System for authorizing a communication system to control a remote device

Abstract

A control module for a remote device includes a trainable transmitter configured to transmit a radio frequency signal via a first communication protocol, the radio frequency signal configured to control the remote device. The control module also includes communication circuitry configured to communicate with a mobile device via a second communication protocol; and a user interface including at least one user input. The control module includes a controller configured to transmit programming information for the remote device to a remote server via the second communication interface and assign the programming information to the at least one user input. The controller is further configured to control the trainable transmitter to output a control signal based on the programming information in response to the at least one user input. The control signal is configured to control the remote device.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 026,311, filed on May 18, 2020, entitled “SYSTEM FOR AUTHORIZING COMMUNICATION SYSTEM TO CONTROL REMOTE DEVICE.” Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates generally to the field of vehicle electronics and more particularly to a transmitter unit for installation in a vehicle to facilitate communication between the vehicle and a remote electronic system. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a control module for a remote device is disclosed. The control module may include a trainable transmitter configured to transmit a radio frequency signal via a first communication protocol, the radio frequency signal configured to control the remote device. The control module may also include: communication circuitry configured to communicate with a mobile device via a second communication protocol; and a user interface including at least one input device. The control module may include a controller configured to: transmit programming information for the remote device to the remote server via the second communication interface; and distribute the programming information to the at least one input device. The controller may also be configured to control the trainable transmitter to output a control signal based on the programming information in response to user input received on the at least one input device. The control signal may be configured to control the remote device.

[0005] The mobile device may be configured to transmit the programming information to the remote server via a third communication interface. The third communication interface may be a wireless communication network that communicates with the remote server via an internet gateway. The mobile device may also be configured to transmit the programming information to the communication circuit via a first software application, the first software application being configured to communicate with the control module via the first communication interface. The mobile device may also be configured to transmit the programming information to the remote server via a second software program, the second software program being configured to communicate with the remote server via the third communication interface. The mobile device may also be configured to transfer the programming information between the first and second software applications on the mobile device. The mobile device may also be configured to identify identification information of the remote device via at least one of radio frequency identification (RFID) communication and near field communication (NFC). The mobile device may also be configured to identify the identification information of the remote device via image data captured by a camera system of the mobile device. The mobile device may also be configured to transmit the identification information for the mobile device to the remote server via the third communication interface; and receive the programming information for the remote device based on the identification information. The mobile device may be further configured to transmit the identification information for the mobile device to the remote server via the third communication interface; and receive the programming information for the remote device based on the identification information.

[0006] The remote device may be configured to broadcast to a localized wireless communication network; and the mobile device may be further configured to: receive connection information for the localized wireless communication network via a second software program. The second software program may be configured to communicate with a remote server via the third communication interface; receive the programming information via a localized communication network broadcast from the remote device; and transmit the programming information to the communication circuit via a first software application, the first software application being configured to communicate with the control module via the first communication interface.

[0007] According to another aspect, a method for programming a vehicle control module to control a remote device may include: transmitting, by a trainable transmitter, a radio frequency signal via a first communication protocol, the radio frequency signal configured to control the remote device; communicating, by a communication circuit, with the mobile device via a second communication protocol; receiving, by a user interface, at least one user input; transmitting, by a controller, programming information for the remote device to the remote device via the second communication interface; assigning, by the controller, the programming information to the at least one user input in response to receiving the programming information; and controlling, by the controller, based on the programming information, to output a control signal in response to the at least one user input, wherein the control signal is configurable to control the remote device.

[0008] The method may also include transmitting, by the mobile device, the programming information to the remote server via a third communication interface. The third communication interface may be a wireless communication network that communicates with the remote server via an internet gateway. The third communication interface may be a wireless communication network that communicates with the remote server via an internet gateway. The method may also include transmitting, by the mobile device, the programming information to the communication circuit via a first software application that is configured to communicate with the control module via the first communication interface. The method may also include transmitting, by the mobile device, the programming information to the remote server via a second software program that is configured to communicate with the remote server via the third communication interface. The method may also include transferring, by the mobile device, the programming information between the first software application and the second software application on the mobile device.

[0009] The method may also include identifying, by the mobile device, identification information of the remote device via at least one of radio frequency identification (RFID) communication, near field communication (NFC), and image data captured by a camera system of the mobile device. The method may also include transmitting, by the mobile device, identification information for the mobile device to the remote server via the third communication interface; and receiving, by the mobile device, programming information for the remote device based on the identification information. The method may also include broadcasting, by the remote device, to a localized wireless communication network, and receiving, by the remote device via a second software program, connection information for the localized wireless communication network, wherein the second software program is configured to communicate with the remote server via the third communication interface. The method may also include receiving, by the remote device, programming information via the localized communication network broadcast from the remote device. The method may also include transmitting, by the remote device, the programming information to the communication circuit via a first software application, wherein the first software application is configured to communicate with the control module via the first communication interface.

[0010] Those skilled in the art will further understand and appreciate these and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention with reference to the following description, claims and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In each diagram:

[0012] Figure 1 It is a projection view of the vehicle communication system;

[0013] Figure 2 It is a projection view of the vehicle communication system;

[0014] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a communication system showing a plurality of communication interfaces;

[0015] Figure 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a mobile device that can communicate with a communication system;

[0016] Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of programming the operation of a communication system to control a remote device;

[0017] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method of programming the operation of a communication system to control a remote device;

[0018] Figure 7 is a flow chart illustrating a method of programming the operation of a communication system to control a remote device;

[0019] Figure 8is a flow chart illustrating a method of programming the operation of a communication system to control a remote device; and

[0020] Figure 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method of programming the operation of a communication system to control a remote device according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] See Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3 The present disclosure provides a communication system 10 that can be used to remotely control one or more remote devices 12 (e.g., 12a, 12b, and 12c). The communication system 10 may include communication circuitry 14 configured to communicate data and / or signal with the one or more remote devices 12 via a first communication interface 16. In some embodiments, at least one of the remote devices 12 may correspond to a barrier control device 12a, which may be configured to control the position of a garage door 15. Thus, the communication circuitry 14 may be configured to replace or emulate the operation of an original transmitter 17 or dedicated remote control of the barrier control device 12a or other remote devices 12. In this manner, the system can provide a programmable device that can control multiple remote devices via the first communication interface and / or additional communication interfaces as further discussed herein. Although the barrier control device 12a may be discussed in various examples herein, the barrier control device 12a may generally correspond to the first remote device 12a of the remote devices 12. Thus, the barrier control device 12a and the first remote device may be referred to interchangeably to demonstrate the flexibility of the disclosed systems and methods.

