Barrier operator feature enhancement

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to barrier operators and more specifically to adding features to pre-installed barrier operators.

BACKGROUND

Barrier operators of various kinds have been known and used for many years. Examples of such barrier operators include gate operators, rolling shutter operators, garage door operators, and the like. In one example, garage door operators are mounted within a garage to automate the process of opening and closing a garage door. Such garage door operators are designed to last for many years. In its simplest form, a garage door operator includes a motor connected to move a barrier between an open position and a closed position and control circuitry configured to control the motor. Such garage door operators can last and reliably operate a garage door for many years with basic maintenance.

More recently, however, barrier operators have begun evolving to include additional features beyond the simple task of opening and closing the barrier. Such new features include various safety features, lighting options, network communication options including remote operation of the barrier operator, and the like. To have access to such features, however, typically a completely new barrier operator with a new motor and connection equipment must be purchased and installed for a user to have access to the new features. This contradicts the reality where barrier operators are generally designed to perform their core function of opening and closing a barrier for many years.

SUMMARY

Generally speaking, and pursuant to these various embodiments, a barrier operator feature enhancement device is designed to provide one or more features found in modern barrier operator devices and to incorporate those features into a previously installed barrier operator system. To facilitate ease of use, the barrier operator feature enhancement device is designed to be able to communicate with a large variety of older model barrier operator systems. Such communication may be wireless or wired, depending on the communication protocol implemented by a particular previously installed barrier operator. To facilitate the ease of installation of the feature enhancement device, the device is designed to, in one approach, step through a variety of communication protocols and to receive feedback information from either the barrier operator or another device to indicate that the previously installed barrier operator performed an action in response to receipt of a communication from the feature enhancement device. Based on that feedback, the feature enhancement device configures itself to operate going forward with the communication protocol that elicited the response from the previously installed barrier operator.

Once configured to be able to communicate with the previously installed barrier operator, the feature enhancement device works with the barrier operator to provide one or more additional features to enhance the capabilities of the previously installed barrier operator. Examples include adding safety features such as the use of obstacle detectors, adding remote communication and network based communication features, enabling timer based open and close features, enabling vehicle and person detection features, and the like. These and other benefits may become clearer upon making a thorough review and study of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the barrier operator feature enhancement described in the following detailed description, particularly, when studied in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 comprises a perspective view of an example environment in which a barrier operator feature enhancement device may be applied as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 comprises a block diagram of an example barrier operator feature enhancement device as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 3 comprises a schematic diagram of a building having various devices that may communicate with a barrier operator feature enhancement device as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 4 comprises a flow diagram of an example method of operation for a barrier operator feature enhancement device as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 5 comprises a perspective view of an example environment in which a barrier operator feature enhancement device may be applied as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention; and

FIG. 6 comprises a perspective view of an example environment in which a barrier operator feature enhancement device may be applied as configured in accordance with various embodiments of the invention.

Skilled artisans will appreciate the elements and the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments. Also, common but well understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted to facilitate a less obstructive view of these various embodiments. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions and a person skilled in the technical field as set forth above, except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 1, an example environment in which a barrier operator feature enhancement device may operate will now be presented. A previously installed barrier operator 100 is configured to move a barrier 105 between open and closed positions. In the illustrated example, the barrier operator is a garage door opener configured to open and close a garage door for a typical garage although the subject matter described herein can be applied to a variety of other barrier operator settings. The barrier operator 100 can be activated to open or close the barrier 105 using a remote control device 110 or a wired wall control 115. The remote control device 110 communicates directly with the barrier operator 100 using a radio frequency based, wireless communication that is received and analyzed by the barrier operator 100 to determine what action it should take in response to receipt of the signal from the remote control device 110. Similarly, the wall control device 115 includes buttons that when pressed effect sending a signal over the wire to the barrier operator 100 to effect the opening or closing of the barrier 105 or performance of another action. A barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 can be introduced into this space to add additional features to the barrier operator system present within this particular garage.

With reference to FIG. 2, an example barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 will be described. This apparatus includes a barrier operator communication module 125 that is configured to be able to communicate with a plurality of barrier operator types by sending communication signals by wireless or wired communication protocols. To facilitate this ability, the barrier operator communication module 125 includes an antenna 130 that may be built-in or external to the device 120. The communication module 125 may also include a wired communication port 135 configured to be connected through one or more wires to a barrier operator. The feature enhancement device 120 also includes control circuitry 140 configured to use the barrier operator communication module 125 to communicate with any of the plurality of barrier operator types. So configured, the barrier operator feature enhancement device readily facilitates installation and coordination with a variety of previously installed barrier operator types. For example, the barrier operator feature enhancement device is configured to communicate with all or a subset of all barrier operators currently installed. Thus, a user who purchases a barrier operator feature enhancement device can be reasonably assured that the enhancement device is compatible with the user's particular previously installed barrier operator.

One approach for configuring communication between the barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 and the previously installed barrier operator 100 includes the control circuitry 140 being configured to effect sending communication signals from the barrier operator communication module 125 via a plurality of communication protocols to the pre-installed barrier operator 100. For example, the barrier operator communication module 125 can be configured to be able to communicate with the plurality of barrier operator types by sending communication signals by one or more of wire-line relay switch activation, wire-line serial communications, wire-line encrypted serial communications, a first wireless transmission protocol based on a hand-held transmitter frequency, a second wireless transmission protocol different from the first wireless transmission protocol, radio frequency communications based on a frequency different from hand-held transmitter frequencies, radio frequency communications based on frequency hopping for spread spectrum, to name but a few, and combinations thereof. Generally speaking, as used in this application, a “hand-held transmitter” refers to a typical garage door controller that, for instance, clips to a vehicle visor and has a button that a user presses to open and close a garage door.

By one approach, the control circuitry 140 can wait for a time after sending a communication signal to the pre-installed barrier operator 100 to receive a communication indicating a response from the pre-installed barrier operator 100 before sending another communication signal using a different protocol. The communication indicating the response from the pre-installed barrier operator can be received in a number of ways. For example, the receipt may occur through an input/output module 145 that will be described below. Examples signals include ones from a door sensor or limit sensor indicating door movement. In response to receiving the communication indicating the response from the pre-installed barrier operator, the control circuitry 140 configures the barrier operator communication module 125 to operate according to the communication protocol that effected the response from the pre-installed barrier operator 100. By this example approach, the barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 can configure itself or learn the communication protocol with which it can communicate with the pre-installed barrier operator 100 with minimal intervention or effort on behalf of the device's user.

By another approach, the control circuitry 140 may be configured to learn the communication protocol for the pre-installed barrier operator 100 by analyzing a signal received by the barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 from a peripheral device. In one such approach, the control circuitry 140 is configured to analyze a signal received at the input/output module 145 from a peripheral device comprising a hand-held transmitter 110 associated with the pre-installed barrier operator 100 to determine a communication protocol associated with the pre-installed barrier operator 100. For example, the control circuitry 140 can break down the radio frequency communication sent by the hand-held transmitter 110 to determine its characteristics and then adopt those characteristics for the barrier operator communication module 125. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,057,494 and 7,741,951, incorporated herein by reference, describe example approaches currently known to those skilled in the art for learning a transmission protocol. Accordingly, this control circuitry 140 can configure the barrier operator communication module 125 to operate according to the communication protocol associated with the pre-installed barrier operator 100.

In still another approach, the barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 can include a user interface 150. For example, the control circuitry 140 configures the barrier operator communications module 125 to operate according to a communication protocol in response to receipt of an instruction signal through the user interface 150. In one such approach, a list of barrier operator types can be provided to a user through the user interface 150 or through separate documentation that will allow the user to use the user interface 150 to input the barrier operator type to the feature enhancement device 120. In response to receipt of this feedback from the user interface 150, the control circuitry 140 can access a memory or other storage such as an online database that will associate a communication protocol with the barrier operator type information received through the user interface 150. The control circuitry 140 will then configure the barrier operator communication module 125 to operate in accordance with that communication protocol. In a further aspect, a similar user interface can be provided on other device remote from the feature enhancement device 120. For instance, a mobile device or other computer can be programmed, run an application, or receive signals from another device to effect display of a user interface that allows a user to interact with the feature enhancement device 120.

Once the communication protocol for the previously installed barrier operator 100 is determined, the control circuitry 140 is configured to use the barrier operator communication module 125 to communicate to at least one pre-installed barrier operator 100 to effect at least one of control of operation of at least one feature of the at least one pre-installed barrier operator 100 or monitoring at least one aspect of the at least one pre-installed barrier operator 100. Control of the operation of a feature of a pre-installed barrier operator 100 can include moving a barrier 105, stopping or overriding a function of the pre-installed movable barrier operator 100, operating another function of a pre-installed movable barrier 100 such as operating a light, controlling a vacation mode, and the like, or changing an operation parameter such as a force setting or programmed operation mode of a pre-installed barrier operator 100 to name but a few examples. Generally speaking, sending a communication to a pre-installed barrier operator 100 to control operation can be considered effecting a change in function of the barrier operator 100. Monitoring an aspect of a pre-installed barrier operator includes monitoring a barrier 105 status (such as open or closed) and watching other operation statuses of the operator 100 including error conditions, tamper warnings, and usage history to name only a few examples. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the feature enhancement device 120 can be deployed in a garage or other setting where more than one pre-installed barrier operator 100 is in use. In such a setting, the feature enhancement device 120 can be configured to operate with one, both, or in other installations, several or a subset of a group of previously installed barrier operators. In an example multiple barrier installation, the feature enhancement device can communicate with peripheral devices for a variety of barriers by storing identification information that is sent from individual peripheral devices together with communication signals to the feature enhancement device. So paired, the feature enhancement device can accurately monitor and control each of the multiple barriers with which it is paired.

