Set top box automation

• US 10,334,304 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Jungtaik, Eyring, Matthew J., Nye, James E., Warren, Jeremy B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marandi, James R
• Application Number:
  US15/858,126
• Publication Number:
  US 20180124450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19691 Signalling events for better perception by user, e.g. indicating alarms by making display brighter, adding text, creating a sound
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for integration of a set top box and an automation system is described. In one configuration, subscriber program content is provided. An aspect of a premises is monitored via one or more sensors. A monitor channel may be provided to display the monitored aspect of the premises. The monitor channel may be displayed in a channel guide among channels of the subscriber program content.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for integration of a set top box and an automation system, the method comprising:

providing, via one or more processors, subscriber program content;

monitoring, via the one or more processors, an aspect of a premises using one or more sensors;

detecting, via the one or more processors, a predetermined change related to the monitored aspect of the premises, wherein the predetermined change comprises an imminent expiration of a timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises;

generating a notification including information regarding the predetermined change;

altering a type of the notification based at least in part on a content being currently viewed on the set top box;

providing, via the one or more processors, the notification for display in at least a portion of a viewing area of the content being currently viewed on the set top box;

pausing the content being currently viewed on the set top box to display the notification on at least a portion of the paused content;

receiving in response to the displayed notification, a user input to update the timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises, wherein the user input comprises an amount of additional time to add to the timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises;

updating the timer based at least in part on the received user input; and

resuming the paused content upon determining that a predetermined period of time has lapsed after the notification was displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a monitor channel to display the monitored aspect of the premises, the monitor channel being displayed in a channel guide among channels of the subscriber program content.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking a plurality of entities associated with the premises, wherein the predetermined change related to the monitored aspect of the premises is based at least in part on a predetermined change related to at least one of the plurality of entities associated with the premises.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising;

providing a tracking channel among channels of the subscriber program content, the tracking channel to display a map of the tracked plurality of entities.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying a native application programming interface (API) of the set top box in order to provide a monitor channel in a channel guide among channels of the subscriber program content; and

upon receiving a user command, scheduling the set top box to record the monitor channel for a specified duration on a specified date.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input in response to the displayed notification, wherein the notification is displayed based at least in part on the detected predetermined change.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the notification is displayed on the viewing area of paused content.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining whether the user input is received within the predetermined period of time; and

upon determining that the user input is received within the predetermined period of time, resuming the paused content.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the content being currently viewed on the set top box further comprises a presently viewed channel of the subscriber program content.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

upon detecting a first user input, displaying an automation user interface, the automation user interface including information regarding the one or more sensors; and

upon detecting a second user input in relation to the automation user interface, adjusting, via the processor, an aspect of at least one of the one or more sensors.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second user inputs comprise at least one of a voice command input, a video gesture input, tactile gesture input, a mobile computing device input, and a remote control device input.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring an action of a user; and

upon detecting the monitored action of the user matches a predetermined user action, adjusting an aspect of at least one of the one or more sensors based on a current state of the one or more sensors.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

identifying a pattern associated with the monitored action of the user;

detecting an initiation of the identified pattern associated with the monitored action of the user; and

upon detecting the initiation of the identified pattern, adjusting an aspect of at least one of the one or more sensors.

14. A home automation system configured for integration of a set top box and an automation system, comprising:

a processor;

one or more speakers;

memory in electronic communication with the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

provide subscriber program content;

monitor an aspect of a premises using one or more sensors;

detect a predetermined change related to the monitored aspect of the premises, wherein the predetermined change comprises an imminent expiration of a timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises;

generate a notification including information regarding the predetermined change;

alter a type of the notification based at least in part on a content being currently viewed on the set top box;

provide the notification for display in at least a portion of a viewing area of the content being currently viewed on the set top box;

pause the content being currently viewed on the set top box to display the notification on at least a portion of the paused content;

receive in response to the displayed notification, a user input to update the timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises, wherein the user input comprises an amount of additional time to add to the timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises;

update the timer based at least in part on the received user input; and

resume the paused content upon determining that a predetermined period of time has lapsed after the notification was displayed.

15. The home automation system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

provide a monitor channel to display the monitored aspect of the premises, the monitor channel being displayed in a channel guide among channels of the subscriber program content.

16. The home automation system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

track a plurality of entities associated with the premises, wherein the predetermined change related to the monitored aspect of the premises is based at least in part on a predetermined change related to at least one of the plurality of entities associated with the premises.

17. The home automation system of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

provide a tracking channel among channels of the subscriber program content, the tracking channel to display a map of the tracked plurality of entities.

18. The home automation system of claim 14, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

modify a native application programming interface (API) of the set top box in order to provide a monitor channel in a channel guide among channels of the subscriber program content; and

upon receiving a user command, schedule the set top box to record the monitor channel for a specified duration on a specified date.

19. A computer-program product for integrating, via a processor, a set top box and automation system, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon, the instructions being executable by the processor to:

provide subscriber program content;

monitor an aspect of a premises using one or more sensors;

detect a predetermined change related to the monitored aspect of the premises, wherein the predetermined change comprises an imminent expiration of a timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises;

generate a notification including information regarding the predetermined change;

alter a type of the notification based at least in part on a content being currently viewed on the set top box;

provide the notification for display in at least a portion of a viewing area of the content being currently viewed on the set top box;

pause the content being currently viewed on the set top box to display the notification on at least a portion of the paused content;

receive in response to the displayed notification, a user input to update the timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises, wherein the user input comprises an amount of additional time to add to the timer associated with the monitored aspect of the premises;

update the timer based at least in part on the received user input; and

resume the paused content upon determining that a predetermined period of time has lapsed after the notification was displayed.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

provide a monitor channel to display the monitored aspect of the premises, the monitor channel being displayed in a channel guide among channels of the subscriber program content.