Methods and systems are described for robot transportation of objects into or out of a home automation system. One example may include determining, by a mobile robotic device, that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system. The method may include deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system. The method also include retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the object and transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the object across the boundary. The method further includes leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the object at a drop-off location. The method may also include reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.

A tailgate control system for a vehicle includes a spindle and a coupling member fixedly coupled to a tailgate of the vehicle, the coupling member having a slot formed therein. A portion of the spindle is coupled to the coupling member via the slot so as to enable relative movement between the portion of the spindle and the coupling member along the slot, and such that extension of the spindle causes a force on the coupling member which causes a closing motion of the tailgate. The portion of the spindle is also coupled to the coupling member such that a manually-generated closing motion of the tailgate causes a change in a position of the portion of the spindle along the slot.

An illumination system is provided for an access door may include an elongated illumination housing configured to be coupled to at least one of an upstanding jamb and a corresponding jamb casing extending along the one side of the access door, an elongated light transmissive cover coupled to the illumination housing, an elongated light pipe received within the illumination housing, an illumination source housing operatively coupled to one end of the light pipe, an illumination source disposed within the illumination source housing and configured to produce and transmit visible light into the light pipe so as to be visible through the light transmissive cover, a source of electrical power, and a control unit configured to selectively apply electrical power from the source of electrical power to the illumination source to produce the visible light.

Methods and systems are described for communicating action instructions between a home automation system and a mobile robotic device. In some embodiments, methods may comprise receiving, from a first device, information regarding a delivery of a package to a first location, determining that a mobile robotic device and the first device are part of a predetermined group of devices operating in a neighborhood network, transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the package to a drop-off location, and initiating a notification for the first device based at least in part on transporting the package.

An automated door closure system regulate the release and closure of a door in a door assembly that includes a primary door, a secondary door, and a door frame. The system includes a door closer, a control unit, and an automatic input sensor. The door closer, which is connected between the secondary door and the door frame and includes a cylinder and an operating rod, biases the secondary door toward a closed position. The control unit includes a motive device and a rod catch element. The rod catch element, which may be moved by the motor, is positioned in proximity to the operating rod to adjustably prevent the secondary door from being closed. The automatic input sensor detects a door assembly use condition. The control unit controls the motive device based on the detected condition to move the rod catch element, allowing the door closer to close the secondary door.

Methods and systems are described for robot transportation of objects into or out of a home automation system. One example may include determining, by a mobile robotic device, that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system. The method may include deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system. The method also include retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the object and transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the object across the boundary. The method further includes leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the object at a drop-off location. The method may also include reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.

Provided is a swing door operator (110) for moving a door leaf (120) between a first position and a second position. The swing door operator (110) is arranged to operate in a powered and a powerless mode and comprises a permanent magnet DC motor (310). The motor (310) is arranged to move the door leaf (120) at least from the second position to the first position in the powered mode. The swing door operator (110) further comprises a mechanical drive unit (320), arranged to move the door leaf from the first position to the second position in the powerless mode. In the powerless mode, at least one resistive device is electrically connected in parallel with the motor (310) and arranged to limit a current generated by the motor (310) in response to the movement of the door leaf (120) from the first position to the second position by means of the mechanical drive unit (320). A method for controlling the swing door operator is also provided.

An illumination system is provided for an access door may include an elongated illumination housing configured to be coupled to at least one of an upstanding jamb and a corresponding jamb casing extending along the one side of the access door, an elongated light transmissive cover coupled to the illumination housing, an elongated light pipe received within the illumination housing, an illumination source housing operatively coupled to one end of the light pipe, an illumination source disposed within the illumination source housing and configured to produce and transmit visible light into the light pipe so as to be visible through the light transmissive cover, a source of electrical power, and a control unit configured to selectively apply electrical power from the source of electrical power to the illumination source to produce the visible light.

A method of operating a door system includes sensing a user on an exterior side of a door panel in physical propinquity to the lock such that the lock transitions from a sleep state to an active state, authenticating the user when the lock is in the active state before converting the lock from a locked configuration to an unlocked configuration, and converting the lock from the locked configuration to the unlocked configuration in response to transition to the active state. Authenticating the user includes receiving an authentication signal from a remote device on the user in physical propinquity to the to the lock.

An access door may include a core, stiles on opposites sides of the core, an elongated panel extending transversely between the stiles, wherein a major face of the door between the stiles defines one or more recessed pockets along a top edge of the elongated panel between and the stiles and the elongated panel, and a notch formed into the top edge of the elongated panel and extending along at least one of the recessed pockets, the notch extending downwardly into the top edge of the elongated panel so as to form a lip in the top edge of the elongated panel with the notch positioned between the lip and the one or more recessed pockets, the lip and the notch of the elongated panel together forming an accessory rail, wherein the accessory rail is configured to receive and support a complementarily configured hanger base of an accessory hanger.