System and method for appliance detection and app configuration

• US 10,305,969 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Arling, Paul D., Hatambeiki, Arsham
• Primary Examiner(s): Tecklu, Isaac T
• Application Number:
  US16/045,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20180337978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data

Abstract

A system and method is used to provision an app to a smart device for use in connection with an appliance. A presence of the appliance on a wireless network which includes the smart device is detected and data received from the appliance is used to initiate a retrieval of the app. When the retrieved app is installed on the smart device the app is usable with the smart device to provide at least an interface between the smart device and the appliance. In some circumstance, installation of the app on the smart device may also include causing the app to be synchronized with a corresponding app that was prior installed on another smart device capable of communicating with the appliance.

Claims

1. A non-transitory, computer readable media having instructions stored thereon which instructions, when executed by a processing device of a first smart device, cause the first smart device to perform steps comprising:

using a first data received from the appliance on a wireless network which includes the first smart device to initiate a retrieval of a first app from a server device;

causing the first app that was retrieved from the server device to be installed on the first smart device whereupon the first app is usable with the first smart device to provide at least a controlling interface between the first smart device and the appliance;

using an identifier for the first app and an identifier for the wireless network to initiate a retrieval of a second data from the server device, the second data being indicative of a state of a second app having an identifier that corresponds to the identifier for the first app that was prior installed on a second smart device, different than the first device, and which is currently active on the wireless network; and

using the second data that was retrieved from the server device to cause the first app installed on the first smart device to be synchronized with the state of the second app that was prior installed on the second smart device.

2. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises data indicative of a manufacturer and model of the appliance.

3. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the smart device to automatically initiate a retrieval of the first data from the appliance.

4. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 3, wherein the instructions cause the smart device to initiate a retrieval of the first data from the appliance in response to user input being provided to the first smart device.

5. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises a serial number provided to the appliance.

6. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises a MAC address provided to the appliance.

7. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the first app to be automatically installed on the first smart device.

8. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the second data comprises data indicative of an appliance control setting state for the app that was prior installed on the second smart device.

9. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the second data comprises data indicative of an interface setting state for the app that was prior installed on the second smart device.

10. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the second data comprises data obtained from a cookie.

11. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 3, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises data indicative of a manufacturer and model of the appliance.

12. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 3, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises a serial number provided to the appliance.

13. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 3, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises a MAC address provided to the appliance.

14. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 4, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises data indicative of a manufacturer and model of the appliance.

15. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 4, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises a serial number provided to the appliance.

16. The non-transitory, computer readable media as recited in claim 4, wherein the first data received from the appliance comprises a MAC address provided to the appliance.