[0022] To emulate the coded communications typically associated with the original transmitter 17, the communication circuitry 14 may include a transceiver or transmitter that may be configured to communicate with the remote device 12 via the first communication interface 16. The first communication interface 16 may correspond to radio frequency signals associated with the original transmitter 17, including radio frequency signals in the ultra-high frequency range typically between 260 and 960 megahertz (MHz). In this manner, the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 may be configured to control the operation of and / or communicate with various remote devices 12, such as Figure 3 As shown in . For example, the communication circuit 14 may include a trainable transceiver (such as a Homelink™ trainable transceiver) or a selectively configurable transmitter configured to control at least one of a plurality of remote devices. In this configuration, the communication system 10 can provide remote control of at least one remote device.

[0023] Generally speaking, the present disclosure provides various methods and corresponding device configurations that provide for secure and user-friendly programming of the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10. Figure 5-9 Further discussed, the application provides a method that can allow a user to easily program the operation of the system's communication circuitry 14 without physically accessing the barrier control device 12a or other remote device 12. In this way, the present disclosure can provide a variety of user-friendly options for programming the operation of the system 10. It should be understood that although the present disclosure provides specific examples of communication interfaces, protocols, and similarly enabled devices, the teachings of the present disclosure can be applied in various combinations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0024] In the example of a remote device 12 corresponding to a barrier control device 12a (e.g., a garage, door, or gate opener), the system 10 can be configured to communicate with an application or software program running on a mobile device 18. In this configuration, manufacturers of garage door openers and other remote devices 12 may be able to ensure that setup operations for such devices are easy and accessible. The present disclosure provides methods for automating and assisting users in training or programming the operation of the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 for operation. In some examples, the present disclosure may provide methods for communicating between a first software application 18a configured to configure the operation of the system's communication circuitry 14 and a second software application 18b configured to control and monitor the operation of the remote device 12. In this manner, the present disclosure may provide a simplified configuration method that can be used to train or program the operation of the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 via a mobile device by providing a handshake between the first software application 18a and the second software application 18b running on the mobile device 18.

[0025] To fully understand the benefits of the disclosed systems and methods, it is important to note that each of the first software application 18a and the second software application 18b may require different security access, user information, encrypted communications, etc., which may be associated with different manufacturers of the system 10 and the barrier control device 12a, respectively. Thus, by providing limited information to be shared between the first software application 18a and the second software application 18b, the present disclosure can limit unnecessary transmission of user information, passwords, or access by software applications that are not directly associated with the manufacturer of the device to one or more remote servers (e.g., the remote server 32, discussed later). In this example, the first manufacturer may be associated with the system 10 and the first software application 18a, and the second manufacturer may be associated with the barrier control device 12a and the second software application 18b.

[0026] For example, if the first software application 18a were granted full access to the remote server of the barrier control device 12a, potential security vulnerabilities and associated risks could be significantly increased. More generally, if third-party applications were granted access to a remote server maintained by the manufacturer, the risk of security vulnerabilities would extend to the third-party applications. Thus, selective transmission of programming and registration information for operating the communication circuit 14 to control the barrier control device 12a can be permitted without necessarily granting full access and associated user information between a dedicated software application associated with the system 10 and the barrier control device 12a.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the communication system 10 may further include a network adapter 21 configured to provide communication with the mobile device 18 via the second communication interface 20. The network adapter 21 may correspond to a wireless network adapter or any form of communication circuitry that can be used to provide the second communication interface 20 between the communication system 10 and the mobile device 18. For example, the mobile device 18 may correspond to a smartphone that is paired with the communication system 10 via a network adapter in the form of a radio frequency transceiver and / or a protocol such as Bluetooth™ communication. In this configuration, the communication system 10 and the mobile device 18 can exchange information such as status, notifications, activation signals, training information, activation signal parameters, device identification information (e.g., the serial number, manufacturer, and / or model of a home electronic device), and / or other information.

[0028] In a particular example, the mobile device 18 can be configured to program or configure the operation of the communication circuit 14 via a first software application 18a and to communicate with the system 10 via the second communication interface 20 to transmit programming or training signals. However, programming the operation of the communication circuit 14 to communicate with and control the barrier control device 12a may require adding information or activating a dedicated programming routine for the barrier control device 12a. To simplify and improve the training or configuration steps required to program the communication circuit 14 of the system 10, the first software application 18a associated with the system 10 can be configured to communicate with a second software application 18b associated with the remote device 12 (e.g., the barrier control device 12a). In this way, the present disclosure can allow a user of the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 to transmit programming information or activate a programming mode for the barrier control device 12a without requiring the user to directly interact with the barrier control device 12a, which may be located in an inconvenient location (e.g., above a vehicle bay in a garage).

[0029] In some embodiments, the mobile device 18 may correspond to a mobile communication device (e.g., a cell phone, tablet computer, smartphone, or other communication device). In some embodiments, the mobile communication device may include other mobile electronic devices, such as a laptop computer, personal computer, and / or other devices. Figure 3The exemplary embodiment of the mobile device 18 is further discussed. In further embodiments, the communication system 10 can be configured to communicate with network devices such as routers, servers, cellular towers, switches, and / or other hardware with network communication capabilities. The network can be the Internet, an intranet, and / or a cloud computing system architecture.

[0030] In some embodiments, the mobile device 18 may further communicate with the remote device 12 via wireless communication circuitry, which may correspond to cellular communication circuitry forming a third communication interface 22. In such a configuration, the mobile device 18 may serve as an intermediate communication device. The third communication interface 22 may correspond to a remote network connection, such as a cellular, web, or cloud-based Internet communication interface. In some embodiments, the third communication interface 22 may correspond to various other communication protocols, including but not limited to Bluetooth. TM 、Bluetooth TM Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), ZigBee, etc. The remote devices 12 can each provide wireless network connectivity and / or can communicate with the mobile device 18 via a local device network 24 (e.g., a local Wi-Fi network or a device hub). The local device network 24 can be configured to communicate with each of the remote devices wirelessly and / or via one or more wired connections. In this configuration, the mobile device 18 can be configured to communicate with the remote devices via the third communication interface 22 to control one or more features of the remote device 12.

