METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING SMART HOME DEVICE

• US 20160154390A1
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xiaomi Inc. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xiaomi Inc. (Xiaomi Corp.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Pengfei, Xia, Yongfeng, Wang, Yidong, Liu, Tiejun
• Granted Patent: US 10,303,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40202 Human robot coexistence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45098 Vacuum cleaning robot
• 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 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are provided for controlling a smart home device. In the method, the apparatus acquires a target state of the smart home device, where the target state is a state determined according to visitor information within a predetermined range. The smart home device performs an operation corresponding to the target state. The smart home device flexibly performs different operations according to the actual visit situation so that working efficiency is improved. Especially when there are a large number of visitors within the predetermined range, the smart home device may automatically enter an unconventional working state, such that inconvenience caused by movement and noise to the visitors may be prevented, thereby improving overall performance of the smart home device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a smart home device, comprising:

acquiring a target state of the smart home device, the target state comprising a state at least partially related to visitor information within a predetermined range; and

performing an operation corresponding to the target state.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein acquiring the target state of the smart home device comprises:

acquiring the visitor information within the predetermined range; and

determining the target state of the smart home device according to the visitor information.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein acquiring the visitor information within the predetermined range comprises:

establishing a communication connection with a router within the predetermined range; and

based on the communication connection, acquiring a visitor device list within the predetermined range from the router according to a predetermined time period, the visitor device list comprising one or more device identifiers of one or more visitor devices accessing the router.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining the target state of the smart home device according to the visitor information comprises:

comparing a first identifier quantity of device identifiers included in a visitor device list acquired within a current time period with a second identifier quantity of device identifiers included in a visitor device list acquired within a previous time period; and

according to a comparison result, if the second identifier quantity is greater than the first identifier quantity, determining that the target state of the smart home device is a working state, and if the second identifier quantity is less than the first identifier quantity, determining that the target state of the smart home device is a muted state or a stopped state.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein acquiring the visitor information within the predetermined range comprises:

acquiring a visitor image within the predetermined range according to a predetermined time period; and

identifying a visitor quantity in the visitor image.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein acquiring a visitor image within the predetermined range according to a predetermined time period comprises:

starting an image pick-up device integrated into the smart home device; and

when the smart home device moves within the predetermined range, acquiring a visitor image picked up by the image pick-up device according to the predetermined time period.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein acquiring the visitor image within the predetermined range according to a predetermined time period comprises:

establishing a communication connection with a smart image pick-up device configured to pick up a visitor image within the predetermined range; and

based on the communication connection, acquiring a visitor image from the smart image pick-up device according to the predetermined time period.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein acquiring the visitor image within the predetermined range according to a predetermined time period comprises:

establishing a communication connection with a router within the predetermined range, the router being configured to receive a visitor image picked up by a smart image pick-up device within the predetermined range; and

based on the communication connection, receiving a visitor image forwarded by the router according to the predetermined time period.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining the target state of the smart home device according to the visitor information comprises:

comparing a first visitor quantity identified in a visitor image acquired within a current time period with a second visitor quantity identified in a visitor image acquired within a previous time period; and

according to a comparison result, if the second visitor quantity is greater than the first visitor quantity, determining that the target state of the smart home device is a working state, and if the second visitor quantity is less than the first visitor quantity, determining that the target state of the smart home device is a muted state or a stopped state.

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein acquiring the visitor information within the predetermined range comprises:

acquiring member information within the predetermined range; and

identifying the visitor information from the member information.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein identifying the visitor information from the member information comprises:

when the member information is a member device list maintained by a router, acquiring a prestored host device identifier of a host device; and

deleting the host device identifier from the member device list, and acquiring a visitor device list formed of one or more visitor device identifiers of one or more visitor devices.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein identifying the visitor information from the member information comprises:

when the member information is a member image picked up within the predetermined range, acquiring a prestored host image; and

removing the host image from the member image using a face recognition algorithm, and acquiring a visitor image.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acquiring a target state of the smart home device comprises:

receiving a state indication command; and

receiving the target state of the smart home device from the state indication command.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein receiving a state indication command comprises:

receiving a state indication command sent by a router, the state indication command comprising the target state determined by the router according to a visitor device list, or the target state determined by the router according to a visitor image picked up by a smart image pick-up device;

or

receiving a state indication command sent by a smart image pick-up device, the state indication command comprising the target state determined by the smart image pick-up device according to a picked up visitor image.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the target state is a working state and an operation corresponding to the target state is a cleaning operation, the operation corresponding to the target state is performed in at least one of the following manners:

acquiring a visitor activity region within the predetermined range and performing a cleaning operation within the activity region; and

acquiring a visitor activity path within the predetermined range and performing a cleaning operation according to the activity path.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein acquiring the visitor activity region within the predetermined range comprises:

acquiring visitor location information by positioning a visitor-carried device within the predetermined range; and

determining a range determined according to the visitor location information as the visitor activity region.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein acquiring the visitor activity path within the predetermined range comprises:

acquiring visitor location change information by positioning and tracing a visitor-carried device within the predetermined range; and

determining the visitor activity path according to the location change information.

18. A method for controlling a smart home device, comprising:

acquiring visitor information within a predetermined range;

determining a target state of the smart home device according to the visitor information; and

sending a state indication command comprising the target state to the smart home device, such that the smart home device performs an operation corresponding to the target state according to the state indication command.

19. An apparatus for controlling a smart home device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to perform;

acquiring visitor information within a predetermined range;

determining a target state of the smart home device according to the visitor information; and

sending a state indication command comprising the target state to the smart home device, such that the smart home device performs an operation corresponding to the target state according to the state indication command.