Learning device interaction rules

• US 20030233155A1
• Filed: 06/18/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kreiner, Barrett, Olsson, Stefan, Slemmer, John B., Jarboe, Andre, Kleinfelter, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,016,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/13
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/028 using expert systems only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23443 Upon detected function changes of remote device, activate proper local program
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/046 Forward inferencing; Production systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/33 Remote control using macros, scripts
• 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 41/16 using machine learning or artificial intelligence

Abstract

Devices and methods are disclosed for establishing interaction among electronic devices of an environment. The device has a transmitter, receiver, memory for storing interaction rules, and a processor for learning the interaction rules in association with the transmitter, receiver, and other devices of the environment. The device also includes components for performing the device specific functions and a state sensor for determining the logical or physical state of the device. Methods involve observing at one or more devices change of state activity among the plurality of devices through receiving a change of state message that is transmitted to the one or more devices. A set of rules are learned at the one or more devices based upon observing the change of state activity. The learned set of rules are then applied at the one or more devices to automatically control changes of state of devices within the plurality of devices.

Claims

1. A method of establishing rules for device interaction in an environment having a plurality of devices where each device performs one or more unique functions within the environment with the one or more functions of each device being associated with various states, the method comprising:

observing at one or more devices change of state activity among the plurality of devices through receiving a change of state message that is transmitted to the one or more devices;

learning a set of rules at the one or more devices based upon observing the change of state activity; and

applying the learned set of rules at the one or more devices to automatically control changes of state of devices within the plurality of devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the learned set of rules at the one or more devices comprises controlling the activity of one device based on the learned rules of the one device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the learned set of rules at the one or more devices comprises controlling one device based on the learned rules of a different device.

4. A method of establishing rules for device interaction in an environment having a plurality of devices where each device performs one or more unique functions within the environment with the one or more functions of each device being associated with various states, the method comprising:

detecting a change of state at a first device;

in response to detecting the change of state, broadcasting a change of state message to the plurality of devices, the message including an indication of the change of state and an identification of the first device;

receiving the change of state message at the plurality of devices;

detecting a change of state at a second device subsequent to receiving the change of state message; and

creating a rule at the second device that includes the detected change of state of the second device associated with the change of state of the first device received in the change of state message.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising subsequent to creating the rule and at a reception by the second device of the change of state message indicating the change of state of the first device, applying the rule to automatically perform the detected change of state of the second device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first device performs VCR functions and the second device performs TV functions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the change of state of the first device includes playing a tape, wherein the change of state of the second device includes tuning to channel 3, and wherein the rule created at the TV is that the TV automatically tunes to channel 3 when the TV receives a message that the VCR is beginning to play a tape.

8. A method of establishing rules for device interaction in an environment having a plurality of devices where each device performs one or more unique functions within the environment with the one or more functions of each device being associated with various states, the method comprising:

detecting a change of state at a first device;

in response to detecting the change of state at the first device, monitoring at the first device for a change of state message from one or more of the plurality of devices;

detecting a change of state at a second device subsequent to detecting the change of state at the first device;

in response to detecting the change of state at the second device, broadcasting a change of state message to the plurality of devices, the message including an indication of the change of state and an identification of the second device;

as a result of monitoring at the first device, receiving the change of state message from the second device at the first device; and

creating a rule at the first device that includes the detected change of state of the first device associated with the change of state of the second device received in the change of state message.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising at a detection of the change of state at the first device subsequent to creating the rule, applying the rule to thereby direct a message to the second device, the message including a notification related to the detected change of state of the first device and an identification of the first device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first device performs functions of a VCR and the second device performs functions of a TV, and wherein the rule created by the VCR is that when the VCR begins playing a tape, the VCR should direct a message to the TV that it should tune to channel 3.

11. A method of establishing rules for device interaction in an environment having a plurality of devices where each device performs one or more unique functions within the environment with the one or more functions of each device being associated with various states, the method comprising:

sending a request from a first device to a second device, the request specifying that the second device provide rules to the first device;

receiving the request from the first device at the second device;

in response to receiving the request, retrieving the rules from memory of the second device and transmitting the rules to the first device;

receiving the transmission of the rules at the first device; and

in response to receiving the transmission of rules, storing the rules in memory of the first device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising applying the rules of the first and second device to control changes of state of the plurality of devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein applying the rules comprises controlling the activity of the first device based on the learned rules of the first device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein applying the rules comprises controlling a third device based on the rules of the first device.

15. A device for establishing rules for device interaction in an environment having a plurality of devices where each device performs one or more unique functions within the environment with the one or more functions of each device being associated with various states, the device comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver;

a memory;

components that acquire the various states upon performing the one or more unique functions of the device;

a state sensor that is operably coupled to one or more of the components to recognize a current state of the device; and

a processor in communication with the transmitter, receiver, memory, and state sensor, the processor being configured to observe change of state activity among the plurality of devices through receiving a change of state message that is obtained by the receiver and by receiving change of state signals from the state sensor, learn a set of rules based upon observing the change of state activity, store the set of rules in the memory, and apply the stored set of rules to automatically control changes of state of devices within the plurality of devices.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the processor applies the stored set of rules by interacting with the components to control changes of state of the device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor applies the stored set of rules by transmitting signals to the plurality of devices other than the device to control the changes of state of the plurality of devices.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the components perform the function of a TV.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the learned rules include a rule to tune to channel 3 when a change of state message is received from a VCR indicating that the VCR is beginning to play a tape.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the learned rules include a rule to send a change of state message to a stereo to mute the stereo when the TV is has a change of state to power on.