Moreover, the communication to be had with any one pre-installed barrier operator 100 depends upon the capabilities of that operator 100. For instance, older operators generally only communicated through receipt of a signal that causes immediate operation of the motor to open or close the barrier 105. In such a situation, the feature enhancement device 120 will merely send signals to effect such operation and rely on other peripheral devices to facilitate monitoring of other aspects of the barrier operator such as door position and obstacle detection. Other operators have the ability to send information out regarding its status. For example, some operators are able to determine barrier position, force settings, light settings, and the like and provide this information to other devices. For those operators, the feature enhancement device 120 is configured to be able to send signals to such an operator to effect the operator 100 sending back such status information in a manner that the feature enhancement device 120 can understand the information and use the information to provide enhanced feature control for a user including, for example, automatically sending control signals to change a function of the barrier operator 100 in response to receiving particular status information from the operator 100.

Turning again to FIG. 2, the input/output module 145 is operatively in communication with the control circuitry 140. The input/output module 145 is configured to receive communications from at least one peripheral device configured to provide at least one of information regarding an operation status of the pre-installed barrier operator 100 or information to effect operation of the pre-installed barrier operator 100. These communications can be performed by a number of different physical layer structures. In one example, the communication can be carried via a wired or bus connection or via a wireless radio communication. The wireless communication can follow any protocol including single frequency, spread spectrum, Wi-Fi, BLUETOOTH, and the like. Generally speaking, the input/output module 145 is designed to provide for communications with any of a variety of devices other than the barrier operator 100. So configured, the input/output module 145 can facilitate many types of interactions with other devices, examples of which will be disclosed below.

Those skilled in the art will recognize and understand that such a module 145 and operator communication module 125 may be comprised of a plurality of physically distinct elements as is suggested by the illustration shown in FIG. 2. It is also possible, however, to view this illustration as comprising a logical view, in which case one or more of these elements can be enabled and realized via a shared platform such that the operations described as being separate at the operator communication module 125 and the input/output module 145 are performed by the same physical elements. It will also be understood that such a shared platform may comprise a wholly or at least partially programmable platform as are known in the art. Moreover, the interfaces for the feature enhancement device 120 for the peripheral devices may include different physical implementations to effect such communication, such as with wireless or wired obstacle detectors, with a wired or wireless wall controller, with a wireless or radio communication device, or with another device. Such communication hardware configured to communicate with the individual peripheral devices are generally known and applicable by those of skill in the art and need no further discussion herein.

For example and with reference to FIG. 1, such peripheral devices with which the input/output module 145 communicates may include a computing device 200, a home computer 205, a server computing device 210, a mobile computing device 215, a gateway device 220 configured to enable communications with one or more of a home computer 205, server computing device 210, a mobile computing device 225, or a mobile computing device 230 over a network 235, and combinations thereof. Communications with any of these devices can be made using wired or wireless protocols as are known in the art. Communications with such computing devices can facilitate all manner of network communications such as communications with applications on smart phones and the like or facility monitoring systems as may be available or controlled by networked computing devices.

Other than just computing devices, the peripheral device from which the input/output module 145 can be configured to receive communications may also include one or more of an obstacle detector 155, a network adaptor 240, a separate barrier operator 102, a hand-held transmitter 110, a wall control 115, a door position sensor 160, to name but a few, and combinations thereof. Communications with such devices allow the feature enhancement device 120 to provide features such as automatic barrier control in response to obstacle detection through which the feature enhancement device 120 can stop operation of a pre-installed barrier operator 100. In one such example, the obstacle detector 155 is connected to the feature enhancement device 120. If the feature enhancement device 120 receives a communication from the obstacle detector 155 that an obstacle has been detected and the feature enhancement device 120 knows that the barrier operator 100 is closing the barrier, the feature enhancement device 120 can communicate with the barrier operator 100 to stop the barrier and potentially send the barrier in the opening direction.

The feature enhancement device 120 can perform barrier position determination through communication with such peripheral devices to be able to determine and report out barrier 105 position among other possibilities or features that can be provided. The position determination peripheral device 160, 170 allows the feature enhancement device 120 to determine whether or not the barrier 105 is closed and to report to a remote user the position of the barrier 105 prior to activation of the movable barrier operator. Example position determination devices include limit switches 170, door monitors, tilt switches 160, and the like. The position determination peripheral device 160, 170 could be a transmit only device that transmits position information in response to any change of the position of the barrier 105. In an alternative approach, the position determination peripheral device 160, 170 could be a bidirectional communication device allowing the feature enhancement device 122 to request information about the position of the barrier 105.

In still another approach, the input/output module 145 is configured to receive communications from at least one peripheral device including a sending device where the communications include an identification signal indicating that the sending device is available for communication with the input/output module 145. In this example, the sending device may be any peripheral device described above that can have communications with a feature enhancement device 120 and facilitate installation and configuration of these peripheral or sending devices with the feature enhancement device 120. In one example, a sending device may include a button or other user interactive element that can be actuated by a user that will effect sending a signal that, on receipt by the feature enhancement device 120, indicates to the feature enhancement device 120 that the sending device is ready and able to be used by or communicate with the feature enhancement device 120. As yet another example, the sending device can be a device used for notification of imminent barrier motion. In this approach, the feature enhancement device 120 can be designed such that it requires the detection of the sending device prior to allowing at least a particular barrier motion.

In another example, the input/output module 145 can receive wireless local area network communications with one or more of the peripheral devices. Based on these communications from the wireless local area network, the control circuitry 140 is configured to decide which radio frequency communication format is sent to the pre-installed barrier operator 100. The wireless local area network devices may communicate using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any other wireless based communication between or among peripheral devices located in the vicinity of the feature enhance device 120. In one example, the control circuitry 140 may recognize a communication style or command sent to or from the pre-installed barrier operator 100 via the wireless local area network and configure the operator communication module 125 accordingly. In another example, the control circuitry 140 may receive a communication over the wireless local area network with information identifying the pre-installed barrier operator 100 or its communication method. In one such example, a user may look up the pre-installed barrier operator 100 on a computing device 215 and send that information regarding the operator 100 to the feature enhancement device 120 using, for example, the wireless local area network.

In another example, the input/output module 145 is configured to receive the communications from at least one peripheral device comprising an obstacle detector 155, as shown in FIG. 1. Such a configuration in combination with the feature enhancement device 120 communication with the pre-installed barrier operator 100 allows the feature enhancement device 120 to add obstacle detection features to a pre-installed barrier operator 100 incapable of incorporating such features. For example, the control circuitry 140 can be configured to not send a signal to effect closing the barrier 105 by the pre-installed barrier operator 100 in response to receiving any one of a variety of signals from the obstacle detector 155 that it would be unsafe to close the barrier 105. For example, the control circuitry 140 is configured not to send a signal to effect closing the barrier 105 in response to receiving a command to do so when detecting that the obstacle detector 155 is unable to detect an obstacle. This may occur where the obstacle detector 155 is an optical detector that is not properly aligned or otherwise rendered incapable of performing its task of detecting an obstacle and thus being unable to warn against operation if an obstacle is present. In another approach, the control circuitry 140 will not send a signal to effect closing the barrier 105 in response to receiving an indication from the input/output module 145 that the obstacle detector 155 detected an obstacle or in response to receiving indication that the pre-installed barrier operator 100 is opening the barrier 105. In still another approach, the control circuitry 140 may be configured to send a signal to effect opening a barrier 105 by the pre-installed barrier operator 100 in response to detecting that the obstacle detector 155 is unable to detect an obstacle or in response to receiving indication from the input/output module 145 that the obstacle detector 155 detected an obstacle. Similarly, in response to receiving an indication from a peripheral device that the pre-installed barrier operator 100 is closing a barrier 105 such as from a barrier position sensor 160 or the like, the control circuitry 140 is configured to send a signal to effect opening the barrier 105 by the pre-installed barrier operator 100 in response to detecting that the obstacle detector 155 is unable to detect an obstacle or in response to receiving an indication from the input/output module 145 that the obstacle detector 155 detected an obstacle. So configured, a variety of the advantages to having an obstacle detector can be added to pre-installed barrier operator 100 that is otherwise incapable of using such obstacle detector technology.

In another specific example, the input/output module 145 can be configured to receive communications from at least one peripheral device including a sensor 160 disposed to detect a location of a barrier 105 operated by the pre-installed barrier operator 100. The sensor 160 is illustrated as a tilt sensor, although any of a variety of other sensors may be used such as a limit switch, an accelerometer, a gravity sensor, or combinations thereof. Limit switches can be magnetic or physical switches placed along a track or other path of travel for the barrier 105 to detect the location of the barrier 105. A tilt sensor may comprise a microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch, an optical sensor, or other physical switch that is mounted to detect the barrier's 105 orientation. For example, the tilt sensor 160 as known in the art is mounted on the barrier 105 to determine the barrier 105's vertical or horizontal orientation and based on that information, a determination can be made as to whether the door is open, i.e., the barrier is horizontally disposed, or closed, i.e., the barrier is vertically disposed. An accelerometer may be piezo electric based or MEMS switch as known in the art. In still another approach, the input/output module 145 can be configured to receive communications from at least one peripheral device including a hand-held transmitter 110 configured to send barrier commands via a radio frequency transmission to the input/output module 145.

