HANDLING VISITOR INTERACTION AT A SMART-HOME IN A DO NOT DISTURB MODE

• US 20150116106A1
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony Michael, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Honjo, Shigefumi, McGaraghan, Scott A., Plitkins, Michael, Veron, Maxime, Guenette, Isabel
• Granted Patent: US 9,959,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/501
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system

Abstract

This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.

Claims

1. A method of managing a smart environment that comprises a plurality of smart devices, the method comprising:

obtaining, at an environment computing system from at least one sensor of at least a first smart device of the plurality of smart devices, environment data associated with the occupancy of the smart environment;

analyzing, with the environment computing system, at least a portion of the obtained environment data;

determining, with the environment computing system, a status of at least a portion of the smart environment based on the analyzing;

enabling, with the environment computing system, a do-not-disturb mode for the at least a portion of the smart environment based on the determining; and

at least one of;

based on the enabling, automatically sharing, by the environment computing system with a remote entity, status information indicative of the determined status; and

based on the enabling, automatically adjusting, using the environment computing system, the functionality of a particular smart device of the plurality of smart devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment data comprises data indicative of a location of a user with respect to the smart environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment data comprises data indicative of an activity of a user associated with the smart environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment data comprises data indicative of an operation of an electronic device at the smart environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing comprises analyzing the at least a portion of the obtained environment data in combination with calendar information from a calendar associated with a user of the smart environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the do-not-disturb mode is enabled, a setting of the mode defines how the environment computing system responds to a visitor being detected at the smart environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises, based on the enabling, automatically sharing, by the environment computing system with a remote entity, status information indicative of the determined status.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote entity comprises at least one of the following:

a package delivery facilitator;

a security enforcement facilitator; and

an emergency response facilitator.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the status information comprises information related to at least one of:

occupancy of the smart environment; and

movement within the smart environment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises, based on the enabling, automatically adjusting, using the environment computing system, the functionality of a particular smart device of the plurality of smart devices.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the functionality of the particular smart device comprises increasing the perception of occupancy at the environment to a visitor.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the functionality of the particular smart device comprises disabling at least a portion of a functionality of a doorbell smart device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting the functionality of the particular smart device comprises conveying information via an entryway interface smart device of the smart environment that a doorbell user interface of the entryway interface smart device is disabled.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the doorbell user interface of the entryway interface smart device is disabled.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the doorbell user interface of the entryway interface smart device is not disabled.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, at an environment computing system from at least one sensor of at least a second smart device of the plurality of smart devices, visitor data associated with a visitor detected at the smart environment;

processing, with the environment computing system, at least a portion of the obtained visitor data in combination with at least one setting of the enabled mode; and

based on the processing, communicating, using the environment computing system, feedback to the detected visitor via a third smart device of the plurality of smart devices.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the second smart device comprises a doorbell smart device; and

the third smart device is the second smart device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the communicating the feedback comprises conveying information to the visitor indicating that an occupant of the smart environment is unable to communicate with the visitor.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the processing comprises determining whether the identity of the detected visitor is known by a user of the smart environment;

when it is determined that the identity of the detected visitor is known by a user of the smart environment, the feedback comprises first feedback;

when it is determined that the identity of the detected visitor is not known by a user of the smart environment, the feedback comprises second feedback; and

the first feedback is different than the second feedback.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first feedback comprises more detail than the second feedback with respect to the availability of a user of the smart environment.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, at an environment computing system from at least one sensor of at least a second smart device of the plurality of smart devices, visitor data associated with a visitor detected at the smart environment;

processing, with the environment computing system, at least a portion of the obtained visitor data in combination with at least one setting of the enabled mode; and

based on the processing, communicating, using the environment computing system, feedback to a user of the environment via a third smart device of the plurality of smart devices.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the processing comprises determining whether the detected visitor is important to the user of the smart environment;

when it is determined that the identity of the detected visitor is important to the user of the smart environment, the feedback comprises first feedback;

when it is determined that the identity of the detected visitor is not important to the user of the smart environment, the feedback comprises second feedback; and

the first feedback is different than the second feedback.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the first feedback is audible to the user; and

the second feedback is not audible to the user.

24. A system for managing a smart environment, the system comprising:

a plurality of smart devices at the smart environment; and

a computing system operative to;

receive environment data from at least one sensor of at least a first smart device of the plurality of smart devices, wherein the environment data is associated with the occupancy of the smart environment;

process at least a portion of the received environment data;

determine a status of at least a portion of the smart environment based on the processed environment data; and

enable a do-not-disturb mode for the at least a portion of the smart environment based on the determined status, wherein the environment data comprises at least one of the following;

data indicative of a location of a user with respect to the smart environment;

data indicative of an activity of a user associated with the smart environment; and

data indicative of an operation of an electronic device at the smart environment.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein, when the do-not-disturb mode is enabled, a setting of the mode defines how the computing system responds to a visitor being detected at the smart environment.

26. The system of claim 24, when the do-not-disturb mode is enabled, the computing system is further operative to automatically share status information indicative of the determined status with a remote entity, wherein the remote entity comprises at least one of the following:

a package delivery facilitator;

a security enforcement facilitator; and

an emergency response facilitator.

27. The system of claim 24, when the do-not-disturb mode is enabled, the computing system is further operative to automatically share status information indicative of the determined status with a package delivery facilitator for increasing the efficiency with which the package delivery facilitator delivers a package to the smart environment.

28. The system of claim 24, when the do-not-disturb mode is enabled, the computing system is further operative to automatically adjust a functionality of a particular smart device of the plurality of smart devices.

29. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions recorded thereon for:

obtaining, at an environment computing system from at least one sensor of at least a first smart device of a plurality of smart devices at a smart environment, environment data associated with the occupancy of the smart environment;

analyzing, with the environment computing system, at least a portion of the obtained environment data;

determining, with the environment computing system, a status of at least a portion of the smart environment based on the analyzing;

enabling, with the environment computing system, a do-not-disturb mode for the at least a portion of the smart environment based on the determining; and

at least one of the following;

based on the enabling, automatically sharing, by the environment computing system with a remote entity, status information indicative of the determined status; and

based on the enabling, automatically adjusting, using the environment computing system, the functionality of a particular smart device of the plurality of smart devices.