal for querying for its unique identifier has been generated (S 212 ). If it is determined that the signal is querying for its unique identifier, the vehicle communication module  110  sends its unique identifier to the garage communication module  120  (S 214 ). 
   The garage communication module  120  determines whether the vehicle unique identifier is input and whether the vehicle is a registered vehicle, using the input unique identifier of the vehicle (S 216  and S 218 ). If the input unique identifier of the vehicle is not the identifier of a registered vehicle in step S 218 , the procedure advances to step S 236  where the garage communication module  120  provides a garage door close control signal to the garage controller  130 . 
   If it is determined that the approaching vehicle is a registered vehicle, the mode of the communication module is changed to an online mode (S 220 ), and the garage communication module  120  maintains connection with the vehicle communication module  110  during the online mode. 
   Then, the garage communication module  120  queries for vehicle information such as an engine state of the registered vehicle (S 222 ). If the vehicle communication module  110  detects the query for the vehicle information from the garage communication module  120  (S 224 ), the vehicle communication module  110  sends vehicle information input from the vehicle controller  100  (S 226 ). 
   The garage communication module  120  determines whether the vehicle information is input from the vehicle communication module  110  in step S 228 , and if it is determined that the vehicle information is input, the garage communication module  120  determines, using the input vehicle information, whether the engine of the vehicle is on (S 230 ). 
   If it is determined that the engine is on in step S 230 , the garage communication module  120  provides a garage door opening signal to the garage controller  130  (S 232 ), and otherwise, the garage communication module  120  provides a garage door closing signal to the garage controller  130  (S 234 ). 
   As stated above, the garage controller  130  is provided a garage door opening/closing signal from the garage communication module  120 , and it actuates the garage door opening/closing device  140  such that the door of the garage is automatically opened. 
   If the engine of the vehicle is turned off after parking in the garage, the garage controller  130  actuates the garage door opening/closing device  140 , through the above stated process, such that the door of the garage is closed. If the engine of the vehicle  150  is turned on while it is parked in the garage, the garage controller  130  actuates the garage door opening/closing device  140 , through the above stated process, such that the door of the garage is opened. In addition, when the vehicle deviates from the wireless communication range, the garage door opening/closing device  140  is controlled such that the door of the garage is automatically closed. 
   As stated above, the apparatus and method according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention automatically opens and closes the door of the garage using local wireless communication so that entering or exiting the garage becomes much more convenient for the driver.