In yet another approach, the input/output module 145 is configured to receive communications from at least one peripheral device including a network adapter 240 to effect a connection to the Internet. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the network adapter 240 is a separate device plugged into the wall that can communicate with the input/output module 145 with the feature enhancement device 120 using any available communication method. The network adapter 240 then has a separate connection to a network that facilitates a communication to the Internet. This communication or connection can be accomplished in a variety of ways as recognized by those skilled in the art. For example, the network adapter 240 may have a wireless connection to a cellular standard to facilitate the connection to the Internet. By another approach, the network adaptor 240 can incorporate a power line communication protocol whereby communications are transmitted over local power lines between devices connected to the power lines. In still another approach, the network adaptor 240 can create a network connection via an Ethernet wire line connection to a network device. Another example network adapter 240 connection approach is a Wi-Fi connection such as with the wireless device 220. The network adaptor 240 in various approaches can plug into the feature enhancement device 120 to provide such communication abilities or be built into the device as part of the input/output module 145. For instance, in this example, the input/output module 145 can communicate using a wireless communication standard such as Wi-Fi to exchange network communications with the network device 220.

In any event, the input/output module 145 is configured to send communications to and receive communications from devices over the Internet. Such communications may include receiving commands to operate the pre-installed barrier operator 100 from a device over the Internet or to send status information regarding the pre-installed barrier operator 100 to a device over the Internet. So configured, the feature enhancement device 120 can allow a user to use a mobile computing device 230 that is located remote from the pre-installed barrier operator 100 to operate the barrier operator 100 or to simply receive information regarding whether the barrier is open or closed, for example, or whether a particular vehicle is in the garage.

For example, and as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 may include a presence detector 170 configured to detect presence of a vehicle 175 and is in operable communication with the control circuitry 140. Presence detectors 170 can include passive infrared detectors, a photo beam system, a magnetic detector, a capacitance detector, sound detector, a camera with image analysis algorithms, or a communication system designed to detect identification information from a vehicle 175, or cell phone of the user from the radio communications such as Bluetooth, each of which is known in the art and needs no further description here. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,221,289 and 7,994,896, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. As an example a magnetic detection peripheral device can be mounted just below the preinstalled operator 100. When the vehicle is present it affect the magnetic field generated by the detector in such a way that the detector device can determine whether the vehicle is positioned below is or not. In turn, the control circuitry 140 is configured to effect communication with one or more of the peripheral devices in response to an initial detection of the vehicle 175. As described above and is further illustrated in FIG. 3, the feature enhancement device 120 through its input/output module 145 can be configured to communicate with any of a variety of other devices. Accordingly, the feature enhancement device 120 can effect changes in the operation of a variety of those devices in response to detecting presence or absence of a vehicle 175. For example, in response to an initial detection of the vehicle 175 the control circuitry 140 can effect a communication with a thermostat device 305 to effect a change in temperature setting for a climate control system 310 of a structure associated with the barrier 105. Another example includes effecting communication with a lighting control device 315 to effect a change in a lighting configuration such as lights for a home 320. For instance, in response to detecting an initial presence of a vehicle 175 driving into the driveway or garage, the feature enhancement device 120 can effect lighting of certain rooms that the driver of the vehicle 175 will first enter upon exiting the garage. Other lighting configurations are of course possible. In another example, in response to initial detection of the vehicle, the control circuitry 140 can effect communication with a computing device 330 to effect synchronization of data stored in the vehicle 175 at a data storage device 333 with data stored on the computing device 330. Such data can be any of a variety of things, such as media files, mapping data, navigation data, vehicle information (including operation statistics, maintenance needs, and the like), and combinations thereof.

In still another example, in response to an initial detection of the vehicle 175, the control circuitry 140 can effect a communication with a security system 340 to effect a change in status of the security system 340. For instance, detection of the vehicle 175 in the garage can initiate a disarming of a home security system with respect to an entry from the garage into the house or other building or security structure. A similar approach can be applied to a commercial setting with respect to causing a change in a commercial security system in response to detecting presence of a particular vehicle.

In still another example, in response to an initial detection of the vehicle 175, control circuitry 140 can effect communication with the home-based computing device 330 to effect sending a message to a user of the home-based computing device 330. One such message may simply be a text or similar message to someone else at the home indicating that a vehicle has arrived in the garage. In still another example, in response to an initial detection of the vehicle 175, control circuitry 140 can effect a communication with a gateway communication device 350, such as a Wi-Fi router or home automation gateway device, or a direct communication with one or more of the thermostat device 305, climate control system 310, lighting controller 315, computing device 330, security system 340, and home-based computing device 330 as opposed to having direct communication in between the feature enhancement device 120 and those various other devices. The communication can be any known communication method including Z-wave, Zigbee, INSTEON, and X10 to name but a few examples.

Similarly, the feature enhancement device 120 may also communicate with any of the above devices in response to an initial detection of the absence of the vehicle 175. In this example, after the vehicle 175 drives out of the garage, the presence detector 170 will notice that the car 175 is no longer in the garage, and in response to the presence detector 170 making that determination, the control circuitry 140 can effect communication with any of the above devices to effect a change in their status, as described above. For example, the thermostat device 305 may be commanded to change a default temperature for the home while the occupant is gone, the security system 340 may be armed while the occupant is gone, the lighting controller device 315 may be set to turn the lights off when the occupant is gone during the daytime, and a message may be sent to a user using a computing device 330 that is still in the house providing notice that the vehicle 175 has left the garage.

Another feature that can be added by the barrier operator feature enhancement device 120 is the ability to detect and respond to a forced entry. In one such approach, in response to receiving from a peripheral device or from the pre-installed barrier operator 100 a communication indicating an attempt at forced entry, the control circuitry 140 is configured to send a communication to another of the peripheral devices to effect a security system response. For instance, a device 165 may be placed on the door or rails that can sense when a person tries to force open the door 105 and responsively send a signal regarding this attempt to the feature enhancement device 120. This device 165 can detect the attempt to force open the door 105 by measuring sound, vibration, door motion, and/or any other detection method as known in the art. Some known barrier operators also have this ability to sense the forced entry and generate a signal that can be received by the feature enhancement device 120. In response to receiving such a signal, the feature enhancement device 120 can communicate with a security system 340 or otherwise sound an alarm such as flashing its light 180 or sounding an alarm from its sound generator 185. Other examples include sending a communication to a vehicle 175 to effect locking the vehicle 175, to effect engagement of the vehicle's security system alarm, to effect disablement of the vehicle's starting mechanism, and/or to effect flashing of the vehicle's lights. Another example includes sending a communication to a computing device 330 to effect an announcement over a local security system 340 or to effect blinking of lights 320 at an associated structure, for example, in a home. In still another example, a communication may be sent to a network enabled device 220, 240 to effect sending a communication to a mobile computing device 230 regarding the attempted or forced entry such that a homeowner can receive an alert on the homeowner's tablet or phone regarding the attempted or forced entry.

Another feature that may be enabled with the feature enhancement device 120 having a presence detector 170 includes changing parameters of a timer to close function based on the presence or absence of the vehicle 175. More specifically, the control circuitry 140 can be configured to effect a timer to close function including sending a signal to the barrier operator 100 to close the barrier 105 in response to the passage of time. The control circuitry 140 is also configured to, in response to receiving a signal from the presence detector 170 indicating presence or absence of the vehicle 175, change the parameters of the timer to close function. For example, the timer to close function may be inhibited by the control circuitry 140 if the presence detector 170 senses the presence of a vehicle 175. Similarly, the control circuitry 140 may enable a timer to close feature in response to the detection by the presence detector 170 that there are no vehicles left in the garage.

In still another approach, the presence detector 170 can be configured to determine the presence or absence of a particular vehicle 175, such that various features can be enabled or disabled in response to the detection of particular vehicles. More specifically, and in one example, the presence detector 170 can be configured to detect presence or absence of a plurality of specific vehicles through detection of a vehicle specific identifier received from individual ones of the specific vehicles. For instance, a given vehicle may have a universal garage door operator transmitter that is configured to send an identification signal to the movable barrier operator either directly or through an intermediary device or network. The input/output module 145 or presence detector 170 of the feature enhancement device 120 may receive that signal and decode the identification signal to identify the vehicle 175 and operate in accordance with pre-programming with respect to enabling or disabling certain features or actions in response to the presence or absence of the specific vehicle 175. Other options for determining or receiving the vehicle's identification number include receiving a Bluetooth communication from the vehicle, receiving a cellular communication from the vehicle, receiving communications from a specific user's mobile device through (such as though Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, mobile network communication, or the like) or by other means known to those skilled in the art.

Turning again to FIG. 2, the feature enhancement device 120 may further include a light 180 and a sound generator 185. The control circuitry 140 is configured to effect generation of a sound by the sound generator 185 and flashing of the light 180 in coordination with sending a signal to effect closing of the barrier 105 by the pre-installed barrier operator 100. Typically in this situation where the barrier operator 100 receives the command to operate the barrier operator 100 from a device that is remote from the garage, flashing the light 180 and producing a sound from the sound generator or speaker 185 acts as a warning to those in the vicinity of the garage that the barrier 105 will be closing. In one example, the control circuitry 140 is configured to disable generation of a sound by the sound generator 185 with flashing of the light 180 in response to determining that the pre-installed barrier operator 100 includes a sound generator and light effect to provide an alert regarding closing of a barrier 105 by the pre-installed barrier operator 100. This configuration allows the feature enhancement device 120 to not unnecessarily duplicate the effect as may be provided by the pre-installed barrier operator 100.

