Garage door opener system and method of operating a garage door opener system

1. A garage door opener system comprising:

a structure;

a motor supported by the structure and capable of moving a garage door;

a power supply supported by the structure and connectable to an external power source;

a remote input device electrically connectable to the power supply by an electrical conductor, the remote input device to receive power by the electrical conductor, the remote input device including a device controller to:

communicate a heartbeat message after absence of an input event for a first time period, and

monitor for an acknowledgement message; and

a master controller supported by the structure, connected to the motor and the power supply, and electrically connectable to the remote input device by the electrical conductor, the master controller to:

receive the heartbeat message, and

communicate the acknowledgement message in response to receiving the heartbeat message.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote input device includes a light-emitting diode, and wherein the acknowledgement message includes a value for controlling the light-emitting diode.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the acknowledgement message communicated by the master controller indicates a state for a light-emitting diode of the remote input device.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the light-emitting diode state includes a state for a vacation enabled mode, a vacation disabled mode, or a backup power mode.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein after communicating the heartbeat message and in further absence of the input event, the device controller periodically communicates a heartbeat message until the input event is received.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein in response to receiving each of the periodic heartbeat messages, the master controller communicates an acknowledgement message indicating a state for a light emitting diode of the remote input device.

7. The system of claim 1 , the remote input device further including a keypad having a button, wherein the device controller:

monitors the button for the input event;

communicates an event message to the master controller in response to receiving the input event; and

monitors for an acknowledgement of the event message from the master controller.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein in response to receiving the event message, the master controller communicates the acknowledgement of the event message, the acknowledgement of the event message indicating a state for a light emitting diode of the remote input device.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the event message is one of a key press message and a key hold message.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein control of power to the motor from the power supply is based on the received event message.

11. A method of operating a garage door opener system including a garage door opener and a remote input device electrically connected to the garage door opener, the method comprising:

receiving power from the garage door opener at the remote input device over the electrical conductor;

communicating a heartbeat message over the electrical conductor from the remote input device after absence of an input event for a first time period;

receiving the heart beat message at the garage door opener;

communicating, by a master controller of the garage door opener, an acknowledgement message in response to receiving the heartbeat message; and

monitoring for the acknowledgement message at the remote input device.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising controlling a light-emitting diode of the remote input device based on the acknowledgement message.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the acknowledgement message communicated by the master controller indicates a state for a light-emitting diode of the remote input device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the light-emitting diode state includes a state for a vacation enabled mode, a vacation disabled mode, or a backup power mode.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein after communicating the heartbeat message and in further absence of the input event, the remote input device periodically communicates a heartbeat message until the input event is received.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein in response to receiving each of the periodic heartbeat messages, the master controller communicates an acknowledgement message indicating a state for a light emitting diode of the remote input device.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the remote input device includes a keypad having a button, and wherein the remote input device:

monitors the button for the input event;

communicates an event message to the master controller in response to receiving the input event; and

monitors for an acknowledgement of receiving the event message from the master controller.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein in response to receiving the event message, the master controller communicates the acknowledgement of receiving the event message, the acknowledgement of receiving the event message indicating a state for a light emitting diode of the remote input device.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the event message is one of a key press message and a key hold message.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the controlling the power of the garage door opener is based on the event message.