Resource allocation based on connected devices

• US 10,193,756 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toronto-Dominion Bank
• Original Assignee: Toronto-Dominion Bank
• Inventors: Chan, Paul Mon-Wah, Moretti, Christianne, Grant, Kevin, Mari, Kevin, Barnett, Jonathan K., Hamilton, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/152,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20160337261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to systems and computer-implemented methods for implementing a resource allocation and adjusting resource usage and spending based on information received from a plurality of network-connected devices. One example method is performed by identifying a master resource allocation associated with a plurality of connected devices and monitoring, at a device hub, resource usage information associated with at least one connected device. The device hub compares the monitored resource usage information associated with the at least one connected device to the master resource allocation for the plurality of connected devices, and, in response to the comparison, calculates at least one adjustment in operation for a particular connected device from the plurality of connected devices based on the monitored resource usage information. The device hub then transmits an instruction to perform the at least one calculated adjustment in operation to the particular connected device associated with the adjustment.

Claims

1. A device hub, the device hub managing a plurality of connected devices, wherein the device hub communicates with and manages operations of the connected devices via a network connection, the device hub comprising:

a memory;

at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled with the memory and configured to;

identify a master resource allocation associated with a plurality of connected devices, the master resource allocation associated with resource usage associated with the plurality of connected devices;

monitor resource usage information associated with each of the connected devices from the plurality of connected devices, wherein each of the plurality of connected devices are assigned a portion of the master resource allocation;

compare the monitored resource usage information associated with the plurality of connected devices to the master resource allocation for the plurality of connected devices to determine if at least one of the connected devices exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

in response to determining that at least one of the connected devices exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

identify at least one device management rule associated with the determination that the at least one of the connected device exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation, wherein the at least one device management rule defines a priority of different device types included in the plurality of connected devices;

determine, based on the defined priority of the different device types included in the plurality of connected devices, at least one connected device of a device type at a relatively lower priority level in than the at least one device management rules than the at least one of the connected device exceeding its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

identify at least one operational modification to the at least one connected device of a device type at the relatively lower priority level based on the at least one device management rule; and

transmit an instruction to perform the at least one operational modification to the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level, wherein the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level performs the at least one operational modification in response to receiving the transmitted instruction.

2. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the instruction to perform the at least one operational modification includes an instruction to modify operational parameters of the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level.

3. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level performs the at least one operational modification automatically without intervention from another party.

4. The device hub of claim 1, the at least one processor further configured to receive, from the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level, a confirmation of performing the at least one operational modification.

5. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the instruction to perform the at least one operational modification is transmitted to a user associated with the plurality of connected devices, wherein the instruction includes an actionable recommendation to modify operational parameters of the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level.

6. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connected devices comprise a plurality of network-connected devices.

7. The device hub of claim 1, where the monitored resource usage information associated with the at least one connected device includes a set of calculated cost information associated with the monitored usage, and wherein the calculated cost information is used in the comparison to the master resource allocation associated with the at least one connected device.

8. The device hub of claim 1, wherein monitored resource usage information associated with at least some of the plurality of connected devices is collected at a remote computing system, the at least one processor further configured to obtain usage information from the remote computing system.

9. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the master resource allocation is associated with a period of time, the at least one processor further configured to:

compare the monitored resource usage information associated with the plurality of connected devices at the end of the period of time to the master resource allocation; and

in response to determining the monitored resource usage information is associated with a usage amount less than the amount included in the master resource allocation during the period of time, automatically allocate the surplus resources from an account associated with the master resource allocation to a pre-designated financial savings or investment account.

10. The device hub of claim 9, the at least one processor further configured to:

in response to determining the monitored resource usage information is associated with a usage amount less than the amount included in the master resource allocation during the period of time, send a notification to a user associated with the master resource allocation.

11. The device hub of claim 1, wherein transmitting the instruction to perform the at least one operational modification to the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level based on the monitored resource usage information includes calculating the at least one operational modification for the at least one particular connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level based on the monitored resource usage information.

12. The device hub of claim 11, wherein the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level comprises a first particular connected device, the at least one processor further configured to:

in response to the comparison, calculate at least one operational modification for a second particular connected device within the plurality of connected devices, the second particular connected device different from the first particular connected device, the calculated at least one operational modification to be performed concurrently with the calculated at least one operational modification to the first particular connected device; and

transmit an instruction to perform the at least one calculated operational modification to the second particular connected device.

13. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connected devices is associated with at least two locations, each location remote from the other.

14. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the device hub is separate from any of the plurality of connected devices.

15. The device hub of claim 1, wherein the device hub is incorporated into a first connected device of the plurality of connected devices.

16. A computerized method performed by one or more processor of a device hub, the device hub managing a plurality of connected devices, wherein the device hub communicates with and manages operations of the connected devices via a network connection, the method comprising:

identifying a master resource allocation associated with a plurality of connected devices, the master resource allocation associated with resource usage associated with the plurality of connected devices;

monitoring, at the device hub, resource usage information associated with each of the connected devices from the plurality of connected devices, wherein each of the plurality of connected devices are assigned a portion of the master resource allocation;

comparing, at the device hub, the monitored resource usage information associated with the plurality of connected devices to the master resource allocation for the plurality of connected devices to determine if at least one of the connected devices exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

in response to determining that at least one of the connected devices exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

identifying at least one device management rule associated with the determination that the at least one of the connected device exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation, wherein the at least one device management rule defines a priority of different device types included in the plurality of connected devices;

determining, based on the defined priority of the different device types included in the plurality of connected devices, at least one connected device of a device type at a relatively lower priority level in than the at least one device management rules than the at least one of the connected device exceeding its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

identifying at least one operational modification to the at least one connected device of a device type at the relatively lower priority level based on the at least one device management rule; and

transmitting, from the device hub, an instruction to perform the at least one operational modification to the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level, wherein the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level performs the at least one operational modification in response to receiving the transmitted instruction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the instruction to perform the at least one operational modification includes an instruction to modify operational parameters of the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the device hub is incorporated into a first connected device of the plurality of connected devices.

19. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing computer-readable instructions executable by a computer and configured to:

identify a master resource allocation associated with a plurality of connected devices, the master resource allocation associated with resource usage associated with the plurality of connected devices;

monitor, at a device hub associated with the plurality of connected devices, resource usage information associated with each of the connected device from the plurality of connected devices, wherein each of the plurality of connected devices are assigned a portion of the master resource allocation;

compare, at the device hub, the monitored resource usage information associated with the plurality of connected device to the master resource allocation for the plurality of connected devices to determine if at least one of the connected devices exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

in response to determining that at least one of the connected devices exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

identify at least one device management rule associated with the determination that the at least one of the connected device exceeds its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation, wherein the at least one device management rule defines a priority of different device types included in the plurality of connected devices;

determine, based on the defined priority of the different device types included in the plurality of connected devices, at least one connected device of a device type at a relatively lower priority level in than the at least one device management rules than the at least one of the connected device exceeding its corresponding portion of the master resource allocation;

identify at least one operational modification to the at least one connected device of a device type at the relatively lower priority level based on the at least one device management rule; and

transmit, from the device hub, an instruction to perform the at least one operational modification to the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level, wherein the at least one connected device of the device type at the relatively lower priority level performs the at least one operational modification in response to receiving the transmitted instruction.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the device hub is incorporated into a first connected device of the plurality of connected devices.