ASYNCHRONOUS COMMUNICATIONS USING HOME AUTOMATION SYSTEM

• US 20160028670A1
• Filed: 07/28/2014
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bunker, Brandon, Lott, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 10,764,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 51/214 using selective forwarding

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for communicating messages using a home automation system. An example computer-implemented method for communicating messages using a home automation system includes generating a message, establishing at least one condition related to delivery of the message, and delivering the message via the home automation system when the at least one condition is met.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for communicating messages using a home automation system, comprising:

generating a message;

establishing at least one condition related to delivery of the message; and

delivering the message via the home automation system when the at least one condition is met.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition includes at least one of a date and a time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition includes a geo location or a change in geo location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message includes at least one of a text message, an audible message, and a video message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the message on a control panel of the home automation system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the message on a mobile computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is generated and received by the same person.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the message includes generating the message on one of a handheld computing device and a control panel of the home automation system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a first person generates the message, a second person meets the at least one condition, and the message is delivered to at least one of the first and second persons.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition includes a direction of travel.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one condition is a sensed activity that occurs on a property monitored by the home automation system.

12. An apparatus for communicating messages using a home automation system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

generate a message;

establish at least one condition related to delivery of the message, the at least one condition being based at least in part on geo location information; and

deliver the message via the home automation system when the at least one condition is met.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the geo location information includes a change in location of a person that receives the message.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the message is generated at a control panel of the home automation system and is delivered at the control panel.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein delivering the message includes at least one of displaying a text or video and playing an audible message.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one condition includes, in addition to geo location information, at least one of a time, a date, and an activity determined at least in part using the home automation system.

17. A computer-program product for communicating messages using a home automation system, the computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

generate at least one message;

establish a plurality of conditions related to delivery of the at least one message;

determine with the home automation system whether the plurality of conditions are met; and

deliver the at least one message to at least one recipient after determining that the plurality of conditions are met.

18. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the plurality of conditions includes geo location.

19. The computer-program product of claim 18, wherein the geo location is determined at least in part by a mobile computing device carried by one or more persons.

20. The computer-program product of claim 17, wherein the plurality of conditions includes at least two conditions from a group of conditions comprising an activity determined using the home automation system, a time, a date, and geo location information.