[0031] In the example of the barrier control device 12a of the garage door 15, the second software application 18b may correspond to a smart home application program interface configured to control the operation of the barrier control device 12a via the third communication interface 22, which may correspond to a cellular or Wi-Fi communication interface. That is, in some examples, the second software application 18b may be a smart home application provided by the manufacturer of the barrier control device 12a. Some examples of manufacturer applications may include, but are not limited to, a smart home application for Aladdkin Connect for Garage Door Openers TM , used for Garage door opener Applications, and various smart home applications for similar remote devices 12 as discussed herein. Thus, the present disclosure provides an improved method of programming or configuring the operation of the communication circuitry 14 of a system by providing a communication interface between a first software application 18a and a second software application 18b running on a mobile device 18.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, the communication system 10 is operable to send a control signal to the mobile device 18 via the second communication interface 20. The control signal may correspond to a programmable instruction or a previously specified command configured to direct the mobile device 18 to communicate with one of the plurality of remote devices 12 via the third communication interface 22. For example, in response to an input into an input device of the user interface 26 of the communication system 10, the control circuitry 28 of the communication system 10 may send the control signal to the mobile device 18 via the second communication interface 20. In response to receiving the control signal, the mobile device 18 may recognize the previously specified or programmed command and transmit the command to at least one of the remote devices 12 via the third communication interface 22.

[0033] As discussed herein, the communication system 10 can communicate with at least one remote device 12 via a first communication interface 16, which can be enabled by the communication circuitry 14. In some embodiments, the communication system 10 can also be configured to communicate with at least one remote device 12 via a second communication interface 20 and a third communication interface 22. Such communication can be enabled by a network adapter 21 and the communication circuitry of the mobile device 18. Communication with the remote device 12 via the network adapter 21 can be referred to as cloud-based communication, which can incorporate communication via one or more network-based servers. In this configuration, the communication system 10 can be used to communicate with the remote device 12 over long distances and outside the range of the communication circuitry 14.

[0034] Although discussed with reference to a combination of the first software application 18a and the second software application 18b, in some embodiments, the present disclosure may provide for the first software application 18a to communicate with at least one remote device 12 (e.g., the barrier control device 12a) via the third communication interface 22. In this case, the first software application 18a may be configured to access the local device network 24 via a proprietary discovery or registration operation to initiate communication with the remote device 12. For example, the first software application 18a may be configured to communicate with a smart home application (e.g., SmartHome, Home, HomeKit, etc.) to discover the barrier control device 12a on the local device network 24. Once discovered and registered, the first software application 18a can be configured to communicate with the barrier control device 12a or other remote device 12 and receive configuration / programming information for the barrier control device or other remote device. In addition, the first software application 18a can be configured to transmit the programming information to the communication system 10 via the second communication interface 20. In this way, the present disclosure can provide for the communication system 10 to communicate with the barrier control device 12a via the mobile device 18 to improve the programming and setup operation of the user interface 26 for controlling the barrier control device via the first communication interface 16.

[0035] The remote device 12 may correspond to various electronic devices such as garage door openers (e.g., barrier control device 12a), door openers, lights, security systems, door locks, thermostats, electronic devices, and various devices that can be configured to receive activation signals, control signals, and / or output status information. The remote device 12 need not be associated with a residence and may include devices associated with businesses, government buildings or locations, or various venues. The remote device may include a mobile computing device such as a cell phone, smartphone, tablet computer, laptop computer, computing hardware in other vehicles, and / or other devices configured to receive activation signals and / or control signals.

[0036] See also Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the communication system 10 may include a user interface 26 in the form of one or more buttons in communication with the control circuitry 28. In some embodiments, the user interface 26 may include an input device such as a touch screen display, a switch, a microphone, a knob, a touch sensor (e.g., a projected capacitive sensor, a resistive-based touch sensor, a resistive touch sensor, or other touch sensor), a proximity sensor (e.g., a projected capacitive, infrared, ultrasonic, infrared, or other proximity sensor), or other hardware configured to generate input from user actions.

[0037] In some embodiments, the communication system 10 may include an indicator 29 or display. The indicator 29 may display data to the user or otherwise provide output. For example, the indicator 29 may include an indicator light and / or display screen (e.g., a display that is part of a touch screen, a liquid crystal display, an electronic ink display, a plasma display, a light-emitting diode (LED) display, or other display device), a speaker, a tactile feedback device (e.g., a vibration motor), an LED, or other hardware component for providing output. The control circuitry 28 may send information and / or control signals or instructions to the indicator 29. For example, the control circuitry 28 may send output instructions to the indicator 29 to cause an image to be displayed.

[0038] The control circuitry 28 may include various types of digital and / or analog control circuitry and may include a microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or other circuitry configured to perform various input / output, control, analysis, and other functions described herein. In other embodiments, the control circuitry 28 may be a SoC, alone or in combination with additional hardware components described herein. The control circuitry 28 may further include a memory 30 (e.g., random access memory, read-only memory, flash memory, hard disk storage, flash memory storage, solid-state drive storage, etc.). In further embodiments, the control circuitry 28 may act as a controller for one or more hardware components included in the communication system 10. For example, the control circuitry 28 may act as a controller for a touch screen display or other operator input device, a controller for a transceiver, a transmitter, a receiver, or other communication device (e.g., implementing the Bluetooth™ communication protocol).

[0039] In some embodiments, the control circuitry 28 can be configured to receive input from the user interface 26. The input can be converted into control signals that can be recognized and utilized to output one or more control signals and / or transmit data via the network adapter 21, the communication circuitry 14, the communication bus, and / or any communication circuitry. In this configuration, the communication system 10 can communicate (e.g., send and / or receive signals and / or data) to control various remote devices 12. In some embodiments, the communication circuitry 14 can be trainable or configurable to replicate the functionality of one or more original wireless transmitters that may be associated with one or more of the remote devices 12.

[0040] The memory 30 may be used to facilitate the functionality of the communication system 10 as described herein. The memory 30 may include computer code modules, data, computer instructions, or other information that may be executed by the control circuitry 28 or otherwise facilitate the functionality of the communication system 10 as described herein. For example, the memory 30 may include encryption codes, pairing information, identification information, a device registry, etc. The memory 30 and / or the control circuitry 28 may utilize one or more programming techniques, data manipulation techniques, and / or processing techniques, such as algorithms, routines, lookup tables, arrays, searches, databases, comparisons, instructions, etc., to facilitate the functionality described herein.

