Home device application programming interface

• US 10,031,727 B1
• Filed: 09/05/2017
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essential Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Essential Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Roman, Manuel, Segal, Mara Clair, Desai, Dwipal, Rubin, Andrew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Application Number:
  US15/696,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20180210711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 717106-109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00

Abstract

The present disclosure contemplates a variety of improved methods and systems for enabling developers to program and control a variety of disparate devices coupled to the framework and/or ambient operating system. The Home API can expose operation of the devices in a natural and intuitive manner, facilitating control of unknown devices by high-level commands.

Claims

1. A method for seamlessly and automatically building an application using an application programming interface (API) to interface with one or more devices within an environment with an assistant device having artificial intelligence (AI), comprising:

generating, by a processor, a graphic representing a layout of one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements for the application to instruct the assistant device to control the one or more devices within the environment;

selecting, by the processor, a section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be a selectable item on the application to implement a functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device;

assigning, by the processor, one or more device categories to the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be the selectable item on the application to implement the functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device, wherein the one or more device categories indicate types of devices within a location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device;

generating, by the processor, a rule based on attributes associated with the one or more device categories indicating the types of devices within the location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device, wherein the rule indicates a timer service and a conflict monitoring service to be executed, wherein the timer service initiates a count of time from selection of the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application to determine when the count of time reaches a threshold time causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories to perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device, wherein the conflict monitoring service determines that the environment includes a conflicting device having a status that is not compatible with the functionality within the environment, and wherein the conflict monitoring service terminates performance of the functionality within the environment when the status of the conflicting device is determined; and

generating, by the processor, the application having the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application, wherein the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application when selected instructs the assistant device to cause the one or more devices to perform the functionality within the environment in accordance with the rule.

2. A method, comprising:

generating, by a processor, a graphic representing a layout of one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements for an application to instruct an assistant device to control one or more devices within an environment;

selecting, by the processor, a section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be a selectable item on the application to implement a functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device;

assigning, by the processor, one or more device categories to the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be the selectable item on the application to implement the functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device, wherein the one or more device categories indicate types of devices within a location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device;

generating, by the processor, a rule based on attributes associated with the one or more device categories indicating the types of devices within the location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device; and

generating, by the processor, the application having the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application, wherein the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application when selected instructs the assistant device to cause the one or more devices to perform the functionality within the environment in accordance with the rule.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the rule includes a timer service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the timer service initiates a count of time from selection of the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application to determine when the count of time reaches a threshold time causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories to perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the rule includes a conflict monitoring service, and wherein the conflict monitoring service determines that the environment includes a conflicting device having a status that is not compatible with the functionality within the environment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the conflict monitoring service terminates performance of the functionality within the environment when the status of the conflicting device is determined.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more device categories include the location, wherein the rule is generated based on the location, and wherein the rule includes a signal monitoring service.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the signal monitoring service determines a distance of a user'"'"'s device to the location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein when the distance is determined to be within a threshold distance causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories to perform the functionality within the environment.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more device categories include a security category, and wherein the rule includes a video monitoring service.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein when the video monitoring service determines that a user selecting the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application is a primary user of the assistant device, the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories perform the functionality within the environment.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein generating the graphic includes creating a background and elements.

13. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a database storing records including information regarding one or more devices in an environment; and

a memory storing instructions, execution of which by the one or more processors cause the electronic device to;

generate a graphic representing a layout of one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements for an application to instruct an assistant device to control one or more devices within the environment;

select a section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be a selectable item on the application to implement a functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device;

assign one or more device categories to the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be the selectable item on the application to implement the functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device, wherein the one or more device categories indicate types of devices within a location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device;

generate a rule based on attributes associated with the one or more device categories indicated by the information regarding the one or more devices in the environment found in the database, wherein the one or more device categories indicate the types of devices within the location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device; and

generate the application having the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application, wherein the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application when selected instructs the assistant device to cause the one or more devices to perform the functionality within the environment in accordance with the rule.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the rule includes a timer service.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the timer service initiates a count of time from selection of the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application to determine when the count of time reaches a threshold time causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories to perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the rule includes a conflict monitoring service, and wherein the conflict monitoring service determines that the environment includes a conflicting device having a status that is not compatible with the functionality within the environment.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the conflict monitoring service terminates performance of the functionality within the environment when the status of the conflicting device is determined.

18. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the one or more device categories include the location, wherein the rule is generated based on attributes associated with the location, and wherein the rule includes a signal monitoring service.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the signal monitoring service determines a distance of a user'"'"'s device to the location.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein when the distance is determined to be within a threshold distance causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories to perform the functionality within the environment.

21. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the one or more device categories include a security category, and wherein the rule includes a video monitoring service.

22. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein when the video monitoring service determines that a user selecting the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application is a primary user of the assistant device, the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories perform the functionality within the environment.

23. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein generating the graphic includes creating a background and elements.

24. A computer program product, comprising one or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer program instructions stored therein, the computer program instructions being configured such that, when executed by one or more computing devices, the computer program instructions cause the one or more computing devices to:

generate a graphic representing a layout of one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements for an application to instruct an assistant device to control one or more devices within an environment;

select a section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be a selectable item on the application to implement a functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device;

assign one or more device categories to the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application that is to be the selectable item on the application to implement the functionality to be performed within the environment using the assistant device, wherein the one or more device categories indicate types of devices within a location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device;

generate a rule based on attributes associated with the one or more device categories indicated by information regarding the one or more devices in the environment found in a database, wherein the one or more device categories indicate the types of devices within the location that can perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device; and

generate the application having the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application, wherein the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application when selected instructs the assistant device to cause the one or more devices to perform the functionality within the environment in accordance with the rule.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the rule includes a timer service.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the timer service initiates a count of time from selection of the section of the graphic corresponding to the one or more GUI elements for the application to determine when the count of time reaches a threshold time causing the one or more devices associated with the one or more device categories to perform the functionality within the environment using the assistant device.