In accord with the structures described above, and with reference to FIG. 4, a method 400 of operation of a feature enhancement device 120, which can be considered a “retro-fit” device, will be described. The method includes sending 410 communication signals from a communication module via a plurality of communication protocols to a pre-installed barrier operator. The retro-fit device receives 415 a communication indicating a response from the pre-installed barrier operator, and, in response, the retro-fit device configures 420 the communication module to operate according to a communication protocol that effected the response from the pre-installed barrier operator. Accordingly, the retro-fit device is now in a position to communicate with the pre-installed barrier operator to provide one or more additional features that may have been missing from the pre-installed barrier operator.

For example, the retro-fit device may receive 425 information from a peripheral device and determine 430 an action or setting change for the pre-installed barrier operator based on the information from the peripheral device. After making that determination, the retro-fit device sends 430 a communication signal according to the communication protocol to the pre-installed barrier operator. That communication signal is configured to effect the action or setting change to the pre-installed barrier operator. As described above, the process of configuring the communication module to operate according to a particular communication protocol may include consideration or utilization of information from one or more peripheral devices to help make the determination of which protocol to use in communicating with the pre-installed barrier operator.

In an additional alternative embodiment, the functionality or logic described with respect to FIG. 4 and elsewhere in this disclosure may be embodied in the form of code that may be executed in a separate processor circuit. If embodied in software, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that comprises program instructions to implement the specified logical function(s). The program instructions may be embodied in the form of source code that comprises human-readable statements written in a programming language or machine code that comprises numerical instructions recognizable by a suitable execution system such as a processor in a computer system or other system. The machine code may be converted from the source code, etc. If embodied in hardware, each block may represent a circuit or a number of interconnected circuits to implement the specified logical function(s). Any of these structures are known to those of skill in the art and needs no further description.

The feature enhancement device 120 described in this application may be packaged together with any of a variety of the peripheral devices described above to facilitate provision of features to pre-installed barrier operators. For example, the feature enhancement device may be sold together with obstacle detectors, a tilt sensor for mounting on the door, a remote control device, a network adapter, and the like. Such a kit can then be purchased by a user and installed as described above to provide enhanced operability to the barrier operator previously installed at the user's premises.

In one specific example, FIG. 5 illustrates one potential arrangement of the feature enhancement device 120. In this approach, the preinstalled operator 100 is connected to the feature enhancement device 120 via wire connections to the operator's command input 502 and to the operator's obstruction input 504. Feature enhancement device 120 is also connected via wires 506 to the original wall control 500 that came with the preinstalled operator 100. The handheld transmitter's 110 radio frequency signal is received by the feature enhancement device 120 to activate the preinstalled operator 100 via the feature enhancement device 120. The feature enhancement device 120 is also connected via a wire 530 to a router/modem 520, which connects the system to the Internet in well-known method. In this way, the feature enhancement device 120 can allow activation of the barrier operator from the Internet, from the preinstalled operators wall control 500, and from the handheld transmitter 110. Not shown is the possibility of utilizing the wireless capabilities of feature enhancement device 120 to communicate directly with a portable computational device. The communication can be done by any of a number of possible communication formats including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as examples. Due to the communications being routed through the feature enhancement device 120, the feature enhancement device 120 is able to control when and if command reaches the preinstalled operator 100.

As explained earlier, the feature enhancement device 120 can have a light 180 and a sound generator 185. The light 180 and sound generator 185 can be utilized to pre-warn before the command is sent to the preinstalled barrier operator 100. For example, if the feature enhancement device 120 received a command to move or close the barrier over the Internet, the feature enhancement device 120 can turn on or flash the light 180 and/or play a warning sound from the sound generator of a time before sending a command to the pre-installed barrier operator 100 to move or close the barrier. In this way, unattended operation of the preinstalled barrier operator can be announced prior to the motion of the barrier.

The feature enhancement device 120 can also report on the status of the preinstalled barrier operator 100. For example, the feature enhancement device 120 can monitor the door's position through communication with the sensor 160 and knowledge of the commands given to the barrier operator 120 and then notify a remote device via the Internet or through local wireless communications of the present status of the barrier 105. In the case where a handheld transmitter 190 is directly paired with the preinstalled operator 100 to move the barrier 105, the feature enhancement device 120 can still monitor the barrier 105 status through communication with the door position sensor 160.

In this example, the feature enhancement device 120 is wired to the obstacle detectors 155 via a set of wires 157. The feature enhancement device 120 can monitor the obstacle detectors 155 to ensure that they are functioning properly and feature enhancement device 120 can control the barrier operator 100 accordingly for combination of the command input 502 and the other obstruction input 504. The feature enhancement device 120 can also monitor the actions of the preinstalled operator 100 via the sensor 160 to ensure that the operator is performing the intended function. If the barrier 105 is in motion in the downward direction and the feature enhancement device 120 detects a failure of the obstacle detector 155, the feature enhancement device 120 can force the operator 100 to reverse direction by shorting the obstruction input 504. If that action is not followed, the feature enhancement device 120 can give one or more commands via the command input 502 to perform the desired function. In another example, FIG. 6 illustrates a system where the feature enhancement device 120 is completely wireless. In this situation, the feature enhancement device 120 can be a module that plugs into the wall somewhere near the garage, such as at a typical electrical outlet. In this example, the preinstalled operator 100 includes preinstalled obstacle detectors 155 that are directly connected to and monitored by the operator 100 via wires 510.

In the example of FIG. 6, the feature enhancement device 120 communicates with a Wi-Fi router/modem 610, which is connected to the Internet using methods well known in the art. Feature enhancement device 120 also communicates to the preinstalled barrier operator 100 by sending a radio transmission to activate the operator 100. A door position sensor 160 wirelessly communicates with the feature enhancement device 120. A handheld transmitter 110 communicates with the feature enhancement device 120 via wireless communication. A wall button 600 communicates wirelessly with the feature enhancement device 120, although the wall button 600 aspect can be included within the device 120. An original transmitter 190 is paired and communicates directly with the preinstalled operator 100. Although not shown explicitly in this figure, the feature enhancement device 120 is able to communicate directly and wirelessly with other computational devices to provide direct access for the computational device to effect activation of the preinstalled operator 100 and obtain information regarding a status of the barrier 105. This example enables Internet activation of the barrier operator 100 and marking of the barrier position allowing long-range operation and monitoring of the preinstalled barrier operator.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the feature enhancement device is described largely in the context of a garage in use with a garage door opener, such a feature enhancement device can be applied in other barrier operator contexts, such as gate operators and the like. Moreover, any of the retro-fit features described herein can be incorporated into a movable barrier operator. For instance, the various capabilities described with respect to sensing vehicle presence or absence, sensing forced entry, and the like can be triggered or controlled by a movable barrier operator incorporating the associated features of such a retro-fit device. Such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a barrier operator communication module configured to communicate with a plurality of barrier operator types that use different communication protocols by sending communication signals by wireless or wired communication protocols;an input/output module configured to communicate with a computing device over a network;the input/output module further configured to receive an operation status of a barrier operator indicative of whether an associated barrier is closed;control circuitry communicatively coupled to the barrier operator communication module and the input/output module, the control circuitry configured to cause the barrier operator communication module to communicate with any of the plurality of barrier operator types, the control circuitry of the apparatus further configured to communicate with a presence detector configured to detect a presence of a vehicle;wherein the control circuitry is further configured to effect synchronization, in response to detection of the presence of the vehicle by the presence detector and the operation status indicating that the barrier is closed, between vehicle data stored by a storage device of the vehicle and computing device data stored by the computing device;wherein synchronization includes communication of data between the vehicle and the computing device via the input/output module and the network.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a server remote from at least one of the vehicle and the apparatus.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is configured to effect synchronization between the vehicle data and the computing device data by causing the input/output module to communicate data from the computing device to the storage device of the vehicle.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data includes media files, mapping data, navigation data, vehicle operation information, vehicle maintenance information, or a combination thereof.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing device data includes media files, mapping data, navigation data, vehicle operation information, vehicle maintenance information, or a combination thereof.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presence detector comprises a passive infrared detector, a photo beam system, a magnetic detector, a capacitance detector, a sound detector, a camera, or a combination thereof.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presence detector comprises a communication system configured to detect identification information from a vehicle, a cell phone, or a combination thereof.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the input/output module is further configured to communicate with the barrier operator.
9. A method of operating an apparatus comprising a barrier operator communication module configured to communicate with a plurality of barrier operator types that use different communication protocols by sending communication signals by wireless or wired communication protocols, an input/output module configured to communicate with a computing device over a network, a presence detector configured to detect a presence of a vehicle, and control circuitry operatively coupled to the barrier operator communication module, the input/output module, and the presence detector, the method comprising: receiving an operation status of a barrier operator indicative of whether an associated barrier is closed;detecting a presence of a vehicle in a garage by the presence detector; andeffecting synchronization, in response to the detecting the presence of the vehicle in the garage and the operation status indicating the barrier is closed, between vehicle data stored by a storage device of the vehicle and computing device data stored by the computing device;wherein synchronization includes communication of data between the vehicle in the garage and the computing device via the input/output module and the network.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein effecting synchronization includes the input/output module downloading data from the computing device to the storage device of the vehicle.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein effecting synchronization includes transmitting a signal from the input/output module to the computing device causing the computing device to synchronize data with the storage device of the vehicle.
12. The method of claim 9 further comprising: transmitting a control signal from the barrier operator communication module to the barrier operator to cause the barrier operator to move the barrier.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein transmitting the control signal to the barrier operator is in response to detecting the presence of the vehicle by the presence detector.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein detecting the presence of the vehicle by the presence detector includes detecting the vehicle using: a passive infrared detector;a photo beam system;a magnetic detector;a capacitance detector;a sound detector;a camera;a communication system configured to detect identification information from a vehicle;a communication system configured to detect identification information from a cell phone; ora combination thereof.
15. A system comprising: a barrier operator; anda barrier operator enhancement device comprising: a housing configured to mount in a garage;a barrier operator communication module in the housing and configured to communicate with a plurality of barrier operator types that includes the barrier operator;an input/output module in the housing and configured to communicate with a computing device over a network, the input/output module further configured to receive an operation status of a barrier operator indicative of whether an associated barrier is closed;a presence detector configured to detect a presence of a vehicle; andcontrol circuitry in the housing and communicatively coupled to the barrier operator communication module, the input/output module, and the presence detector;the control circuitry configured to effect synchronization, in response to detection of the vehicle by the presence detector and the operation status indicating that the barrier is closed, between vehicle data stored by a storage device of a vehicle and computing device data stored by the computing device;wherein synchronization includes communication of data between the vehicle and the computing device via the input/output module and the network.
16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a gateway communication device configured to relay signals between at least two of the barrier operator enhancement device, the computing device, and the vehicle.
17. The system of claim 16 wherein the gateway communication device is a wireless router.
18. The system of claim 15 wherein the computing device is configured to communicate with the vehicle via the barrier operator enhancement device.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein the control circuitry is configured to effect synchronization between the vehicle data and the computing device data by causing synchronization of media files, mapping data, navigation data, vehicle information, or a combination thereof.
20. The system of claim 15 wherein the presence detector includes: a passive infrared detector;a photo beam system;a magnetic detector;a capacitance detector;a sound detector;a camera;a communication system configured to detect identification information from a vehicle;a communication system configured to detect identification information from a cell phone; ora combination thereof.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/881,406, filed Jan. 26, 2018, entitled BARRIER OPERATOR FEATURE ENHANCEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,138,671, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/587,786, filed May 5, 2017, entitled BARRIER OPERATOR FEATURE ENHANCEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,896,877, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/069,351, filed Mar. 14, 2016, entitled BARRIER OPERATOR FEATURE ENHANCEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,644,416, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/858,497, filed Sep. 18, 2015, entitled BARRIER OPERATOR FEATURE ENHANCEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,376,851, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/010,143, filed Aug. 26, 2013, entitled BARRIER OPERATOR FEATURE ENHANCEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,141,099, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/671,602, filed Nov. 8, 2012, entitled BARRIER OPERATOR FEATURE ENHANCEMENT, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,122,254. All of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 15/881,406, 15/587,786, 15/069,351, 14/858,497, 14/010,143 and 13/671,602 are incorporated by reference in their entireties herein.

