Shared Devices with Private and Public Instances

• US 20180183685A1
• Filed: 12/23/2016
• Published: 06/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Charles I.
• Granted Patent: US 10,735,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing Internet of Things (“IoT”) functionality. In some embodiments, a processor might receive sensor data from a plurality of sensors of a first IoT-capable device, and might analyze the sensor data to determine whether to send the sensor data to at least one of second IoT-capable devices or user devices, each associated with the user of the first IoT-capable device, and/or to at least one of third IoT-capable devices associated with one or more third party groups. Based on a determination to send the sensor data to at least one of the second IoT-capable devices associated with the user, the user devices associated with the user, and/or the third IoT-capable devices associated with third party group(s), the processor might send the sensor data to the at least one of the second IoT-capable devices, the user devices, and/or the third IoT-capable devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, with a processor, at least one first sensor data from each of one or more first sensors of a first Internet of Things (“

IoT”

)-capable device associated with a user;

analyzing, with the processor, the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or user devices associated with the user;

based on a determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or one or more user devices associated with the user, sending, via machine-to-machine communication, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user;

analyzing, with the processor, the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups with which the user has shared at least some access to the first IoT-capable device; and

based on a determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, sending, via machine-to-machine communication, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first sensors comprise at least one of a temperature sensor, a particulate sensor, a light sensor, an air quality sensor, a humidity sensor, a proximity sensor, a location sensor, a location beacon, an object identifier beacon, a flame detector, an atmospheric oxygen level monitor, an atmospheric carbon dioxide level monitor, an atmospheric nitrogen level monitor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, an environmental carbon monoxide sensor, a smoke detector, a toxicity monitor, a carcinogen detector, a radiation sensor, a telecommunications signal sensor, a sound amplitude sensor, a frequency sensor, an accelerometer, a moisture sensor, a motion sensor, a wind sensor, a weather sensor, or a seismic sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is one of a processor of a customer premises gateway device, a processor of a network gateway device, a processor of an IoT gateway device, or a processor of an IoT human interface device, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data comprises autonomously sending, by the processor of the one of the processor of the customer premises gateway device, the processor of the network gateway device, the processor of the IoT gateway device, or the processor of the IoT human interface device and via machine-to-machine communication, the at least one first sensor data to one or more of the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups or the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user, via a corresponding one of the customer premises gateway device, the network gateway device, the IoT gateway device, or the IoT human interface device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is one of a processor of the first IoT-capable device, a processor of a customer premises gateway device, a processor of a network gateway device, a processor of an IoT gateway device, or a processor of an IoT human interface device, wherein analyzing the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or user devices associated with the user comprises analyzing, with the processor, the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or user devices associated with the user based at least in part on a determination as to whether the at least one first sensor data satisfies one or more first conditions, the one or more first conditions comprising at least one of exceeding a first predetermined threshold value for a sensor-type of the one or more first sensors or falling within a first monitoring interval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein analyzing the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups comprises analyzing, with the processor, the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups based at least in part on a determination as to whether the at least one first sensor data satisfies one or more second conditions, the one or more second conditions comprising at least one of exceeding a second predetermined threshold value for a sensor-type of the one or more first sensors or falling within a second monitoring interval, wherein at least one of the one or more second conditions is different from at least one of the one or more first conditions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is one of a processor of a customer premises gateway device, a processor of a network gateway device, a processor of an IoT gateway device, or a processor of an IoT human interface device, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user comprises sending, by the first IoT-capable device, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user, in response to command instructions from the one of the processor of the customer premises gateway device, the processor of the network gateway device, the processor of the IoT gateway device, or the processor of the IoT human interface device to send the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices or the one or more user devices, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups comprises sending, by the first IoT-capable device, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, in response to command instructions from the one of the processor of the customer premises gateway device, the processor of the network gateway device, the processor of the IoT gateway device, or the processor of the IoT human interface device to send the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user comprises autonomously sending, by the first IoT-capable device, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups comprises autonomously sending, by the first IoT-capable device, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user, based on determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or one or more user devices associated with the user, comprises sending, by the first IoT-capable device, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user, in response to a sensor polling request from the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, based on a determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, comprises sending, by the first IoT-capable device, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, in response to a sensor polling request from the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user comprises sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user via one or more first application programming interfaces (“

APIs”

) established between the first IoT-capable device and each of the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user comprises sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user via one or more first virtual private network (“

VPN”

) connections established between the first IoT-capable device and each of the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups comprises sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups via one or more second APIs established between the first IoT-capable device and each of the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups comprises sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups via one or more second VPN connections established between the first IoT-capable device and each of the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein access to sensor data from each of one or more first sensors of the first IoT-capable device by one or more of the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user or the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups is defined by the user using a portal, wherein the portal comprises one of a web portal associated with a service provider, a web portal associated with the first IoT-capable device, a web portal associated with at least one of the one or more third party groups, a software application (“

app”

) user interface (“

UI”