[0041] Communication circuitry 14 may correspond to transceiver circuitry or transmitter circuitry coupled to control circuitry 28. Transceiver circuitry allows communication system 10 to transmit and / or receive wireless communication signals. Wireless communication signals may be transmitted to or received from various wireless devices (e.g., an original transmitter, a home electronic device, a mobile communication device, and / or a remote device). Communication circuitry 14 may be controlled by control circuitry 28. For example, control circuitry 28 may turn communication circuitry 14 on or off, send data using communication circuitry 14, format information, transmit activation signals or control signals, and / or process other signals or data for transmission via communication circuitry 14. Input from communication circuitry 14 may also be received by control circuitry 28.

[0042] In some embodiments, communication circuitry 14 may include additional hardware, such as a processor, memory, integrated circuits, antennas, and the like. Communication circuitry 14 may process information before transmission or after reception and before passing it to control circuitry 28. In some embodiments, communication circuitry 14 may be directly connected to memory 30 (e.g., to store encrypted data, retrieve encrypted data, etc.). In further embodiments, communication circuitry 14 may include one or more transceivers, transmitters, receivers, and the like. For example, communication circuitry 14 may include an optical transceiver, a near-field communication (NFC) transceiver, an RFID tag reader, a Wi-Fi transceiver, and the like. In some embodiments, communication circuitry 14 may be implemented as a SoC.

[0043] Control circuitry 28 may also be coupled to network adapter 21, a receiver, and / or a transmitter. In some embodiments, network adapter 21 may be configured to communicate with remote device 12. In some embodiments, network adapter 21 may be or may include a cellular transceiver. In this configuration, communication system 10 may use network adapter 21 and / or an additional transceiver (e.g., a cellular transceiver) to access the Internet, other networks, and / or network hardware to control remote device 12. In some embodiments, communication system 10 may access the Internet, other networks, and / or network hardware through an intermediary device, such as a mobile device, that communicates with communication system 10.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, the network adapter 21 communicates with the mobile device 18 and is configured to send data and / or control signals to and / or receive data and / or control signals from the remote device 12 via the wireless communication circuitry of the mobile device 18. The network adapter 21 can communicate with the mobile device 18 via various wireless communication protocols to form the second communication interface 20. For example, the communication protocol may include, but is not limited to, wireless protocols such as Bluetooth. TM 、Bluetooth TMLow Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11), ZigBee, Near Field Communication (NFC), cellular, etc.), wired interfaces and / or protocols (e.g., Ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Firewire, etc.), or other communication connections (e.g., infrared, optical, ultrasonic, etc.). In this configuration, the communication system 10 can communicate with the mobile device 18 via the second communication interface 20. In response to the communication from the communication system 10, the mobile device 18 can communicate with the remote device via the third communication interface 22.

[0045] See again Figure 2 and Figure 3 , the third communication interface 22 may correspond to a wireless or cellular communication interface, and in some embodiments, may correspond to cloud-based communication. As discussed herein, the mobile device 18 may access information or control the operation of the barrier control device 12a via the second software application 18b. That is, the second software application 18b may be configured to communicate with the barrier control device 12a or other remote device 12 via the third communication interface 22. Additionally, the second software application 18b may access information or control the barrier control device 12a via a remote server 32 that communicates with the mobile device 18 via the third communication interface 22. For example, the third communication interface 22 may correspond to a wireless communication interface, such as a wireless or cellular network. Examples of wireless communications that may correspond to the third communication interface 22 may include, but are not limited to, GSM, GPRS, CDMA, EDGE, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth TM 、Bluetooth TM Low Energy (BLE), WIFI, WIMAX, LAN, Ethernet, etc. In this configuration, the mobile device can communicate with one or more of the remote device 12 and the remote server 32 directly and / or via the local device network 24. Although discussed with reference to the second software application 18b, the first software application 18a running on the mobile device 18 can be similarly configured to communicate with the remote server 32 via the third communication interface.

[0046] In some embodiments, the mobile device 18 may communicate directly with one or more of the remote devices 12. For example, the remote device may include a wireless transceiver configured to communicate via Bluetooth. TM The local device network 24 can communicate with the remote device 12 using various network and / or communication protocols. Such communication can include network equipment such as routers, servers, cell towers, switches, and / or other hardware with network communication capabilities. The network can be the Internet, an intranet, and / or a cloud computing system architecture.

[0047] The communication system 10 is shown communicating with a first remote device 12a via a first communication interface 16, which may be formed by a communication circuit 14 and a communication circuit 19 of the first remote device 12a. Similar to the communication circuit 14, the communication circuit 19 may similarly include one or more transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc. For example, the communication circuit 19 may include an optical transceiver, a near-field communication (NFC) transceiver, an RFID tag reader, a Wi-Fi transceiver, etc. In this configuration, the barrier control device 12a or the first remote device 12a can be configured to communicate with the system's communication circuit 14 and a mobile device 18 via various communication protocols, including the communication interfaces 16, 20, and 22 as discussed herein.

[0048] In some embodiments, the communication system 10 may also be configured to communicate with one or more remote devices 12 via the second communication interface 20 and / or the third communication interface 22. As previously discussed, in an exemplary embodiment, the first remote device 12a may correspond to a barrier control device 12a, such as a garage door opener. In some embodiments, the communication circuitry 14 may be further configured to communicate with additional remote devices via the first communication interface 16. For example, the control circuitry 28 may be configured to control a fourth remote device and a fifth remote device via the first communication interface 16.

[0049] The communication circuitry 14 can be configured to transmit and / or receive various activation signals configured to activate functions of the remote device 12. The activation signal can include a control signal, control data, encryption information (e.g., a rolling code, a rolling code seed, look-ahead codes, a secret key, a fixed code, or other information related to encryption techniques), or other information that is transmitted to the home electronic device and / or the remote device. The activation signal can have parameters such as one or more transmission frequencies (e.g., channels), encryption information (e.g., a rolling code, a fixed code, or other information related to encryption techniques), identification information (e.g., a serial number, manufacturer, model, or other information that identifies the home electronic device, the remote device, and / or other devices), and / or other information related to formatting the activation signal to control a specific home electronic device and / or remote device.

[0050] In some embodiments, the communication circuit 14 may be configured to receive information from one or more electronic devices and / or remote devices 12. The communication circuit 14 may receive information from a transceiver and use the transceiver to send activation signals and / or other information to the home electronic devices and / or remote devices 12. The transceiver may be configured to send information to the remote device 12 and receive information from the remote device. In some embodiments, the communication circuit 14 may correspond to a transmitter configured for one-way communication with the home electronic devices and / or remote devices (e.g., sending activation signals to the devices). The communication circuit 14 may use additional hardware to receive information about the home electronic devices and / or remote devices. Information about the home electronic devices and / or remote devices may be received from an intermediate device, such as an additional remote device and / or a mobile device 18.