US Referenced Citations (376)

Number	Name	Date	Kind
6850	Pope	Nov 1849	A
1076850	Wedderburn	Oct 1913	A
1406850	Hadaway	Feb 1922	A
2980827	Hill	Apr 1961	A
3536836	Pfeiffer	Oct 1970	A
4325146	Lennington	Apr 1982	A
4360801	Duhame	Nov 1982	A
4408251	Kaplan	Oct 1983	A
4464651	Duhame	Aug 1984	A
4533905	Leivenzon	Aug 1985	A
4573046	Pinnow	Feb 1986	A
4583081	Schmitz	Apr 1986	A
4629874	Pugsley	Dec 1986	A
4821024	Bayha	Apr 1989	A
4881148	Lambropoulos	Nov 1989	A
4922224	Drori	May 1990	A
4987402	Nykerk	Jan 1991	A
5003293	Wu	Mar 1991	A
5047928	Wiedemer	Sep 1991	A
5155680	Wiedemer	Oct 1992	A
5191268	Duhame	Mar 1993	A
5247440	Capurka	Sep 1993	A
5255341	Nakajima	Oct 1993	A
5278832	Binzel	Jan 1994	A
5280527	Gullman	Jan 1994	A
5283549	Mehaffey	Feb 1994	A
5402105	Doyle	Mar 1995	A
5444440	Heydendahl	Aug 1995	A
5473318	Martel	Dec 1995	A
5475377	Lee	Dec 1995	A
5541585	Duhame	Jul 1996	A
5565843	Meyvis	Oct 1996	A
5565857	Lee	Oct 1996	A
5596840	Teich	Jan 1997	A
5608778	Partridge, III	Mar 1997	A
5656900	Michel	Aug 1997	A
5689236	Kister	Nov 1997	A
5731756	Roddy	Mar 1998	A
5780987	Fitzgibbon	Jul 1998	A
5781107	Ji	Jul 1998	A
5805064	Yorkey	Sep 1998	A
5805082	Hassett	Sep 1998	A
5883579	Schreiner	Mar 1999	A
5886634	Muhme	Mar 1999	A
5917405	Joao	Jun 1999	A
5940000	Dykema	Aug 1999	A
5969637	Doppelt	Oct 1999	A
5990828	King	Nov 1999	A
6002332	King	Dec 1999	A
6011468	Lee	Jan 2000	A
6026165	Marino	Feb 2000	A
6028537	Suman	Feb 2000	A
6070361	Paterno	Jun 2000	A
6127740	Roddy	Oct 2000	A
6131019	King	Oct 2000	A
6154544	Farris	Nov 2000	A
6161005	Pinzon	Dec 2000	A
6166634	Dean	Dec 2000	A
6184641	Crimmins	Feb 2001	B1
6192282	Smith	Feb 2001	B1
6223029	Stenman	Apr 2001	B1
6225903	Soloway	May 2001	B1
6266540	Edgar, III	Jul 2001	B1
6271765	King	Aug 2001	B1
6278249	Fitzgibbon	Aug 2001	B1
6310548	Stephens, Jr.	Oct 2001	B1
6326754	Mullet	Dec 2001	B1
6346889	Moss	Feb 2002	B1
6356868	Yuschik	Mar 2002	B1
6388559	Cohen	May 2002	B1
6400265	Saylor	Jun 2002	B1
6404337	Van Till et al.	Jun 2002	B1
RE37784	Fitzgibbon	Jul 2002	E
6427913	Maloney	Aug 2002	B1
6434158	Harris	Aug 2002	B1
6434408	Heckel	Aug 2002	B1
6448894	Desai	Sep 2002	B1
6476708	Johnson	Nov 2002	B1
6476732	Stephan	Nov 2002	B1
6484784	Weik, III	Nov 2002	B1
6525645	King	Feb 2003	B2
6553238	Ginzel	Apr 2003	B1
6553881	Marmin	Apr 2003	B2
6561255	Mullet	May 2003	B1
6563430	Kemink	May 2003	B1
6564056	Fitzgerald	May 2003	B1
6597291	Tsui	Jul 2003	B2
6616034	Wu	Sep 2003	B2
6634408	Mays	Oct 2003	B2
6661340	Saylor et al.	Dec 2003	B1
6686838	Rezvani	Feb 2004	B1
6717528	Burleson	Apr 2004	B1
6781516	Reynard	Aug 2004	B2
6782662	McCartney	Aug 2004	B2
6792083	Dams	Sep 2004	B2
6803851	Kramer	Oct 2004	B1
6803882	Hoetzel	Oct 2004	B2
6812849	Ancel	Nov 2004	B1
6822603	Crimmins	Nov 2004	B1
6823188	Stern	Nov 2004	B1
6833681	Fitzgibbon	Dec 2004	B2
6850163	Adamczyk	Feb 2005	B1
6891838	Petite	May 2005	B1
6903650	Murray	Jun 2005	B2
6919790	Kanazawa	Jul 2005	B2
6924727	Nagaoka	Aug 2005	B2
6933843	Horn	Aug 2005	B1
6960998	Menard	Nov 2005	B2
6975202	Rodriguez	Dec 2005	B1
6975226	Reynard	Dec 2005	B2
6980117	Kirkland	Dec 2005	B1
6980131	Taylor	Dec 2005	B1
6989760	Dierking	Jan 2006	B2
6998977	Gregori	Feb 2006	B2
7024819	Irvin	Apr 2006	B1
7038409	Mullet	May 2006	B1
7057494	Fitzgibbon	Jun 2006	B2
7071813	Fitzgibbon	Jul 2006	B2
7071850	Fitzgibbon	Jul 2006	B1
7091688	Gioia	Aug 2006	B2
7124943	Quan	Oct 2006	B2
7127847	Fitzgibbon	Oct 2006	B2
7142849	Neuman	Nov 2006	B2
7158007	Kawamoto	Jan 2007	B2
7161319	Ergun	Jan 2007	B2
7161466	Chuey	Jan 2007	B2
7167076	Wilson	Jan 2007	B2
7170998	McLintock	Jan 2007	B2
7190266	Mullet	Mar 2007	B2
7192278	Cao	Mar 2007	B2
7197278	Harwood	Mar 2007	B2
7205908	Tsui	Apr 2007	B2
7207142	Mullet	Apr 2007	B2
7221289	Hom	May 2007	B2
7227444	Fitzgibbon	Jun 2007	B2
7262683	Maeda	Aug 2007	B2
7266344	Rodriquez	Sep 2007	B2
7269416	Guthrie	Sep 2007	B2
7274300	Duvemell	Sep 2007	B2
7289014	Mullet	Oct 2007	B2
7298240	Lamar	Nov 2007	B2
7306145	Sakai	Dec 2007	B2
7310043	Mamaloukas	Dec 2007	B2
7323991	Eckert	Jan 2008	B1
7331144	Parsadayan	Feb 2008	B2
7332999	Fitzgibbon	Feb 2008	B2
7365634	Brookbank	Apr 2008	B2
7370074	Alexander	May 2008	B2
7380375	Maly	Jun 2008	B2
7392944	Sheih	Jul 2008	B2
7424733	Kamiwada	Sep 2008	B2
7446644	Schaffzin	Nov 2008	B2
7464403	Hardman, Jr.	Dec 2008	B2
7468676	Styers	Dec 2008	B2
7471199	Zimmerman	Dec 2008	B2
7482923	Fitzgibbon	Jan 2009	B2
7493726	Fitzgibbon	Feb 2009	B2
7498936	Maeng	Mar 2009	B2
7532965	Robillard	May 2009	B2
7561075	Fitzgibbon	Jul 2009	B2
7600550	Mays	Oct 2009	B2
7616090	Baker	Nov 2009	B2
7708048	Mays	May 2010	B2
7724687	Autret	May 2010	B2
7741951	Fitzgibbon	Jun 2010	B2
7750890	Fitzgibbon	Jul 2010	B2
7761186	Keller	Jul 2010	B2
7778604	Bauman	Aug 2010	B2
7783018	Goldberg	Aug 2010	B1
7852212	Fitzgibbon	Dec 2010	B2
7853221	Rodriguez	Dec 2010	B2
7856558	Martin	Dec 2010	B2
7876218	Fitzgibbon	Jan 2011	B2
7983160	Gunatilake	Jul 2011	B2
7983180	Harrington	Jul 2011	B2
7994896	Fitzgibbon	Aug 2011	B2
7995460	Edgar, III	Aug 2011	B2
8014528	Bunte	Sep 2011	B2
8040217	Fitzgibbon	Oct 2011	B2
8063592	Shier	Nov 2011	B2
8144011	Fitzgibbon	Mar 2012	B2
8175591	Fitzgibbon	May 2012	B2
8207818	Keller, Jr.	Jun 2012	B2
8239481	Alexander	Aug 2012	B2
8290515	Staton	Oct 2012	B2
8368509	Fitzgibbon	Feb 2013	B2
8416054	Fitzgibbon	Apr 2013	B2
8421591	Karasek	Apr 2013	B2
8423788	Holtzman	Apr 2013	B2
8544523	Mays	Oct 2013	B2
8561348	Kurth	Oct 2013	B2
8577392	Pai	Nov 2013	B1
8587404	Laird	Nov 2013	B2
8643465	Fitzgibbon	Feb 2014	B2
8797138	Myers	Aug 2014	B2
8868220	Crucs	Oct 2014	B2
9103149	Skotty	Aug 2015	B2
9122254	Cate	Sep 2015	B2
9141099	Cate	Sep 2015	B2
9317985	Tehranchi	Apr 2016	B2
9367978	Sullivan	Jun 2016	B2
