Smart-home automation system that suggests or automatically implements selected household policies based on sensed observations

• US 10,423,135 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Veron, Maxime
• Primary Examiner(s): Elamin, Abdelmoniem I
• Application Number:
  US16/153,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20190079474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Embodiments provided herein relate to: suggesting, automatically implementing, or both suggesting and automatically implementing, one or more household policies to be implemented within a household environment. The household policies include one or more input criteria that is derivable from at least one smart device within the household environment, the one or more input criteria relating to a characteristic of the household environment, a characteristic of one or more occupants of the household, or both. The household policies also include one or more outputs to be provided based upon the one or more input criteria.

Claims

1. A method for household policy implementation in a smart home environment, comprising:

monitoring, via a device disposed in a household environment, one or more activities associated with;

a household, an individual within the household, a situation within the household, day-to-day activities within the household, or a combination thereof;

analyzing, via the device, a processor, or both, at least one characteristic of the one or more activities to discern information about the household, the individual, the situation, the day-to-day activities, or a combination thereof, wherein at least one of the one or more activities is associated with the household and the discerned information is associated with a family meal event and is representative of how the household spends its time in relation thereto, wherein the family meal consumption provides an indication of how much electronic device usage (screen time) the household, individuals, or both use, wherein electronic device usage traits of the household, individuals, or both comprise;

particular websites visited, where the screen time takes place, whether the screen time is for education, entertainment, or both, or any combination thereof; and

reporting, via the device, the discerned information, wherein the discerned information is supplied as an input to a household policy manager that provides one or more outputs to at least one smart device located within the smart home environment such that the at least one smart device operates in accordance with the one or more outputs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the family meal consumption provides an indication of how often a household eats together.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the family meal consumption provides an indication of where within the smart home environment the household spends its time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristics associated with the family meal consumption analyzed, via the device, a processor, or both is utensil movement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristics associated with the family meal consumption analyzed, via the device, a processor, or both is conversation content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristics associated with the family meal consumption analyzed, via the device, a processor, or both is vapor detection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristics associated with the family meal consumption analyzed, via the device, a processor, or both is an audio signature that matches a known sound associated with food consumption.

8. A system, comprising:

a device disposed in a household environment, configured to;

monitor one or more activities associated with;

a household, an individual within the household, a situation within the household, day-to-day activities within the household, or a combination thereof;

monitor an eating area; and

monitor how much electronic device usage (screen time) the household, individuals, or both use while in in the eating area, wherein electronic device usage traits of the household, individuals, or both comprise;

particular websites visited, where the screen time takes place, whether the screen time is for education, entertainment, or both, or any combination thereof; and

a processor configured to;

analyze at least one characteristic of the one or more activities to discern information about the household, the individual, the situation, the day-to-day activities, or a combination thereof;

discern and report how often the household eats meals together based upon the device'"'"'s monitoring; and

report the discerned information, wherein the discerned information is supplied as an input to a household policy manager that provides one or more outputs to at least one smart device located within the smart home environment such that the at least one smart device operates in accordance with the one or more outputs.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the device is configured to monitor the eating area for audible signatures that match a known sound associated with food consumption.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the known sound associated with food consumption is a chair sliding across a floor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the known sound associated with food consumption is utensil movement.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the known sound associated with food consumption is conversation content.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the device is configured to monitor the eating area for vapors.

14. A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising machine-readable instructions to:

receive, via a processor, data related to one or more activities associated with;

a household, an individual within the household, a situation within the household, day-to-day activities within the household, or a combination thereof, monitored by a device disposed in a household environment;

analyze, via the processor, at least one characteristic of the data related to the one or more activities to discern information about the household, the individual, the situation, the day-to-day activities, or a combination thereof, wherein at least one of the one or more activities is associated with the household and the discerned information is associated with a family meal event and is representative of how the household spends its time in relation thereto, wherein the family meal consumption provides an indication of how much electronic device usage (screen time) the household, individuals, or both use, wherein electronic device usage traits of the household, individuals, or both comprise;

particular websites visited, where the screen time takes place, whether the screen time is for education, entertainment, or both, or any combination thereof; and

report, via the processor, the discerned information, wherein the discerned information is supplied as an input to a household policy manager that provides one or more outputs to at least one smart device located within the smart home environment such that the at least one smart device operates in accordance with the one or more outputs.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the family meal consumption provides an indication of how often a household eats together.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, comprising instructions to:

receive the data, wherein the data is related to utensil movement;

analyze the data to discern whether the family meal consumption has taken place; and

report findings related to the analysis.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, comprising instructions to:

receive the data, wherein the data is related to vapor detection;

analyze the data to discern whether the family meal consumption has taken place; and

report findings related to the analysis.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, comprising instructions to:

receive the data, wherein the data is related to an audio signature;

analyze the data to discern whether the family meal consumption has taken place; and

report findings related to the analysis.