Controlling settings and attributes related to operation of devices in a network

• US 10,554,439 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Plummer, Jon Robertsen, Kim, Ryan Yong, Pathuri, Venkata Subba Rao, Mitchell, Sarah Gallivan, Glidden, Matt, McLaughlin, Douglas Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US14/326,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20150319046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 715736, 715734, 715781
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

Techniques are described for controlling attributes and/or settings related to operation of devices via a wireless network. An access device can determine a status of a configurable attribute/setting related to operation of a device (e.g., a home automation network device that can control a home appliance) connected to the network. The computing device can execute an application that can generate and display a graphical interface including an interactive area or an interactive element to control the device. The interactive element or the graphical interface can indicate a current value for the setting/attribute. The interactive area or element can be adjustable to adjust the setting/attribute. An adjusted value of the setting/attribute can be communicated to the network which can cause operation of the device to be controlled based on the adjusted value. The computing device can modify the graphical interface to indicate the adjusted value of the setting/attribute.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

transmitting, by a computing device on a network, a request to identify the computing device as a trusted device on the network, wherein after transmitting the request, the network authorizes the computing device as a trusted device;

displaying, by the computing device, a graphical interface, wherein the graphical interface includes an interactive area corresponding to a network device, and wherein the interactive area indicates a current status of an operation setting associated with the network device;

receiving input corresponding to an interaction at the interactive area of the graphical interface, wherein the operation setting is adjusted using the input;

determining whether the computing device is connected to one or more access points connected to the network device, wherein the one or more access points facilitate communication with the network, wherein when the computing device is connected to the one or more access points, the computing device is determined to be located within the network;

automatically transmitting the adjusted operation setting, wherein the determination is used to select a short-range network channel or a cloud-based channel to transmit the adjusted operation setting, wherein when the computing device is determined to be located within the network, the adjusted operation setting is automatically transmitted using the short-range network channel, wherein when the computing device is determined not to be located within the network, the adjusted operation setting is automatically transmitted using the cloud-based channel, and wherein operation of the network device is modified using the adjusted operation setting without requiring the computing device to provide a login credential after determining that computing device is a trusted device; and

updating the graphical interface to display an updated status indicating the adjusted operation setting.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message indicating that the network device received the adjusted operation setting, wherein the message is received using the short-range network channel when the computing device is located within the network, and wherein the message is received using the cloud-based channel when the computing device is not located within the network; and

updating the graphical interface to display an indication that the adjusted operation setting has been received.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the message includes a result, and wherein the result indicates whether operation of the network device has been adjusted based on the transmitted adjusted operation setting.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein updating the graphical interface includes modifying the graphical interface using the result.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the result indicates a status of settings related to operation of the network device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the graphical interface includes modifying the graphical interface when the adjusted operation setting is determined.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the graphical interface includes displaying the indication in the interactive area.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message, wherein the message is received in a communication from the network device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message, wherein the message is received with an updated status from the network device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more network devices are coupled to computing devices capable of controlling network device operations.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is included in an access device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting related to operation of the network device is adjustable between a plurality of values.

13. A system, comprising:

one or more data processors; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

transmitting, by a computing device on a network, a request to identify the computing device as a trusted device on the network, wherein after transmitting the request, the network authorizes the computing device as a trusted device;

displaying, by the computing device, a graphical interface, wherein the graphical interface includes an interactive area corresponding to a network device, and wherein the interactive area indicates a current status of an operation setting associated with the network device;

receiving input corresponding to an interaction at the interactive area of the graphical interface, wherein the operation setting is adjusted using the input;

determining whether the computing device is connected to one or more access points connected to the network device, wherein the one or more access points facilitate communication with the network, wherein when the computing device is connected to the one or more access points, the computing device is determined to be located within the network;

automatically transmitting the adjusted operation setting, wherein the determination is used to select a short-range network channel or a cloud-based channel to transmit the adjusted operation setting, wherein when the computing device is determined to be located within the network, the adjusted operation setting is automatically transmitted using the short-range network channel, wherein when the computing device is determined not to be located within the network, the adjusted operation setting is automatically transmitted using the cloud-based channel, and wherein operation of the network device is modified using the adjusted operation setting without requiring the computing device to provide a login credential after determining that computing device is a trusted device; and

updating the graphical interface to display an updated status indicating the adjusted operation setting.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a message indicating that the network device received the adjusted operation setting, wherein the message is received using the short-range network channel when the computing device is located within the network, and wherein the message is received using the cloud-based channel when the computing device is not located within the network; and

updating the graphical interface to display an indication that the adjusted operation setting has been received.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the message is received from a device that is different from the network device to which the adjusted operation setting is transmitted.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a message, wherein the message includes a result, wherein the result indicates whether operation of the network device has been adjusted based on the transmitted adjusted operation setting, and wherein updating the graphical interface includes modifying the graphical interface using the result.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein updating the graphical interface includes modifying the graphical interface when the updated status is determined.

18. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

transmit, by a computing device on a network, a request to identify the computing device as a trusted device on the network, wherein after transmitting the request, the network authorizes the computing device as a trusted device;

display, by the computing device, a graphical interface, wherein the graphical interface includes an interactive area corresponding to a network device, and wherein the interactive area indicates a current status of an operation setting associated with the network device;

receive input corresponding to an interaction at the interactive area of the graphical interface, wherein the operation setting is adjusted using the input;

determine whether the computing device is connected to one or more access points connected to the network device, wherein the one or more access points facilitate communication with the network, wherein when the computing device is connected to the one or more access points, the computing device is determined to be located within the network;

automatically transmit the adjusted operation setting, wherein the determination is used to select a short-range network channel or a cloud-based channel to transmit the adjusted operation setting, wherein when the computing device is determined to be located within the network, the adjusted operation setting is automatically transmitted using the short-range network channel, wherein when the computing device is determined not to be located within the network, the adjusted operation setting is automatically transmitted using the cloud-based channel, and wherein operation of the network device is modified using the adjusted operation setting without requiring the computing device to provide a login credential after determining that computing device is a trusted device; and

update the graphical interface to display an updated status indicating the adjusted operation setting.

19. The computer-program product of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise:

receive a message indicating that the network device received the adjusted operation setting, wherein the message is received using the short-range network channel when the computing device is located within the network, and wherein the message is received using the cloud-based channel when the computing device is not located within the network; and

update the graphical interface to display an indication that the adjusted operation setting has been received.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19, wherein the message includes a result, and wherein the result indicates whether operation of the network device has been adjusted based on the transmitted adjusted operation setting.

21. The computer-program product of claim 18, wherein updating the graphical interface includes modifying the graphical interface when the updated status is determined.

22. The computer-program product of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a message, wherein the message is received in a communication from the network device.

23. The computer-program product of claim 18, wherein the computing device is included in an access device.