9376851	Cate	Jun 2016	B2
9396598	Daniel-Wayman	Jul 2016	B2
9449449	Evans	Sep 2016	B2
9495815	Fitzgibbon	Nov 2016	B2
9644416	Fitzgibbon	May 2017	B2
9698997	Arteaga-King	Jul 2017	B2
9818243	Fitzgibbon	Nov 2017	B2
9896877	Fitzgibbon	Feb 2018	B2
10137671	Hernandez	Nov 2018	B2
10229548	Daniel-Wayman	Mar 2019	B2
20010011941	King	Aug 2001	A1
20010017483	Frohberg	Aug 2001	A1
20020014954	Fitzgibbon	Feb 2002	A1
20020033760	Kobayashi	Mar 2002	A1
20020067308	Robertson	Jun 2002	A1
20020162175	Berglund	Nov 2002	A1
20020178385	Dent	Nov 2002	A1
20020180582	Nielsen	Dec 2002	A1
20020180600	Kirkland	Dec 2002	A1
20020183008	Menard	Dec 2002	A1
20030016119	Teich	Jan 2003	A1
20030016139	Teich	Jan 2003	A1
20030018478	Mays	Jan 2003	A1
20030023881	Fitzgibbon	Jan 2003	A1
20030029579	Mays	Feb 2003	A1
20030043021	Chung	Mar 2003	A1
20030071590	Roman	Apr 2003	A1
20030097586	Mok	May 2003	A1
20030098778	Taylor	May 2003	A1
20030118187	Fitzgibbon	Jun 2003	A1
20030150164	Mehalshick	Aug 2003	A1
20030151493	Straumann	Aug 2003	A1
20030182132	Niemoeller	Sep 2003	A1
20030193388	Ghabra	Oct 2003	A1
20030216139	Olson	Nov 2003	A1
20030222754	Cho	Dec 2003	A1
20040012481	Brusseaux	Jan 2004	A1
20040012483	Mays	Jan 2004	A1
20040036573	Fitzgibbon	Feb 2004	A1
20040176107	Chadha	Sep 2004	A1
20040210327	Robb	Oct 2004	A1
20040212498	Peterson	Oct 2004	A1
20040219903	Despain	Nov 2004	A1
20040229569	Franz	Nov 2004	A1
20040239482	Fitzgibbon	Dec 2004	A1
20040257189	Chang	Dec 2004	A1
20040257199	Fitzgibbon	Dec 2004	A1
20050012631	Gregori	Jan 2005	A1
20050030179	Script	Feb 2005	A1
20050033641	Jha	Feb 2005	A1
20050035873	Kimura	Feb 2005	A1
20050044906	Spielman	Mar 2005	A1
20050076242	Breuer	Apr 2005	A1
20050085248	Bailey	Apr 2005	A1
20050088281	Rohrberg	Apr 2005	A1
20050099299	Tyroler	May 2005	A1
20050110639	Puzio	May 2005	A1
20050113080	Nishimura	May 2005	A1
20050134426	Mullet	Jun 2005	A1
20050146417	Sweatte	Jul 2005	A1
20050170777	Harwood	Aug 2005	A1
20050174250	Dierking	Aug 2005	A1
20050195066	Vandrunen	Sep 2005	A1
20050206497	Tsui	Sep 2005	A1
20050242923	Pearson	Nov 2005	A1
20050245233	Anderson	Nov 2005	A1
20050258935	Hom	Nov 2005	A1
20050258937	Neuwirth	Nov 2005	A1
20050272372	Rodriguez	Dec 2005	A1
20050273372	Bowne	Dec 2005	A1
20060027939	Brait	Feb 2006	A1
20060038656	Wilson	Feb 2006	A1
20060056663	Call	Mar 2006	A1
20060077035	Mamaloukas	Apr 2006	A1
20060091998	Fitzgibbon	May 2006	A1
20060103503	Rodriquez	May 2006	A1
20060132284	Murphy	Jun 2006	A1
20060137261	Maly	Jun 2006	A1
20060145811	Nantz	Jul 2006	A1
20060147052	Wikel	Jul 2006	A1
20060153122	Hinman	Jul 2006	A1
20060158344	Bambini	Jul 2006	A1
20060164208	Schaffzin	Jul 2006	A1
20060170533	Chioiu	Aug 2006	A1
20060187034	Styers	Aug 2006	A1
20060214783	Ratnakar	Sep 2006	A1
20060220785	Ferdman	Oct 2006	A1
20060223518	Haney	Oct 2006	A1
20060261932	Ando	Nov 2006	A1
20060279399	Chuey	Dec 2006	A1
20060281008	Mitani	Dec 2006	A1
20070005605	Hampton	Jan 2007	A1
20070005806	Fitzgibbon	Jan 2007	A1
20070028339	Carlson	Feb 2007	A1
20070046428	Mamaloukas	Mar 2007	A1
20070058811	Fitzgibbon	Mar 2007	A1
20070116194	Agapi	May 2007	A1
20070146118	Rodriguez	Jun 2007	A1
20070159301	Hirt	Jul 2007	A1
20070171046	Diem	Jul 2007	A1
20070177740	Nakajima	Aug 2007	A1
20070183597	Bellwood	Aug 2007	A1
20070185597	Bejean	Aug 2007	A1
20070283339	Hardman	Dec 2007	A1
20070290792	Tsuchimochi	Dec 2007	A1
20080055058	Nishiyama	Mar 2008	A1
20080061926	Strait	Mar 2008	A1
20080092443	Herman	Apr 2008	A1
20080106370	Perez	May 2008	A1
20080108301	Dorenbosch	May 2008	A1
20080130791	Fitzgibbon	Jun 2008	A1
20080132220	Fitzgibbon	Jun 2008	A1
20080224886	Rodriguez et al.	Sep 2008	A1
20080303706	Keller	Dec 2008	A1
20090005080	Forstall	Jan 2009	A1
20090063293	Mirrashidi	Mar 2009	A1
20090064056	Anderson	Mar 2009	A1
20090102651	Fitzgibbon	Apr 2009	A1
20090160637	Maeng	Jun 2009	A1
20090273438	Sultan	Nov 2009	A1
20090302997	Bronstein	Dec 2009	A1
20090315751	Bennie	Dec 2009	A1
20100090796	Perez	Apr 2010	A1
20100120450	Herz	May 2010	A1
20100141381	Bliding	Jun 2010	A1
20100141514	Bell	Jun 2010	A1
20100159846	Witkowski	Jun 2010	A1
20100242360	Dyas	Sep 2010	A1
20100242369	Laird	Sep 2010	A1
20100274570	Proefke	Oct 2010	A1
20100289661	Styers	Nov 2010	A1
20100297941	Doan	Nov 2010	A1
20100299517	Jukic	Nov 2010	A1
20110025456	Bos	Feb 2011	A1
20110032073	Mullet	Feb 2011	A1
20110055909	Dowlatkhah	Mar 2011	A1
20110084798	Fitzgibbon	Apr 2011	A1
20110109426	Harel	May 2011	A1
20110130134	VanRysselberghe	Jun 2011	A1
20110193700	Fitzgibbon	Aug 2011	A1
20110205013	Karasek	Aug 2011	A1
20110234367	Murphy	Sep 2011	A1
20110254685	Karasek	Oct 2011	A1
20110258076	Muirbrook	Oct 2011	A1
20110311052	Myers	Dec 2011	A1
20110316667	Tran	Dec 2011	A1
20120092125	Farber	Apr 2012	A1
20120098638	Crawford	Apr 2012	A1
20120188054	Bongard	Jul 2012	A1
20120249289	Freese	Oct 2012	A1
20120280783	Gerhardt	Nov 2012	A1
20120280789	Gerhardt	Nov 2012	A1
20120280790	Gerhardt	Nov 2012	A1
20130017812	Foster	Jan 2013	A1
20130057695	Huisking	Mar 2013	A1
20130060357	Li	Mar 2013	A1
20130060358	Li	Mar 2013	A1
20130086841	Luper	Apr 2013	A1
20130093563	Adolfsson	Apr 2013	A1
20130147600	Murray	Jun 2013	A1
20130151977	Arteaga-King	Jun 2013	A1
20130257589	Mohiuddin	Oct 2013	A1
20130290191	Dischamp	Oct 2013	A1
20130328663	Ordaz	Dec 2013	A1
20140021087	Adler	Jan 2014	A1
20140118111	Saladin	May 2014	A1
20140125499	Cate	May 2014	A1
20140184393	Witkowski	Jul 2014	A1
20140253285	Menzel	Sep 2014	A1
20140266573	Sullivan	Sep 2014	A1
20140365781	Dmitrienko	Dec 2014	A1
20150067792	Benoit	Mar 2015	A1
20150221147	Daniel-Wayman	Aug 2015	A1
20160010382	Cate	Jan 2016	A1
20170241189	Fitzgibbon	Aug 2017	A1

