1. A method for overriding a notification feature of a door monitoring system that allows a user to remotely actuate a garage door by controlling a garage door opener operably coupled to the garage door; the garage door monitoring system comprising:
a notification feature, wherein the notification feature comprises a means for sending a notification message to a user that a door is open for a period of time greater than a timer alarm period;
a control unit comprising a system override state wherein the notification feature of a garage door monitoring system is disabled while allowing other functions to continue, and a system enabled state wherein the notification feature of the garage door monitoring system is enabled;
a door status sensor operably coupled to the control unit, the door status sensor comprising a door open state and a door closed state, and positioned to detect the status of the garage door; wherein the door open state indicates that the door is open and the door closed state indicates that the door is closed; and
an override switch operably coupled to the control unit, the override switch comprising an override state and a enabled state, wherein asserting the override switch to the override state puts the door monitoring system in the system override state and asserting the enable state puts the door monitoring system in the system enable state;
the method comprising steps of:
sensing the state of the override switch;
setting the door monitoring system in the system override state when the override switch is in the override state, wherein the notification feature of the garage door monitoring system is disabled while allowing at least one other monitoring or control feature of the door monitoring system to continue functioning; and
setting the door monitoring system in an enabled state when the door status sensor is in the door closed state, wherein the notification feature of the garage door monitoring system is enabled to send a message to the user in the event the garage door is later opened for a period of time greater than the timer alarm period.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
setting the door monitoring system in a system enabled state when the override switch is in the enable state, wherein the notification feature of the garage door monitoring system is enabled.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the garage monitoring system further comprises a timer and a maximum override period parameter, the method further comprising the step of:
calculating the period of time that the door monitoring system is in a the system override state; and
setting the door monitoring system in the system enabled state after passage of a period of time equal to the maximum override period parameter.
4. The method of claim 1, the garage door monitoring system further comprising a timer and a parameter specifying a time of day when the door monitor system should be placed in the system enable state, the method further comprising the step of:
calculating the time of day; and
setting the door monitoring system in the system enabled state at a time equal to the parameter specifying a time of day when the door monitor system should be placed in the system enable state.
5. The method of claim 4, the garage door monitoring system further comprising a means for detecting sunlight; the method further comprising:
measuring a level of sunlight; and
determining the time of day based upon the ambient level of sunlight detected.
6. A system override mechanism for a garage door monitoring system that allows a user to remotely actuate a garage door, the garage door monitoring system comprising:
a door status sensor comprising a door open state and a door closed state;
a control unit comprising a door status input operably coupled to the door status sensor;
a network interface operably coupled to a network connection;
a timer;
a timer alarm period parameter for setting the maximum period of time prior to notifying the user that the door status sensor is in the door open state;
a voice message generator that provides at least one message to the user via the network connection when the door status sensor is in the door open state for a time period greater than the timer alarm period parameter; and
a notification feature that initiates at least one message to the user when the timer indicates the door status sensor is in the door open state for a time greater than the timer alarm period parameter;
wherein the control unit governs the operation of a garage door opener that actuates a garage door; and
wherein the voice message generator providing at least one voice message to the user via the network connection when the door status sensor is in the door open state for a time period greater than the timer alarm period parameter;
the system override mechanism comprising:
an override switch operably coupled to the control unit, the override switch comprising:
a system override state; and
a system enable state;
wherein, the notification feature of the garage door monitoring system is disabled when the override switch is in a system override state; and
at least one other feature of the of the garage door monitoring system is enabled when the override switch is in a system override state.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A distributed, reconfigurable statistical signal processing apparatus, comprising:
an array of discrete-time analog signal processing circuits for statistical signal processing, wherein the analog signal processing circuits are arranged into a network such that each analog signal processing circuit is configured to communicate with neighboring analog signal processing circuits according to a local message-passing algorithm and wherein each analog signal processing circuit comprises:
at least one computational element; and
at least one digital configuration circuit, each digital configuration circuit being configured for programming a logic function implemented by the analog signal processing circuit; and
a receiving module connected to the array of analog signal processing circuits, the receiving module being configured for assigning probability values when an input signal arrives at the array of analog signal processing circuits and for communicating the assigned probability values to at least a first one of the analog signal processing circuits in the array, wherein the computational elements are configured by the digital configuration circuits to produce outputs based on assigned probability values.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each assigned probability value communicated from the receiving module to the array is a probabilistic representation.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein input signals received at the array of analog signal processing circuits are processed by the analog signal processing circuits according to the logic functions programmed by the digital configuration circuits.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the digital configuration circuits program the analog signal processing circuits to employ a local message propagation algorithm.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is configured to provide dynamic synchronization to an output of a Linear Feedback Shift Register signal generator.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is configured to perform low-pass filtering of a grey-level image.
7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus is configured to perform high-pass filtering of a grey-level image.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the computational elements are soft gates.
9. An analog logic automata cell, comprising:
a discrete-time analog signal processing circuit, wherein the analog signal processing circuit is configured to communicate with neighboring analog signal processing circuits according to a local message-passing algorithm and wherein each analog signal processing circuit comprises:
at least one computational element;
at least one digital configuration circuit configured for programming a logic function implemented by the analog signal processing circuit; and
a receiving module configured for assigning probability values when an input signal arrives at the analog signal processing circuit and for communicating the assigned probability values to at least a first one of the computational elements, wherein the computational elements are configured by the digital configuration circuit to produce outputs based on assigned probability values.
10. The analog logic automata cell of claim 9, wherein at least some of the computational elements are soft gates.
11. An array of analog logic automata cells according to claim 10, wherein each cell within the analog logic automata cell array has neighboring cells within the array and is configured for communication with all neighboring cells within the array.
12. An analog logic automata array, comprising:
an array of analog logic automata cells, wherein the cells are arranged into a network such that each cell is configured for communication with neighboring cells within the array, each cell comprising:
a discrete-time analog signal processing circuit, the analog signal processing circuit being configured to communicate with neighboring cells according to a local message-passing algorithm, the analog signal processing circuit comprising:
at least one computational element; and
at least one digital configuration circuit, each digital configuration circuit being configured for programming a logic function implemented by the analog signal processing circuit; and
a receiving module connected to the array of analog logic automata cells, the receiving module being configured for assigning probability values when an input signal arrives at the array of analog logic automata cells and for communicating the assigned probability values to at least a first one of the analog logic automata cells, wherein the computational elements are configured by the digital configuration circuits to produce outputs based on assigned probability values.
13. The analog logic automata array of claim 12, wherein at least some of the computational elements are soft gates.