Garage Door Vision Control for Contactless State Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing garage door controllers rely on contact sensors or tilt sensors to determine the open or closed state of garage doors, which may be unreliable and require physical contact, leading to potential safety hazards and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A computer vision-based system using image capture devices to detect predefined features on the garage door, such as QR codes, to accurately determine the open or closed state, utilizing machine learning algorithms to analyze images and control the door motor wirelessly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If contact sensors or tilt sensors are used to determine door state, then the system can detect door position, but reliability deteriorates due to potential sensor failure and physical contact requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact sensors and tilt sensors with a computer vision system using image capture devices. The system captures images of the door and analyzes them to determine door state, eliminating the need for physical contact sensors and improving reliability by removing potential failure points in the mechanical sensing system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy (image) of the door state and analyzes this copy to determine the door position. Instead of directly measuring the door through contact sensors, the system captures visual information and processes it to infer the door state, providing a non-contact measurement approach.
2Reliability
If physical contact sensors are used, then door state can be detected, but safety hazards increase due to potential contact with moving door parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates physical contact sensors that require proximity to the door and replaces them with an optical detection system. The image capture device can determine door state from a distance by analyzing visual features, completely removing the safety hazards associated with physical contact sensors near moving door parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary (the captured image) between the detection system and the door. Instead of directly interacting with the door through contact sensors, the system captures visual information as an intermediary representation and analyzes this image to determine door state, eliminating direct physical interaction and associated safety risks.
3Device complexity
If traditional sensors are used, then the system structure is simpler, but measurement precision deteriorates due to potential sensor inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a visual copy of the door state through image capture and analysis. By capturing images and processing them to determine door position, the system achieves higher measurement precision through computational analysis rather than relying on potentially inaccurate physical sensors, while the added complexity is confined to the image processing software.
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by an image capture device. The method includes determining whether to send a notification or determining whether to open a door based at least in part on at least one image captured by the image capture device.