METHODS FOR PROVIDING NOTIFICATIONS FOR FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS IN RESPONSE TO EVENTS DETECTED BY AN AUTOMATION SYSTEM, AND SYSTEMS AND DEVICES RELATED THERETO

• US 20140266717A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Jeremy B., Thomas, Jeffrey G., Santiago, Todd Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 9,830,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system

Abstract

An automation system may include a control panel monitoring one more automation system components. When an event is detected at an automation system component, the control panel may automatically access a local or remote data source and identify procedures to be implemented in response to the event. The procedures may include follow-up actions and procedures specific to a particular dealer of the automation system. Dealer-specific procedures may then be displayed or otherwise communicated by the control panel to alert the user of what actions to take or to expect.

Claims

1. A method for communicating dealer-specific procedures to a user of an automation system, comprising:

in an automation system comprising one or more automation components communicatively linked to a control panel, detecting an event in the automation system;

upon detecting the event, automatically accessing one or more procedures specific to the event and a dealer associated with the automation system; and

executing at least a portion of the one or more procedures specific to the event and the dealer associated with the automation system.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein executing the at least a portion of the one or more procedures comprises communicating the one or more procedures specific to the dealer to a user of the automation system using the control panel.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein executing the at least a portion of the one or more procedures comprises in response to the event, automating the one or more procedures specific to the event and the dealer.

4. The method recited in claim 3, wherein automating the one or more procedures comprises automating the one or more procedures in response to receiving a user input.

5. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising identifying the dealer associated with the automation system.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein accessing one or more procedures specific to the event and the dealer associated with the automation system comprises:

sending event information to a remote system; and

receiving from the remote system the one or more procedures.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein sending the event information to the remote system comprises sending an event identification to a network operations center.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein accessing the one or more procedures specific to the event and the dealer associated with the automation system comprises accessing the one or more procedures from a local data store.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein communicating the one or more procedures specific to the dealer to the user comprises displaying the one or more procedures on a display device of the automation system.

10. The method recited in claim 1, wherein accessing the one or more procedures specific to the event and the dealer associated with the automation system comprises accessing one or more follow-up procedures, the one or more follow-up procedures comprising at least one of:

an action to be taken by a network operations center;

an action to be taken by the dealer;

an action to be taken by the user;

or

at least one out-of-band procedure.

11. The method recited in claim 1, wherein accessing the one or more procedures specific to the event and the dealer associated with the automation system comprises accessing one or more control panel functions specific to the dealer for a particular event.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising facilitating the one or more control panel functions specific to the dealer for the particular event, wherein facilitating the one or more control panel functions specific to the dealer for the particular event comprises presenting one or more interfaces using the control panel, the one or more interfaces enabling:

initiation of at least voice communication with the dealer;

initiation of at least voice communication with a network operations center;

initiation of at least voice communication with an emergency response location;

electronic scheduling of a service call;

or

display of instructions for performing a user-implemented procedure specific to the event and the dealer associated with the automation system.

13. A method for registering dealer-specific procedures associated with events in an automation system, comprising:

accessing a procedure description system;

identifying a specific dealer associated with the automation system; and

registering in the procedure description system a custom procedure, the custom procedure being associated with an automation system event of the automation system and the specific dealer associated with the automation system.

14. The method recited in claim 13, wherein registering in the procedure description system the custom procedure comprises:

identifying the automation system event;

receiving a custom procedure associated with the automation system event; and

storing the custom procedure in association with an identification of the automation system event.

15. The method recited in claim 13, wherein registering in the procedure description system the custom procedure comprises registering an out-of-band follow-up procedure for the specific dealer and specific to the automation system event.

16. The method recited in claim 13, wherein registering in the procedure description system the custom procedure comprises registering an automation option for the specific dealer and specific to the automation system event.

17. A control panel of an automation system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a display device; and

non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the control panel to;

detect an event at an automation component of the automation system;

access one or more dealer-specific procedures specific to the event; and

display on the display device the one or more dealer-specific procedures for the event.

18. The control panel recited in claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer readable media further store computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the control panel to display on the display device the one or more dealer-specific procedures specific to the event.

19. The control panel recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more dealer-specific procedures specific to the event comprises one or more follow-up procedures, the one or more follow up procedures comprising at least one of:

identifying a future action by a dealer associated with the automation system;

identifying a future action by a network operations center communicatively linked to the control panel;

identifying a future action to be taken by a user of the control panel;

or

at least one out-of-band procedure.

20. The control panel recited in claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable media further store computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the control panel to:

display a service call scheduling interface;

receive a user selection, through the service call interface, of service call scheduling information; and

communicate the received service call scheduling information to a service center.