Foreign Referenced Citations (24)

Number	Date	Country
2013254889	May 2014	AU
2831589	May 2014	CA
19801119	Sep 1999	DE
0422190	Oct 1990	EP
0846991	Nov 1997	EP
0913979	May 1999	EP
0913979	May 1999	EP
1151598	Jun 2000	EP
1227027	Jul 2002	EP
1227027	Jul 2002	EP
2989799	Oct 2013	FR
2404765	Feb 2005	GB
2002019548	Jan 2002	JP
2004088774	Mar 2004	JP
4864457	Jul 2006	JP
2002032461	May 2002	KR
9012411	Oct 1990	WO
9515663	Jun 1995	WO
9923614	May 1999	WO
0036812	Jun 2000	WO
0193220	Dec 2001	WO
2002075542	Sep 2002	WO
2009088901	Jul 2009	WO
2011055128	Jan 2011	WO

Non-Patent Literature Citations (91)

Entry
LiftMaster; MyQ Enabled Accessory: LiftMaster Internet Gateway (Model 828); Known as of Dec. 19, 2011.
MiCasa Verde.com—Vers2; http://www.micasaverde.com/vera.php; Accessed Sep. 2011.
Miele's Remote Vision Explained; http://www.miclensa.com/service/remote_vision/verify.aspx; Accessed Feb. 2012.
Net2 User Manual; Version 3; Paxton Access; “Date code: 281002”.
New Zealand Application No. 706180; First Examination Report dated Apr. 10, 2015.
Office Action dated Aug. 27, 2014 from U.S. Appl. No. 13/921,584.
Office Action dated May 19, 2013 in U.S. Appl. No. 14/010,143.
Peter M. Corcoran and Joe Desbonnet; ‘Browser-Style Interfaces to a Home Automation Network’ Manuscript received Jun. 18, 1997, IEEE (c) 1997.
Press Release; Kenmore Uneils Reolutionary Technology Enabling Laundry Applicances to ‘Talk’ to Customer Serice Experts; PR Newswire, pNA, Aug. 4, 2010.
Protectrix Wireless automatic Garage Door Closer Timer Opener Security Accessory; http://www.closethegarage.com; printed Oct. 30, 2012.
Search History; C:\\APPS\\EAST\\workspaces\\garage_door_status_indicator.wsp; p. 4, Apr. 25, 2005.
Secure Smart Homes using. Jini and UIUC SESAME; Jalal Al-Muhtadi et al.; 1063-9527/00 .COPYRGT. 2000 IEEE.
Security System Installation Manual; Caretaker and Custom Versions; Interactive Technologies, Inc.; Issue Date May 5, 1994.
Security System Installation Manual; Caretaker and Custom Versions; Interactive Technologies, Inc.; Text No. 46-908-01 Rev. A; 1995.
Sensory, Inc. RSC-300/364 Data Book, Jan. 2001 (55 pages).
Smart Networks for Control; Reza S. Raji;IEEE Spectrum Jun. 1994.
Somfy's Slick Tahoma Z-Wire and RTS Home Automatation Gateway; Thomas Ricker; posted Jan. 4, 2011; http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/softys-tahoma-z-wave-and-rts-home-automation-gateway/.
Stephen Shankland; ‘Need to lend your key? E-Mail it, Frauhofer says’ news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57572338-94/need-to-lend-your-key-e-mail-it-fraunhofer-says/; pp. 1-5; CNET News, Mar. 4, 2013.
Summary of Findings From Parks Associates\\ Early Reports; pp. 9-13; Apr. 15, 2013 by Parks Associates.
Susan Cotterell, Frank Vahid, Walid Najjar, and Harry Hsieh; ‘First Results with eBlocks: Embedded Systems Building Blocks’ University of California, Rkverside pp. 168-175; Codes+ISSS'03, Oct. 1-3, 2003.
Svein Anders Tunheim; Wireless Home Automation Systems Require Low Cost and Low Power RF-IC Solutions; Wireless Home Automation Systems (rev. 1.0) May 16, 2002; p. 1 of 8.
The Craftsman Brant Announces Garage Door Opener of the Future—PR Newswire; The Sacramento Bee; http://www.sac bee.com/2011/09/27/2941742/the-craftsman-brand-announces.html; Sep. 27, 2011.
The iDorm—a Practical Deployment of Grid Technology; Anthony Pounds-Cornish, Arran Holmes; Intelligent Interactive Environments Group, University of Essex, UK; Proceedings of the 2nd IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Cluster Computing and the Grid (CCGRIO'02) 0/7695-1582-7/02 .COPYRGT. 2002 IEEE.
The Information Furnace: Consolidated Home Control; Diomidis D. SpinellisDepartment Management Science and Technology Athens University of Economics and Business; Personal and Ubiquitous Computing archive; vol. 7 Issue 1, May 2003.
The Information Furnace: User-friendly Home Control; Diomidis D. Spinellis, Department Management Science and Technology, Athens University of Economics and Business; SANE 2002; 3rd Int'l Sys. Admin. and Networking Conf. Proc., pp. 145-175, May 2002.
The Intelli-M eIDC32; True IP Access Control; htto://www.infinias.com/main/Products/eIDCController.aspx; Known and printed as early as Dec. 19, 2011.
Towards Dependable Home Networking: An Experience Report; Yi-Min Wang, Wilf Russell, Anish Arora, JunXu, Rajesh K. Jagannathan, Apr. 18, 2000, Technical Report, MSR-TR-2000-26, Microsoft Research, Microsoft Corporation.
U.S. Appl. No. 13/324,291, filed Dec. 13, 2011, Arteaga-King Et al.
U.S. Office Action dated Aug. 8, 2014 from U.S. Appl. No. 13/671,602.
U.S. Office Action dated Jan. 8, 2016 from U.S. Appl. No. 14/858,497.
U.S. Office Action dated Sep. 24, 2014 from U.S. Appl. No. 12/971.374.
U.S. Office Action dated Sep. 24, 2014 in U.S. Appl. No. 13/921,584.
ULStandard for Safety for Door, Drapery, Gate, Louver, and Window Operators and Systems, UL 325 Fifth Edition, dated Jun. 7, 2002; pp. 1-186.
United States Office Action dated Sep. 18, 2014 from U.S. Appl. No. 14/010,143.
Universal Devices—ISY-99i Series; http://www.universal-devices.com/99i.htm; Accessed Sep. 2011.
Wayne-Dalton Press Area—New Z-Wave enabled prodrive; http://www.wayne-dalton.com/newsitem98.asp; Printed Oct. 13, 2011.
www.brinkshomesecurity.com/home-security-systems-and-pricing/security-equipment/security-equipment.htm as printed on Feb. 11, 2009.
Xanboo Future Product; http://www.xanboo.com/xanproducts/newproducts.htm Feb. 2002, Xanboo Inc.
Xanboo XPC280 Wireless Universal Garage Door Control—Smarthome; http://www.smarthome.comf75066/Xanboo-XPC280-Wireless-Universal-Garage-Door-Control/p.aspx, printed Oct. 30, 2012.
XPress Access; Simple Personal Management; .COPYRGT. 2001 Andover Controls Corporation BR-XPACCESS-A.
Now You Can Close Your Garage Door With a Smartphone; Copyright 2011 USA Today; http:// content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/09/now-you-can-control-your-garage-door-from-your-smartphone.
4Sight Internet Brochure; http://4sightsolution.4frontes.com/document/4CB-4S00-0809; Carrollton, TX; 2009; 5 pgs.
4th Usenix; Windows Systems Symposium; Seattle, Washington USA; Aug. 3-4, 2000; A Toolkit for Building Dependable and Extensible Home Networking Applications; Yi-Min Wang, Wilf Russell and Anish Arora.
6POWER, IPv6 and PLC for home automation; Terena 2004; Jordi Palet & Francisco Ortiz.
828LM—LiftMaster Internet Gateway; http://www.liftmaster.com/consumerweb/pages/accessoriesmodeldetail.aspx?m-odelld=2407; printed Oct. 30, 2012.
ActieHome PC Home Automation System; http://www.x10.com/promotions/ sw31 a_activehome_hmp.html?WENTY11; accessed Sep. 2011.
Arrayent; White Paper: Six System Requirements for an Internet-Connected Product Line; Copyright 2010; http:// arrayent.com/pdfs/ SixSystemRequirementsforInternetConnectedProductsLine.pdf.
