Hardware configurable security, monitoring and automation controller having modular communication protocol interfaces

• US 10,674,428 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohn, Alan Wade, Faulkner, Gary Robert, Johnson, James A., Kitchen, James Edward, Proft, David Leon, Quain, Corey Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black-Childress, Rajsheed O
• Application Number:
  US12/771,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20100280637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,686 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0736 in functional embedded systems, i.e. in a data processing system designed as a combination of hardware and software dedicated to performing a certain function testing or monitoring of automated control systems G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/08 Signalling of tampering with the line circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities 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: 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 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 : Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 : Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• 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 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/26 : Special purpose or proprietary protocols or architectures network applications for proprietary or special purpose networking environments H04L67/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 : for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/34 : Modification of an existing route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections

Abstract

A single platform for controller functionality for each of security, monitoring and automation, as well as providing a capacity to function as a bidirectional Internet gateway, is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by virtue of a configurable architecture that enables a user to adapt the system for the user'"'"'s specific needs. Embodiments of the present invention further provide such functionality by providing for installation of removable, modular communication adapters for communication with a variety of devices external to the security, monitoring and automation controller.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to;

send, to a server located external to a premises, an indication of a first zone function associated with one or more premises devices located at the premises;

receive, from the server and based on a message from a computing device located external to the premises, an indication of a second zone function associated with the one or more premises devices; and

cause, based on premises device data received from the one or more premises devices, execution of one or more operations associated with the second zone function.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the premises device data comprises data determined by the one or more premises devices.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the premises device data comprises at least one of image data or video data.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a touchscreen user interface, wherein the first zone function is based on input via the touchscreen user interface.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is located at the premises.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first zone function or the second zone function comprises at least one of an entry/exit function, a perimeter function, an interior follower function, a 24-hour fire function, a 24-hour monitor function, a 24-hour environmental function, or a 24-hour inform function.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more operations comprise at least one of initializing an entry delay, generating a motion detection alarm, generating a fire alarm, generating a glass break alarm, generating a smoke/heat detection alarm, generating an inertia detection alarm, causing sound notifications at the premises, or generating one or more messages to the server based on the premises device data.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more premises devices is associated with a zone of the premises, and wherein the zone comprises at least one of an area at a periphery of the premises, an interior area of the premises, a home on the premises, an entryway of the premises, an exit of the premises, a window area of the premises, or a doorway area of the premises.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more premises devices is configured to execute the one or more operations.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to execute the one or more operations.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

cause, based on the second zone function, the premises device data, a device type of the one or more premises devices, and a zone associated with the one or more premises devices, the one or more operations to be executed.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

cause, based on the second zone function, the premises device data, a device type of the one or more premises devices, a zone associated with the one or more premises devices, and a zone type of the zone, the one or more operations to be executed.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more premises devices comprises at least one of a security device, a monitoring device, or an automation device.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more premises devices comprises at least one of a lighting device, an appliance, an environmental apparatus, a thermostat, a still image camera, a video camera, a heating device, a cooling device, a sensor, a door sensor, a window sensor, a motion detector, a smoke detector, a glass break detector, an inertial detector, a water detector, a carbon dioxide detector, a key fob device, or an audio monitor.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the second zone function is based on a modification to the first zone function.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the modification to the first zone function comprises a user modification to the first zone function.

17. A method comprising:

sending, by a first device located at a premises and to a second device located external to the premises, an indication of a first zone function associated with one or more premises devices located at the premises;

receiving, from the second device and based on a message from a third device located external to the premises, an indication of a second zone function associated with the one or more premises devices; and

causing, based on premises device data received from the one or more premises devices, execution of one or more operations associated with the second zone function.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the premises device data comprises data determined by the one or more premises devices.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the first device comprises a touchscreen user interface and the first zone function is based on input via the touchscreen user interface.

20. A method comprising:

receiving, from a first device located at a premises and by a second device located external to a premises, an indication of a first zone function associated with one or more premises devices located at the premises;

receiving, by the second device and from a third device located external to the premises, a message indicating a modification to the first zone function;

sending, to the first device and based on the message, an indication of a second zone function associated with the one or more premises devices; and

causing, based on premises device data received from the one or more premises devices, execution of one or more operations associated with the second zone function.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the receiving the message comprises receiving the message via by a portal application associated with the second device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the premises device data comprises data determined by the one or more premises devices.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the first device comprises a touchscreen user interface configured to edit at least one of the first zone function or the second zone function.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the premises device data indicates a premises event;

and

wherein the one or more operations comprise one or more operations executed in response to the premises event while the one or more premises devices are associated with the second zone function.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the premises device data comprises at least one of image data or video data.