[0051] In some embodiments, the communication circuitry 14 may be configured to transmit and / or receive information (e.g., activation signals, control signals, control data, status information, or other information) using radio frequency signals. For example, the communication circuitry 14 may transmit and / or receive radio frequency signals in the ultra-high frequency range, typically between 260 and 960 megahertz (MHz), although other frequencies may be used. In other embodiments, the communication circuitry 14 may include additional hardware for transmitting and / or receiving signals (e.g., activation signals and / or signals for transmitting and / or receiving other information). For example, the communication circuitry 14 may include a light sensor and / or light-emitting element (e.g., indicator 29), a microphone and / or speaker, a cellular transceiver, an infrared transceiver, or other communication devices.

[0052] The communication system 10 can be trained or otherwise configured to send activation signals and / or other information to a specific device of the remote devices 12. The communication system 10 can also be configured to receive control signals and / or information from a specific device. For example, the communication circuit 14 can be configured to control the opening function of the garage door 15 via the barrier control device 12a (e.g., the first remote device 12a). Control of the barrier control device 12a can be ensured via coded transmissions that can be later referenced via Figure 5-9 One or more of the methods discussed may be learned or otherwise programmed into system 10.

[0053] Communication system 10 can be mounted or otherwise attached to various locations on a vehicle. For example, communication system 10 can be integrated into the vehicle's dashboard or center console (e.g., an infotainment center) or headliner. Communication system 10 can be located in other peripheral locations. For example, communication system 10 can be removably mounted to a hood. Communication system 10 can be mounted to other surfaces of the vehicle (e.g., the dashboard, windshield, door panels, bumpers, or other vehicle components). For example, an adhesive can be used to secure the trainable transceiver. In some embodiments, the trainable transceiver can be integrated into the vehicle's rearview mirror 34.

[0054] See also Figure 3 The communication system 10 can communicate with a vehicle control module 36 via a communication bus 38. A variety of wired or wireless connections can be used to connect to the vehicle control module 36 or electronic system. The connection between the communication system 10 and the vehicle control module 36 can enable the communication system 10 to obtain and control outputs provided to components of the vehicle, receive inputs from components of the vehicle, and / or otherwise communicate with components of the vehicle. The connection between the communication system 10 and the vehicle control module 36 can enable the communication system 10 to utilize existing vehicle hardware for use with the functionality of the communication system 10.

[0055] The vehicle control module 36 may include a processor (e.g., an electronic control unit (ECU), an engine control module (ECM), or other vehicle processor), memory, a bus (e.g., a controller area network (CAN) bus), sensors, on-board diagnostics (e.g., compliant with the (OBD)-II standard or other schemes), cameras, displays, transceivers, an infotainment system, and / or other components integrated with the vehicle's electronic systems or otherwise networked (e.g., a controller area network of vehicle components). For example, the vehicle control module 36 may include, be coupled to, and / or otherwise communicate with a GPS interface. The GPS interface may be configured to receive location information (e.g., from a GPS satellite source). Using the vehicle control module 36, the communication bus 38, and / or the control circuitry 28, the communication system 10 may access location information from the GPS interface (e.g., GPS coordinates corresponding to the vehicle's current location).

[0056] See now Figure 4, a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a mobile device is shown. The mobile device 18 may include a main control circuit 40 that is configured to control the functions and operations of the mobile device 18. The control circuit 40 may include a processor 42, such as a CPU, a microcontroller, or a microprocessor. The processor 42 executes code stored in a memory (not shown) within the control circuit 40 and / or a separate memory such as a memory 44 to perform various operations of the mobile device 18. The memory 44 may be, for example, one or more of a buffer, a flash memory, a hard drive, a removable media, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, or other suitable devices. Thus, the mobile device can be configured to perform various processing routines and access information so that the first software application 18a and the second software application 18b can each be operated and information can be exchanged between the first software application 18a and the second software application 18b.

[0057] The mobile device 18 may also include an antenna 46 connected to a wireless communication circuit 48. The communication circuit 48 may include a radio frequency transmitter and a receiver for transmitting and receiving signals via the antenna 46. The radio signals may be configured to transmit data and may correspond to various communication protocols. The communication circuit 48 may be configured to operate in a mobile communication system and may be used to send and receive data and / or audio-visual content. Receiver types for interacting with mobile radio networks and / or wireless broadcast networks may include GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, GPRS, MBMS, Wi-Fi, WiMAX, DVB-H, ISDB-T, etc., as well as advanced versions of these standards that may be developed later. In some embodiments, the communication circuit 48 may include one or more receiver types that provide communication over various ranges, which may be configured to communicate directly or indirectly with the remote device 12. For example, the communication circuit 48 may be configured to communicate via various wireless standards, including but not limited to BluetoothTM, BLE connections, and various standards that may be developed in the future.

[0058] The mobile device 18 may further include a sound signal processing circuit 50 for processing audio signals transmitted by and received from the communication circuit 48. A speaker 52 and a microphone 54 that enable a user to listen and speak via the mobile device 18 are coupled to the sound processing circuit 50. The display 31 may be connected to the control circuit 40 via a video processing circuit 56 that converts video data into a video signal for driving the display 31. The mobile device 18 may further include a user interface 57 or keypad that communicates with the control circuit 40. The user interface 57 may further function in conjunction with the display 31 to provide a touch screen user interface configuration. The mobile device 18 may also include one or more I / O interfaces 58 that may be configured to charge a battery of the power supply 60 and / or for data exchange.

[0059] The mobile device 18 may also include a positioning data receiver 62, such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The mobile device 18 may also include a network adapter 64, such as an infrared transceiver and / or an RF adapter or transceiver (e.g., a Bluetooth adapter or transceiver). The network adapter 64 may be configured to communicate with the network adapter 21 of the communication system 10 to form the second communication interface 20. In this configuration, the mobile device 18 and the communication system 10 may be configured to communicate various forms of information and data.

[0060] For example, the communication system 10 can be configured to send instructions to the mobile device 18 via the second communication interface 20. In response to receiving input at the user interface 26, the instructions from the communication system 10 can be sent. In response to the input, the communication system 10 can direct the mobile device 18 to request a status and / or control one or more of the remote devices 12 via the third communication interface 22. In this configuration, the communication system 10 can utilize communication enabled between the mobile device 18 and at least one of the remote devices 12 to control and / or identify the status of the remote device 12.