Australian Patent Application No. 2013254889; Examination Report No. 1; dated Jan. 13, 2017, 5 pages.
Australian Patent Application No. 2017261560; Examination Report No. 1; dated Jun. 14, 2018, 5 pages.
Authentication vs. Encryption; Be in Control with Control Networks; Feb. 10, 2004; http://www.buildings.com/DesktcpModulesIBB ArlicleMaxfArticleDeta I/BBArticleDetai I Printaspx7ArlicleID=1740& Template=standm-d_Print.ascx&siteID=1.
Automatic Garage Door Closer Manual—Protectrix 18A—Dated Mar. 31, 2009.
Big blue builds home network technology; McCune, Heather; http://search.proquest.com/docview/194229104?accountid=12492; Apr. 2003.
Bill Peisel; ‘Designing the Next Step in Internet Applicances’ Electronic Design/Mar. 23, 1998.
British Combined Search and Examination Report Under Section 17 and 18(3) from British Application No. GB0713690.6 dated Oct. 17, 2007.
British Search Report Under Section 17 dated Dec. 20, 2007 for Application No. GB0713690.6.
British Search Report Under Section 17; dated Oct. 17, 2007 for Application No. GB0713690.6.
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,533,795; Office Action dated Jan. 9, 2015.
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,533,795; Second Office Action dated Dec. 30, 2013.
Combined Search and Examination Report Cited in British Patent Application No. GB1025649.5 dated Aug. 8, 2012.
Controlling the Status Indicator Module of the Stanley Garage Door Opener Set; Rene Braeckman; Apr. 6, 2000.
Detroit Free Press Home Computing Column; Detroit Free; Newman, Heather; http://search.proquest.com/docview/4632707 4 7?accountid=12492; Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News; .COPYRGT. 2002, last updated Dec. 13, 2011.
Diomidis D. Spinellis; The information furnace: consolidated home control; Accepted: Aug. 14, 2002; .COPYRGT. Springer-Verlag London Limited 2003.
Doug Olenick; Motorola Broadens Home Automation Line; http://search.proquest.com/docview/232255560?accountid=12492; vol. 20, COPYRGT. Jan. 6, 2005; last updated Sep. 1, 2011.
European Patent Application No. EP 1 280 109 A3; European Search Report dated Aug. 1, 2005.
European Patent Application No. EP 1 280 109 A3; European Search Report dated Aug. 11, 2005.
Examination Report dated Apr. 3, 2012 issuing from New Zealand Patent Application No. 599055.
Examination Report dated May 29, 2013 from British Patent Application No. GB1205649.5.
Examination Report Under Section 18(3) for GB1205649.5 dated Feb. 12, 2014.
Examination Report Under Section 18(3) for GB1205649.5 dated Jun. 11, 2014.
EZSrve-Insteon/X10 Home Automation Gateway—Model #5010L; hap:// www.simplehomenet.com/proddetail.asp?prod+9357342317, accessed Sep. 2011.
Fully-Loaded ActiveHome Pro PC Hom Automation System; http://www.x10.com/promotions/cm15a_loaded_ps.html ; accessed Sep. 2011.
George Lawton; ‘Dawn of the Internet Appliance’ Computer, Industry Trends; Oct. 1, 1997.
Hassan A. Artail; A Distributed System of Network-Enabled Microcontrollers for Controlling and Monitoring Home Devices: IEEE 2002, pp. 206-209.
Hawking Technologies HomeRemote Wireless Home Automation Gateway Pro Starter Kit; The HRGZ2 HomeRemote Gateway; Smart Home Systems, Inc.; http://www.smarthomeusa.com/ ShopByManufacturer/Hawking-Technologies/Item/HRPS1/; Accessed Sep. 2011.
HomeRemote Wireless Home Automation Gateway—PracticallyNetworked.com; Review date Aug. 2007; http://222.practicallynetworked.com/review.asp?pid=690; Accessed Sep. 2011.
HomeSeer HS2—Home Automation Software; http://store.homeseer.com/store/HomeSeer-HS2-Home-Automation-Software-Download-P103.aspx; Accessed Sep. 2011.
How to Internet-Connect Your Low Cost Consumer Retail Embedded Design; How to Prototype an Internet Connect Product; Hershy Wanigasekara; Sep. 13, 2010; http://www.eetimes.com/design/embedded/4027637/Internet-Connect-your-low-cost-consumer-retail-embedded-design.
How to Internet-Connect Your Low Cost Consumer Retail Embedded Design; Internet Connect Product Implementation Design Patterns; Hershy Wanigasekara; Sep. 13, 2010; http://www.eetimes.com/design/embedded/4027637/Internet-Connect-your-low-cost-consumer-retail-embedded-design.
Ian Bryant and Bill Rose; ‘Home Systems: Home Controls;’ p. 1-322; COPYRGT. 2001 Parks Associates.
Infinias Mobile Credential App for Android DroidMill; Known and printed as early as Dec. 19, 2011; http://droidmill.com/infinias-mobile-credential-1364120.html.
Intelli-M eIDC32; Ethernet-Enabled Integrated Door Controller; www.infinias.com; Known and printed as early as Dec. 19, 2011.
International Conference on Sensors and Control Techniques (IeSC 2000); Desheng Jiang, Anbo Wang, Fume and Temperature Alarm and Intelligent Control System of the District for Fire-Proof, Jun. 19-21, 2000, Wuhan, China, vol. 4077.
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2014/057405 dated Dec. 17, 2014.
Internet Connected Garage Door Opener; Open New Doors at Sears; http:// www.sears.corri/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00930437000P?prdNo=I&blockNo=1&blockType=G1; printed Oct. 30, 2012.
James Y. Wilson and Jason A. Kronz; Inside Bluetooth Part II, Dr. Dobb's Portal; The World of Software Development; Dr. Dobb's Journal; Jul. 22, 2001; 9 pages.
K.K. Tan, Y.L. Lim and H.L. Goh; “Remote Adaptive Control and Monitoring” IEEE (c) 2002.
Kenmore Connect; http:/www.kenmore.com/shc/s/dap_10154_12604_DAP_Kenmore+Connect; 2010 Sears Brands, LLC.
Kurt Scherf, Michael Greeson and Tricia Parks; ‘Primary Perspectives: ‘E-Enabled’ Home Security;’ pp. 1-87; . COPYRGT. 2003 Parks Associates.
Liftmaster Debuts New Intelligence in Garage Door Openers at IDS 2011; New Generation of LiftMaster Models and Accessories Enabled by MyQ Technology; Elmhurst, IL; Jun. 7, 2011; http://www.liftmaster.com/NR/rdonlyres/0A903511-21AB-4F0A-BBCD-196D41503CF2/4305/LiftMasterUneilsMyQTechnologyIDA2011_FINAL.pdf.
LiftMaster Internet Gateway: Your Simple Solution to Home Control; http:// www.liftmaster.com/consumerweb/products/ IntroducingLiftMasterInternetGateway, printed Oct. 30, 2012.
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,831,589; First Office Action Dated Sep. 11, 2019.

Related Publications (1)

	Number	Date	Country
	20190085615 A1	Mar 2019	US

Divisions (1)

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	14858497	Sep 2015	US
Child	15069351		US

Continuations (5)

	Number	Date	Country
Parent	15881406	Jan 2018	US
Child	16194937		US
Parent	15587786	May 2017	US
Child	15881406		US
Parent	15069351	Mar 2016	US
Child	15587786		US
Parent	14010143	Aug 2013	US
Child	14858497		US
Parent	13671602	Nov 2012	US
Child	14010143		US

Barrier operator feature enhancement

Information

Patent Number

Date Filed

Date Issued

Inventors

Original Assignees

Examiners

Agents

CPC

Field of Search

US

International Classifications

Abstract