Your Guide to the Past & Future of Opener & Access Technology

The basic mechanics of the electric-powered, automatic garage door opener haven't changed much since C.G. Johnson invented it in 1926. But the way we operate automatic openers continues to evolve with advancements in technology. This article briefly explores the history of the garage door opener and garage door access innovations at large. 

Some Things Never Change 

The earliest garage door openers were controlled by wired devices that are similar to those still in use today. Common setups were a keypad outside of the door or a switch inside of the garage. Both needed to be activated manually, which was far from convenient for consumers who didn’t feel like leaving their car whenever they needed to access their garage.

Modern wireless technology that uses radio signal communications between a transmitter and receiver to control the garage door opener wasn't adopted until after WWII, when the same technology was used to remotely detonate bombs. 

However, homeowners quickly noticed a major design flaw in the technology: due to the shared radio frequency of the garage door remotes, a homeowner could open their garage door as well as their neighbors! Far from being on the cutting edge of security, the technology was best left on the cutting room floor moving forward.

Only a Phase? 

The multicode DIP switch system was introduced as the solution to the compromised security that radio frequency suffered, and is still in use today. It works by setting the switches on a receiver and transmitter to the same fixed code, so only a remote that has the corresponding opener code can gain access to a garage. While this technology prevents surrounding garage door openers from opening on accident, its limited number of available codes still leaves openers vulnerable to security issues. Clever criminals can guess your opener’s fixed code and gain access to your garage using code grabbers, scanners, manual entry, and more. Check out our article on garage door security to learn more along with other common vulnerabilities criminals use to access your garage.

Multicode DIP switch systems took a step in the right direction, but it was going to take a technological leap to truly make garage access secure. Rolling code technology answered the call in the1990s and phased out the multicode system with superior security capabilities. With rolling code technology, a unique code is generated every time a remote control is activated, making it virtually impossible to hack. Rolling code technology has remained the standard with most automatic door opener remote controls on the market to this day. 

The Future Is Now? 

While wired devices, multicode and rolling code systems remain in use, innovation in garage access continues. SMART technology has been adopted by major brands so you can control your garage door with your smartphone or tablet. Some brands even let you use your voice to control your garage door! As fully-autonomous cars become a reality in the next few years, it won't be long before you can tell your car to open the garage door and park itself! That’s why we want to bring your garage into the 21st Century with the latest high-tech access control systems and gadgets. Read on to see a few of our favorites!

LiftMaster MyQ Home Bridge Kit - Enables Smartphone Control for MyQ Products 

The LiftMaster MyQ Home Bridge Kit enables access control of your garage from your smartphone or Apple iPhone with the free MyQ mobile app. The MyQ app allows homeowners to easily set up and control MyQ products, monitor and control the garage door and lighting from their mobile phone, and even sends real-time alerts about their status to your email or push notifications. It even works with Apple HomeKit and adds Siri voice control. With the MyQ Home Bridge Kit, you can control all your HomeKit devices from the Apple Home app using your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and even your Apple Watch. 

Genie Aladdin Connect - Smart Device Enabled Garage Door Controller 

The Genie Aladdin Connect uses your home's Wi-Fi to control access to and monitor your garage from anywhere with your Apple or Android mobile device. Just download the free Aladdin Connect mobile app to get set up and the Aladdin Connect will notify you whenever the garage door is being operated and by who. You can also remotely open the door for deliveries or repairs. You can even allow relatives or friends access to your garage without the need for a temporary password. The Aladdin Connect is compatible with most residential garage door openers, easy to install and set-up and even maintains a history report of the dates and times the door was used.

What sets the Aladdin Connect apart from similar products is its sensor that is attached to the door itself to monitor the position, instead of monitoring the automatic opener. So even if the door is manually operated by disengaging the door from the opener, the Aladdin Connect will alert you to any change in the position of the door. Control up to three doors with one door control module by adding an additional door position sensor to each additional door. One module and one sensor come standard with the kit and additional sensors are sold separately. 

Need More Information about Garage Door Openers? 

Please ask! Our in-house experts can help you with all of your garage door questions. Get in touch with our support crew: 

• Call: 800-783-6112 
• Email: support@northshorecommercialdoor.com