[0061] In some embodiments, the communication system 10 may also be configured to receive programming information, such as software or firmware updates for the communication system 10, from the mobile device 18. The communication system 10 may also receive programming codes or instructions for the communication circuit 14 from the mobile device 18. The communication system 10 may be configured to receive one or more communication codes or protocols associated with a remote device 12 (e.g., the first remote device 12a) from the mobile device 18. In general, the communication system may request and / or receive any form of information from the mobile device 18 that may be used for the operation of the communication system 10.

[0062] The mobile device 18 can obtain information for the communication system 10 from the remote server 32 via the third communication interface 22. For example, the mobile device 18 can identify or receive model information, thereby identifying a specific control scheme for a particular remote device 12 (e.g., the barrier control device 12a). The mobile device 18 can also receive and / or transmit information to the communication system 10 via the second communication interface 20 that identifies or trains the control frequencies and codes for a particular remote device. In this way, the mobile device 18 can be configured to transmit the training information to the communication system 10, allowing the communication system 10 to receive and store the information for controlling various remote devices 12.

[0063] The mobile device 18 may further be connected to a camera system 66 that includes a controller 68, such as a digital signal processor (DSP). The functions of the controller 68 may be controlled by the control circuit 40. The camera system 66 may further include a sensor 70 (e.g., a charge-coupled device or CCD) to image the field of view determined by the imaging optics 72 of the camera system 66. A light meter 74 may detect lighting conditions in the field of view, and a flash 76 may provide supplemental lighting during the capture of image data.

[0064] Generally speaking Figure 5-9 , various methods of programming the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 are discussed with reference to the operation of the barrier control device 12a. However, the methods described herein are applicable to various remote devices 12. In general, with reference to Figure 5-9 The discussed methods can provide an improved user experience that can limit difficulties and errors associated with programming the operation of the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10. Thus, the present disclosure can provide a variety of user-friendly options for programming the operation of the system 10. It should be understood that although the present disclosure provides specific examples of communication interfaces, protocols, and similarly enabled devices, the teachings of the present disclosure can be applied in various combinations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

[0065] Reference again Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the methods discussed herein may similarly utilize communication or data exchange between a first software application 18a and a second software application 18b, each of which may be operated on a mobile device 18. As previously discussed, the first software application 18a may provide a user-friendly interface configured to set up, train, or otherwise program the operation of the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 to control a remote device 12 (e.g., barrier control device 12a). The first software application 18a may be configured to communicate with the system 10 via a second communication interface 20, which may correspond to a Bluetooth® communication interface. TMIn this configuration, the first software application 18a can be used on the mobile device 18 to program the operation of the communication circuit 14 of the system 10. However, in many cases, the information required to successfully program the communication circuit 14 requires security information (e.g., rolling count, code sequence, etc.), which may require activation of a special training mode of the barrier control device 12a.

[0066] To access the security information required to program the communication circuit 14 to control the barrier control device 12a, the first software application 18a can be configured to exchange or access the security information from the second software application 18b. As previously described, the second software application 18b can be configured to control and monitor the operation of the remote device 12 via the third communication interface 22. Additionally, the second software application 18b can be enabled to securely access the remote server 32 or remotely access the barrier control device 12a in order to access or identify the security information required to program the operation of the communication circuit 14. Once accessed, the security or programming information for the barrier control device 12a can be transferred from the second software application 18b to the first software application 18a on the mobile device 18. As discussed herein, the communication between the applications 18a and 18b can correspond to a shared or accessible memory location or file that can be updated to transfer security or registration information to program the communication circuit 14 to control the barrier control device 12a. In this manner, the present disclosure may provide a simplified configuration method that may be used to train or program the operation of the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 via a mobile device by providing a handshake between the first and second software applications 18a, 18b running on the mobile device 18.

[0067] Figure 5 A flow chart illustrating a method 80 for programming the operation of the communication circuit 14 to operate the system 10 is shown. For clarity, reference is made to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 5Discussion of method 80. As previously described, the communication circuitry of the barrier control device 12a can be configured to communicate via various wireless communication protocols. Thus, method 80 can begin by utilizing the second software application 18b to communicate with the barrier control device 12a (82). As previously discussed, the mobile device 18 can be configured to communicate with the barrier control device 12a via the third communication interface 22, which can correspond to a Wi-Fi or cellular communication protocol. Communication from the second software application 18b via the mobile device 18 can activate a discovery mode of the barrier control device 12a (84). In response to the discovery mode, the barrier control device 12a can be configured to be discoverable via the local device network 24, to which the mobile device 18 may already be connected, and communicate with the barrier control device 12a via the second software application 18b. Similarly, in response to the discovery mode, the barrier control device 12a can activate a local wireless hotspot (e.g., a Wi-Fi hotspot) of the communication circuitry 19. Thus, the mobile device 18 can access the local wireless hotspot or local device network 24 via the third communication interface 22 (86).

[0068] After activating the discovery mode of the barrier control device 12a, the first software application 18a may request access from the second software application 18b to communicate with the barrier control device 12a via the local device network 24 or a local wireless hotspot broadcast from the communication circuit 19 (88). The request may be displayed as an access prompt on the display 31 of the mobile device 18. If access is allowed or authorized via the user interface 57, the second software application 18b may grant access to the first software application 18a to communicate with the barrier control device 12a via the access point provided by the local device network 24 or the wireless hotspot (90). Once the barrier control device 12 is connected and in communication with it, the first software application 18a may request programming information from the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 via the second communication interface 20 (92). In response to the request, the first software application 18a may transmit programming data for the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 to the barrier control device 12a via the access point (94).

[0069] After receiving the programming data, the barrier control device 12a may register the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 to control the operation of the barrier control device 12a to open or close the garage door 15 via the first communication interface 16 (96). The registration may then be verified by transmitting verification back to the first software application 18a via the third communication interface 22, via the access point, or via the second software application 18b (98). After receiving the verification, the first software application 18a may indicate that the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 is configured to control the operation of the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16 and prompt the user to control the operation of the system 10 via the user interface 26 (100). After step 100, the method 80 may end.

[0070] Figure 6 A method 110 is shown for programming the operation of the communication circuit 14 of the system to control the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16. For clarity, reference is made to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 6 Discussion of method 110. In operation, method 110 may utilize a short-range wireless communication protocol (e.g., near field communication [NFC], radio frequency identification, etc.) communicated via the communication circuitry 48 of the mobile device 18. The method may begin by accessing the first software application 18a to activate a device scanning function (112). Once activated, the first software application 18a may notify the user to place the mobile device 18 near the barrier control device 12a or a device associated with the barrier control device 12a (e.g., the original transmitter 17, a wired control button, etc.) (114). Once the mobile device 18 is within range of the barrier control device 12a or the associated device, the communication circuitry 48 may detect and read identification information (manufacturer / model / SN) from the barrier control device 12a and communicate the identification information to the first software application 18a (116).

