Patent Application
20250111717
Not Applicable
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The disclosure relates to controller devices and more particularly pertains to a new controller device for manual or remote actuation of a garage door opener. Remote monitoring of a garage and its contents and remote control of garage doors are desirable functions for a controller device for a garage door opener.
The prior art relates to controller devices. Prior art controller devices typically lack cameras and do not include a manual switch that allows them to replace existing controls for garage door openers.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a controller, which is configured to be attached to a wall in a garage, to be wiredly engaged to a garage door opener for a garage door of the garage, and to communicate wirelessly with an electronic device of a user. The controller comprises a manual switch and a camera, which are configured, respectively, to be switched to actuate the garage door and to capture an image of a space defined by the garage. Also included is programming code, which is selectively positionable on the electronic device and which enables the electronic device to receive and to selectively present a status of the garage door and the image captured by the camera. The programming code also enables wireless control of the garage door opener via the controller.
Another embodiment of the disclosure includes a camera equipped controller system, which comprises a garage having a controller, as per the disclosure above, attached to one of its walls. The controller is wiredly engaged to a garage door opener for a garage door of the garage and is configured for wireless communication. The controller comprises a manual switch and a camera, which are configured, respectively, to be switched to actuate the garage door and to capture an image of a space defined by the garage. The system also includes an electronic device having positioned thereon programming code enabling the electronic device to receive and to selectively present a status of the garage door and the image captured by the camera, the programming code enabling wireless control of the garage door opener via the controller.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
The controller 12 comprises a housing 24, which defines an interior space 26. A coupler 28 is attached to a rear 30 of the housing 24 and is configured to attach the housing 24 to the wall 14. The coupler 28 may comprise a pair of hangers 32, with each hanger 32 being configured to engage a head 34 of a respective mounting screw 36 that extends from the wall 14. The present invention also anticipates the coupler 28 comprising other coupling means, such as, but not limited to, adhesives, a set of mounting holes positioned in the back of the housing 24, with each mounting hole being configured for insertion of a respective article of mounting hardware to attach the housing 24 to the wall 14.
A microprocessor 38 is attached to the housing 24 and is positioned in the interior space 26. A manual switch 40 and a camera 42 are attached to the housing 24 and are operationally engaged to the microprocessor 38. The manual switch 40 is configured to be switched to signal the microprocessor 38 to actuate the garage door opener 18. In this respect, the manual switch 40 fulfills the function of standard wired control for garage door opener 18. The manual switch 40 is spring loaded and selectively depressible.
The camera 42 is configured to capture an image of a space that is defined by the garage 16. Depending on positioning of the housing 24, the image captured by the camera 42 also would include space in front of the garage 16 when the garage door 20 is open. The camera 42 typically would be configured to capture video. The present invention anticipates the camera 42 being configured for one or more of night vision, wide-angle imaging, and capturing of images for display at a high resolution (4 k, 1080p, or the like). Additionally anticipated by the present invention is the camera 42 being motion sensor activated.
A set of connectors 44 is attached to the housing 24, typically to the rear 30 of the housing 24, and is operationally engaged to the microprocessor 38. The connectors 44 are configured to wiredly engage the microprocessor 38 to the garage door opener 18. The set of connectors 44 may comprise a plurality of wire terminals 46, as is shown in
A transceiver 48 is attached to the housing 24, is positioned in the interior space 26, and is operationally engaged to the microprocessor 38. The microprocessor 38 is programmed to selectively actuate the garage door opener 18 upon receipt of a signal from the electronic device 22, via the transceiver 48, to open and to close the garage door 20. The transceiver 48 is anticipated to be configured to connect to a wireless network, but also could be configured to connect to a cellular network, a satellite network, or the like.
The present invention anticipates the controller 12 comprising a microphone, which would be attached to the housing 24 and operationally engaged to the microprocessor 38. The microphone could capture sound within and proximate to the garage 16. With the camera 42 capturing video images, the controller 12 would be enabled to transmit audiovisual signals to the electronic device 22.
A battery 50 is attached to the housing 24, is positioned in the interior space 26, and is operationally engaged to the microprocessor 38. The battery 50 can power the controller 12 in event of a power outage so that the images are transmittable to the electronic device 22 during the power outage. The battery 50 is rechargeable. A port 52 is attached to the housing 24 and is operationally engaged to the microprocessor 38. The camera equipped controller device 10 includes a charging cord 54, which has a first plug 56 that is complementary to the port 52 so that the first plug 56 is selectively insertable into the port 52. A second plug 58 of the charging cord 54 is configured to engage a source of electrical current to recharge the battery 50.
Also included is programming code 60, which is selectively positionable on the electronic device 22 and which enables the electronic device 22 to receive and to selectively present a status of the garage door 20 and the image captured by the camera 42. The programming code 60 also enables wireless control of the garage door opener 18 via the controller 12. As is shown in
The present invention also includes a camera equipped controller system 64, which comprises a garage 16 having a controller 12, as per the specification above, attached to one of its walls 14. The controller 12 is wiredly engaged to a garage door opener 18 for a garage door 20 of the garage 16 and is configured for wireless communication. The controller 12 comprises a manual switch 40 and a camera 42, which are configured, respectively, to be switched to actuate the garage door 20 and to capture an image of a space that is defined by the garage 16. The system also includes an electronic device 22, typically a smartphone 66, having positioned thereon programming code 60 enabling the electronic device 22 to receive and to selectively present a status of the garage door 20 and the image captured by the camera 42. The programming code 60 also enables wireless control of the garage door opener 18, via the controller 12.
In use and by way of example, the controller 12 is mounted in place of an existing wired control and is wired to the garage door opener 18 using existing wiring. The programming code 60 is downloaded to the user's electronic device 22. The user then can view contents and events occurring in the garage 16 on the electronic device 22, can view status of the garage door 20 (open or closed), and can remotely control the garage door opener 18.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
