CONTROLLER AND INTERFACE FOR HOME SECURITY, MONITORING AND AUTOMATION HAVING CUSTOMIZABLE AUDIO ALERTS FOR SMA EVENTS

• US 20100277315A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Dial, John Degraffenreid IV, Cohn, Alan Wade, Faulkner, Gary Robert, Quain, Corey Wayne, Proft, David Leon, Kitchen, James Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,426,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• 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. Such configurability includes associating selected audio event tones with selected events associated with sensors and zones coupled to the system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing

configuration information for one or more devices, the devices comprising one or more security sensors, home automation devices, and monitoring devices, and

mapping information associating one or more device events with corresponding event tone identifiers;

one or more communication interfaces configured to communicate with the one or more devices;

an audio processor coupled to a speaker; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, the communication interface and the audio processor, and configured to

interpret an event signal received via the communication interface from a first device of the one or more devices, said interpreting performed in accord with the configuration information associated with the first device,

determine if a first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal, said determining performed using the mapping information,

play a first event tone associated with the first event tone identifier using the audio processor, if the first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal, and

play a default event tone using the audio processor, if no first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor; and

the processor further configured to display the mapping information associating the device events with the corresponding event tone identifier, using the display.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an input device coupled to the processor;

the processor further configured to

receive, from the input device, mapping information associating a selected event tone identifier with a selected device event,

modify the mapping information associating the device events with corresponding event tone identifiers, using the received mapping information, and

store the modified mapping information in the memory.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor;

the memory further storing one or more event tone files, wherein each of the one or more event tone files has a corresponding event tone identifier; and

the processor further configured to provide a list of event tone identifiers corresponding to the one or more event tone files stored in the memory, using the display, wherein

the selected event tone identifier is selected from the list of event tone identifiers.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

a second communication interface, coupled to the processor, and configured to communicate with a remote server;

the processor further configured to

download a selected event tone file from the remote server using the second communication interface,

store the selected event tone file in the memory, and

add an event tone identifier for the selected event tone file to the list of event tone identifiers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising the processor further configured to:

download a list of available event tone identifiers each corresponding to an available event tone file accessible through the remote server;

display the list of available event tone identifiers using the display; and

provide for selection of an available event tone identifier from the list of available event tone identifiers, wherein

the selected event tone file corresponds to the selected available event tone identifier, and

the list of available event tone identifiers is populated according to one or more of a service tier associated with a user of the apparatus, services provided to the apparatus, and programs installed on the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second communication interface, coupled to the processor, and configured to communicate with a remote server; and

the processor further configured to transmit the mapping information associating the device events with the corresponding event tone identifiers to the remote server, using the second communication interface, wherein

the remote server stores the mapping information.

8. A method comprising:

interpreting an event signal received from a first device of one or more devices, wherein

the one or more devices comprise one or more of security sensors, home automation devices, and monitoring devices, and

said interpreting is performed in accord with configuration information for the one or more devices;

determining whether a first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal, wherein

said determining is performed using mapping information associating one or more device events with corresponding event tone identifiers;

playing a first event tone associated with the first event tone identifier, if the first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal; and

playing a default event tone, if no first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

displaying the mapping information associating the device events with the corresponding event tone identifier.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving mapping information associating a selected event tone identifier with a selected device event;

modifying the mapping information associating the device events with corresponding event tone identifiers with the received mapping information; and

storing the modified mapping information.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

selecting the selected event tone identifier from a list of event tone identifiers, wherein each event tone identifier corresponds to an event tone file stored in a memory.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

downloading a selected event tone file from a remote server;

storing the selected event tone file in the memory; and

adding an event tone identifier for the selected event tone file to the list of event tone identifiers.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

downloading a list of available event tone identifiers each corresponding to an available event tone file accessible from the remote server;

displaying the list of available event tone identifiers; and

selecting an available event tone identifier from the list of available event tone identifiers, wherein

the selected event tone file corresponds to the selected available event tone identifier, and

the list of available event tone identifiers is populated according to one or more of a service tier associated with a user of a device executing the method, services provided to the device executing the method, and programs installed on the device executing the method.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

transmitting the mapping information associating the one or more device events with corresponding event tone identifiers to a remote server, wherein the remote server stores the mapping information.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing

configuration information for one or more devices, the devices comprising one or more security sensors, home automation devices, and monitoring devices, and

mapping information associating one or more device events with corresponding event tone identifiers;

means for communicating with the one or more devices;

an audio processor coupled to a speaker;

means for interpreting an event signal received via the communication interface from a first device of the one or more devices, said interpreting performed in accord with the configuration information associated with the first device;

means for determining if a first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal, said determining performed using the mapping information;

means for playing a first event tone associated with the first event tone identifier using the audio processor, if the first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal; and

means for playing a default event tone using the audio processor, if no first event tone identifier is associated with the interpreted event signal.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

means for displaying the mapping information associating the device events with the corresponding event tone identifier.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

means for receiving mapping information associating a selected event tone identifier with a selected device event;

means for modifying the mapping information associating the device events with corresponding event tone identifiers, using the received mapping information; and

means for storing the modified mapping information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

means for storing one or more event tone files, wherein each of the one or more event tone files has a corresponding event tone identifier; and

means for providing a list of event tone identifiers corresponding to the one or more event tone files stored in the memory, wherein

the selected event tone identifier is selected from the list of event tone identifiers.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising:

means for communicating with a remote server;

means for downloading a selected event tone file from the remote server using the means for communicating with the remote server;

means for storing the selected event tone file; and

means for adding an event tone identifier for the selected event tone file to the list of event tone identifiers.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

means for communicating with a remote server; and

means for transmitting the mapping information associating the device events with the corresponding event tone identifiers to the remote server, using the means for communicating with the remote server, wherein

the remote server stores the mapping information.