[0071] Once the identification information of the barrier control device 12a is received by the first software application 18a, the first software application may transmit the identification information to the second software application 18b (118). In response to receiving the identification information, the second software application 18b may communicate with the remote server 32 and / or the barrier control device 12a via the third communication interface 22 and control the barrier control device 12a to activate a registration routine (120). Once the registration routine is activated, the second software application 18b may communicate with the first software application 18a to activate a programming routine for the communication circuit (122). The first software application 18a may then transmit channel, frequency, and / or coded information for controlling the barrier control device 12a to the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 via the second communication interface 20 to activate the programming routine (124). Once activated, the programming routine may cause the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 to transmit a control signal to the communication circuit 19 of the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16 (126). After transmitting the control signal, the registration and programming of the barrier control device 12a by the communication circuit 14 may be completed.

[0072] Figure 7 A method 130 is shown for programming the operation of the communication circuit 14 of the system to control the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16. For clarity, reference is made to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 7 Discussion of method 130. In operation, method 130 can utilize the camera system 66 of the mobile device 18 to read identification information (manufacturer / model / SN) from the barrier control device 12a. That is, the barrier control device 12a or a device associated with the barrier control device 12a (e.g., the original transmitter 17, a wired control button, etc.) can include a barcode, QR code, or other indicator of the identification information of the barrier control device 12a. Thus, method 130 can begin by accessing the first software application 18a to activate a device scanning function, which can control the camera system 66 to capture image data depicting the identification information (132). Once the identification information of the barrier control device 12a is received by the first software application 18a, the first software application can transmit the identification information to the second software application 18b (134).

[0073] In response to receiving the identification information, the second software application 18b can communicate with the remote server 32 and / or the barrier control device 12a via the third communication interface 22 and control the barrier control device 12a to activate the registration routine (136). Once the registration routine is activated, the second software application 18b can communicate with the first software application 18a to activate the programming routine of the communication circuit (138). The first software application 18a can then communicate the channel, frequency, and / or coded information for controlling the barrier control device 12a to the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 via the second communication interface to activate the programming routine (140). Once activated, the programming routine can cause the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 to transmit a control signal to the communication circuit 19 of the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16 (142). After the control signal is transmitted, the registration and programming of the barrier control device 12a controlled by the communication circuit 14 can be completed.

[0074] Figure 8 A method 150 is shown for programming the operation of the communication circuit 14 of the system to control the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16. For clarity, reference is made to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 8 Discussion of method 150. In operation, method 150 may begin by installing or accessing a second software application 18b on a mobile device 18 (152). In response to accessing the second software application 18b, the second software application 18b may control the user interface 57 to prompt a user of the device 18 to pair the second software application 18b with the first software application 18a (154). For example, the second software application 18b may prompt the user to download or access the first software application 18a. Accessing the first software application may require the user to log into a user account or create an account. Once accessed, the first software application 18a may serve as a gateway to communicate with the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 via the second communication interface 20, and the second software application 18b may serve as a gateway to communicate with the barrier control device 12a via the third communication interface 22. In this configuration, the first software application 18a and the second software application 18b may be configured to communicate programming information between the communication circuitry 14 of the system 10 and the barrier control device 12a, respectively, to facilitate programming of the communication circuitry 14.

[0075] Once the first software application 18a has been installed on the mobile device 18 and is accessible via the second software application 18b, programming data for the communication circuit 14 can be transferred from the first software application 18a to the second software application 18b (156). Once the programming information has been transferred between the software applications 18a, 18b, the first software application 18a can transmit control information for controlling the barrier control device 12a to the system 10 via the second communication interface 20 (158). Thus, the method 150 can provide for programming of the communication circuit 14 of the system 10 to be initiated by the second software application 18b.

[0076] Figure 9 A method 170 is shown for programming the operation of the communication circuitry 14 of the system to control the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16. For clarity, reference is made to Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 9 Method 170 is discussed. Method 170 may begin by accessing first software application 18a to connect with communication circuit 14 of system 10 via second communication interface 20 (172). Once in communication with system 10, first software application 18a of mobile device 18 may initiate programming of communication circuit 14 based on a signal recognized from original transmitter 17 (174). That is, the first software application may instruct a user of the mobile device to activate original transmitter 17 within proximity or range of communication circuit 14 so that system 10 may recognize a code transmitted by original transmitter 17. Once system 10 has recognized the code from original transmitter 17, system 10 may transmit the code to first software application 18a via second communication interface 20 (176).

[0077] Upon receiving the code from the original transmitter 17, the first software application 18a may identify the manufacturer or device associated with the barrier control device 12a based on the code (178). Such identification may be determined by the system 10 and / or the mobile device 18 comparing the frequency or time-varying signal of the coded transmission with coded information characteristic of the manufacturer of the barrier control device 12a or generally associated with the manufacturer. In response to identifying the manufacturer or device of the barrier control device 12a, the first software application 18a may access or instruct the user to download a second software application 18b associated with the barrier control device 12a (180). Once available, the first software application 18a may transmit programming or registration information for the communication circuit 14 to the barrier control device 12a via the second software application 18b, which may communicate via the third communication interface 22 (182). Once the programming of the communication circuit 14 is registered in the barrier control device 12a, the second software application 18b may transmit confirmation of the registration of the communication circuit 14 for controlling the barrier control device 12a via the first communication interface 16 and may complete programming of the communication circuit 14 of the system (184).

[0078] The above description is considered only as a description of a preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art and those who make or use the present disclosure will think of modifications to the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined by the appended claims interpreted in accordance with patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Although only a few embodiments of the present innovation are described in detail in the present disclosure, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art who consult the present disclosure that there may be many modifications (e.g., changes in the size, dimensions, structure, shape and proportion, parameter values, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc. of various elements) without substantially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the subject matter. For example, an element shown as being integrally formed may be constructed from multiple parts, or an element shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, the operation of the interface may be reversed or otherwise changed, the length or width of the structure and / or the components or connectors or other elements of the system may be changed, and the nature or number of adjustment positions between elements may be changed. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present innovation. Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be made in the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present innovations.

