Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-10
2003-07-22
Pham, Toan (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C340S545100, C340S005700, C340S005710
Reexamination Certificate
active
06597291
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to remote monitoring systems, and specifically to a panel monitoring system that provides panel position information to a remote location.
2. Background of the Invention
Garage doors of the prior art have heretofore not been commercially supplied with a means to remotely detect whether the garage door is open or closed. At the same time, the role of the garage has been ever expanding, thereby making it more desirable to have a means to detect the status of the garage door from a remote location. For example, in addition to being an area in which to park one's car, many people use their garage as an additional work area. Many people also use the garage entrance to the house as their primary entrance/exit point. As the functions of the garage have changed, the uncertainty in predicting the position of the garage door at any given time has increased. It is no longer a common practice to open the garage door as one pulls into their driveway and close it behind them once they have driven into the garage. That being the case, it has become desirable to provide a means to ascertain whether the garage door is in the open or closed position from a remote location, such as from within the home.
Given that garage doors are not commercially supplied with a means to detect the garage door position, efforts have been made in the prior art to accommodate this desire. However, such efforts have relied on adding complicated additional hardware to the garage door system.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved garage door monitoring system that is capable of providing garage door position information to a remote location, without the need for excessive additional hardware.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides a system and method for monitoring a position of a panel. The method comprises sending a sensor signal to a transmitter where the sensor signal is provided by a sensor detecting a status of the panel, receiving said sensor signal by the transmitter, sending a position signal from said transmitter to a remote receiver, said position signal corresponding to the status of the panel, and providing a position indicator from said remote receiver corresponding to said status of the panel. In one embodiment, the sensor signal is provided by an infrared emitter operating with an infrared receiver, said infrared emitter and infrared receiver to detect a status of the panel.
Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed herein.
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