[0079] In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, front and back, left and right, vertical, horizontal, etc. are used only to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual such relationship, order, or number of such entities or actions. These terms are not intended to limit the elements they describe, as the various elements can be oriented in different ways in different applications. However, it should be understood that the device can adopt various orientations and step orders unless expressly specified to the contrary. It should also be understood that the specific devices and processes shown in the drawings and described in the following description are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Therefore, unless the claims expressly state otherwise, the specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered restrictive.

[0080] It should be understood that any described process or step within a described process can be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of the present disclosure. The exemplary processes disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting. It should also be understood that changes and modifications can be made to the above-described methods without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and it should be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the appended claims unless the wording of the claims expressly states otherwise.

[0081] As used herein, the term "and / or," when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be used alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be used. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and / or C, the composition can contain: A only; B only; C only; a combination of A and B; a combination of A and C; a combination of B and C; or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0082] As used herein, the term "about" means that amount, size, formulation, parameter and other quantities and features are not exact and need not be exact, but can be approximate and / or larger or smaller as needed, thereby reflecting tolerances, conversion factors, rounding, measurement errors, etc. and other factors known to those skilled in the art. When the value or endpoint of a range is described using the term "about", the disclosure is understood to include the specific value or endpoint mentioned. Regardless of whether the numerical value or endpoint of a range in the specification refers to "about", the numerical value or endpoint of the range is expected to include two embodiments: one modified by "about" and one not modified by "about". It should be further understood that the endpoint of each range is meaningful relative to the other endpoint and independently of the other endpoint.

[0083] As used herein, the terms "substantially," "substantially," and variations thereof are intended to indicate that the described feature is equal to or approximately equal to a value or description. For example, a "substantially flat" surface is intended to mean a flat or approximately flat surface. Additionally, "substantially" is intended to mean that two values ​​are equal or approximately equal. In some embodiments, "substantially" can mean values ​​that are within at least 2%, 5%, and 10% of each other.

Claims

1. A control module for a vehicle that communicates with a mobile device via a wireless communication interface, wherein the mobile device is also in communication with a remote server and is configured to access programming information for the remote device via the remote server, the control module comprising: a trainable transmitter configured to transmit a radio frequency signal via a first communication protocol, the radio frequency signal configured to control the remote device; communication circuitry configured to communicate with the mobile device via a second communication protocol; a user interface, said user interface comprising at least one input device; as well as A controller configured to: communicating the programming information for the remote device with the remote server via a second communication interface; in response to receiving the programming information, distributing the programming information to the at least one input device; as well as in response to receiving input on the at least one input device, controlling the trainable transmitter to output a control signal based on the programming information, wherein the control signal is configured to control the remote device; The mobile device is further configured to: communicating the programming information with the communication circuit via a first software application, the first software application configured to communicate with the control module via a first communication interface; communicating the programming information with the remote server via a second software application, the second software application configured to communicate with the remote server via a third communication interface; and transmitting the programming information between the first software application and the second software application on the mobile device; Wherein each of the first software application and the second software application requires different security access, user information, and encrypted communications, and wherein limited information is shared between the first software application and the second software application to limit unnecessary transmission of user information and passwords.

2. The control module according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device is configured to: The programming information is transmitted to the remote server via a third communication interface. 3 . The control module of claim 2 , wherein the third communication interface is a wireless communication network that communicates with the remote server via an Internet gateway.

4. The control module of one of claims 2-3, wherein the mobile device is further configured to identify the identification information of the remote device via at least one of radio frequency identification (RFID) communication, near field communication (NFC), and image data captured by a camera system of the mobile device.

5. The control module according to claim 4, wherein the mobile device is further configured to: transmitting the identification information for the mobile device to the remote server via the third communication interface; and The programming information for the remote device is received based on the identification information.

6. The control module according to claim 5, wherein the mobile device is further configured to: transmitting the identification information for the mobile device to the remote server via the third communication interface; and The programming information for the remote device is received based on the identification information.

7. The control module of one of claims 1-3, wherein the remote device is configured to broadcast to a localized wireless communication network; and the mobile device is further configured to: receiving, via a second software program, connection information for the localized wireless communication network, wherein the second software program is configured to communicate with a remote server via the third communication interface; receiving the programming information via a localized communication network broadcast from the remote device; as well as The programming information is communicated with the communication circuit via a first software application configured to communicate with the control module via the first communication interface.

8. A method of programming a control module to control a remote device, comprising: transmitting, by a trainable transmitter, a radio frequency signal via a first communication protocol, the radio frequency signal configured to control the remote device; communicating with the mobile device via a second communication protocol by the communication circuit; receiving, by the user interface, at least one user input on an input device; transmitting, by the controller via the second communication interface, programming information for the remote device to a remote server; assigning, by the controller in response to receiving the programming information, the programming information to the at least one input device; as well as controlling, by the controller, the trainable transmitter to output a control signal based on the programming information in response to receiving the at least one user input on the input device, wherein the control signal is configured to control the remote device; wherein the method further comprises transmitting, by the mobile device via a third communication interface, the programming information to the remote server; The method further includes: transmitting the programming information by the mobile device to the communication circuit via a first software application, the first software application being configured to communicate with the control module via a first communication interface; transmitting the programming information by the mobile device to the remote server via a second software application, the second software application being configured to communicate with the remote server via the third communication interface; transmitting the programming information by the mobile device between the first software application and the second software application on the mobile device; wherein each of the first software application and the second software application requires different security access, user information and encrypted communications, and wherein limited information is shared between the first software application and the second software application to limit unnecessary transmission of user information and passwords.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the third communication interface is a wireless communication network that communicates with the remote server via an Internet gateway.

10. The method according to one of claims 8-9, wherein the third communication interface is a wireless communication network communicating with the remote server via an Internet gateway.

11. The method of one of claims 8-9, further comprising identifying, by the mobile device, identification information of the remote device via at least one of radio frequency identification (RFID) communication, near field communication (NFC), and image data captured by a camera system of the mobile device.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising transmitting, by the mobile device via the third communication interface, identification information for the mobile device to the remote server; and The programming information for the remote device is received by the mobile device based on the identification information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising broadcasting by the remote device to a localized wireless communication network, and Connection information for the localized wireless communication network is received by the remote device via a second software program, wherein the second software program is configured to communicate with a remote server via the third communication interface.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving programming information by the remote device via a localized communication network broadcast from the remote device. 15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising communicating, by the remote device, the programming information with the communication circuit via a first software application configured to communicate with the control module via the first communication interface.

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