) associated with a service provider, a software app UI associated with the first IoT-capable device, or a software app UI associated with at least one of the one or more third party groups through which the user registers the IoT-capable device for access by the one or more of the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups or the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein configuration of the first IoT-capable device is changed to accommodate configuration of an accessing device during access of the at least one first sensor data by the accessing device, the accessing device being one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user, the one or more user devices associated with the user, or the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the accessing device changes the configuration of the first IoT-capable device to accommodate its configuration, during access of the at least one first sensor data, and restores the configuration of the first IoT-capable device, after access of the at least one first sensor data.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, after access of the at least one first sensor data by the accessing device, which changes the configuration of the first IoT-capable device to accommodate its configuration, the first IoT-capable device restores its current configuration to its configuration prior to access by the accessing device, either after a predetermined interval after the accessing device has stopped access or in response to a restoration instruction from the accessing device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups with which the user has shared at least some access to the first IoT-capable device comprises analyzing, with the processor, the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups with which the user has shared at least some access to the first IoT-capable device based on access restrictions placed by the user on each of the third party groups associated with the at least one third device, the access restrictions comprising one of data-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, time-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, location-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors and to one or more other functionalities of the first IoT-capable device, limited management access to the first IoT-capable device, or full management access to the first IoT-capable device, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups comprises sending, via machine-to-machine communication, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, by giving the at least one third device one of data-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, time-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, location-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors and to one or more other functionalities of the first IoT-capable device, limited management access to the first IoT-capable device, or full management access to the first IoT-capable device, consistent with the access restrictions placed by the user on each of the third party groups associated with the at least one third device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein availability of resources of the first IoT-capable device is posted on a publically accessible portal, wherein the portal tracks subscribers to the first IoT-capable device and provides the user with information regarding the subscribers to the first IoT-capable device, wherein the portal manages subscriber registration and access to the first IoT-capable device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first IoT-capable device is one of a plurality of IoT-capable devices, and each IoT-capable device is assigned a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is at least one of Internet Protocol (“

IP”

)-based, location based, or media access control identification (“

MAC ID”

)-based.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the unique identifier is one of a unique IPv4 identifier or a unique IPv6 identifier.

21. A shared Internet of Things (“

IoT”

)-capable device, comprising;

at least one processor;

one or more first sensors;

at least one transceiver; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the shared IoT-capable device to;

receive at least one first sensor data from each of the one or more first sensors;

analyze the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of second IoT-capable devices associated with a user or user devices associated with the user;

based on a determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or one or more user devices associated with the user, sending, via machine-to-machine communication using the at least one transceiver, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user;

analyze the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups with which the user has shared at least some access to the first IoT-capable device; and

based on a determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, send, via machine-to-machine communication using the at least one transceiver, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

22. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 21, wherein the one or more first sensors comprise at least one of a temperature sensor, a particulate sensor, a light sensor, an air quality sensor, a humidity sensor, a proximity sensor, a location sensor, a location beacon, an object identifier beacon, a flame detector, an atmospheric oxygen level monitor, an atmospheric carbon dioxide level monitor, an atmospheric nitrogen level monitor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, an environmental carbon monoxide sensor, a smoke detector, a toxicity monitor, a carcinogen detector, a radiation sensor, a telecommunications signal sensor, a sound amplitude sensor, a frequency sensor, an accelerometer, a moisture sensor, a motion sensor, a wind sensor, a weather sensor, or a seismic sensor.

23. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 21, wherein the shared IoT-capable device comprises at least one of one or more wireless access points, one or more sensor devices, one or more cameras, a gateway device, or an IoT human interface device.

24. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 21, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data comprises sending, via machine-to-machine communication, the at least one first sensor data to one or more of the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups or the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user, via at least one of a customer premises gateway device, a network gateway device, an IoT gateway device, or an IoT human interface device.

25. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 21, wherein configuration of the first IoT-capable device is changed to accommodate configuration of an accessing device during access of the at least one first sensor data by the accessing device, the accessing device being one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user, the one or more user devices associated with the user, or the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

26. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 25, wherein the accessing device changes the configuration of the first IoT-capable device to accommodate its configuration, during access of the at least one first sensor data, and restores the configuration of the first IoT-capable device, after access of the at least one first sensor data.

27. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 25, wherein, after access of the at least one first sensor data by the accessing device, which changes the configuration of the first IoT-capable device to accommodate its configuration, the first IoT-capable device restores its current configuration to its configuration prior to access by the accessing device, either after a predetermined interval after the accessing device has stopped access or in response to a restoration instruction from the accessing device.

28. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 21, wherein analyzing the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups with which the user has shared at least some access to the first IoT-capable device comprises analyzing the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups with which the user has shared at least some access to the first IoT-capable device based on access restrictions placed by the user on each of the third party groups associated with the at least one third device, the access restrictions comprising one of data-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, time-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, location-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors and to one or more other functionalities of the first IoT-capable device, limited management access to the first IoT-capable device, or full management access to the first IoT-capable device, wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups comprises sending, via machine-to-machine communication, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, by giving the at least one third device one of data-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, time-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, location-limited access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors, full access to sensor data from the one or more first sensors and to one or more other functionalities of the first IoT-capable device, limited management access to the first IoT-capable device, or full management access to the first IoT-capable device, consistent with the access restrictions placed by the user on each of the third party groups associated with the at least one third device.

29. The shared IoT-capable device of claim 21, wherein the first IoT-capable device is one of a plurality of IoT-capable devices, and each IoT-capable device is assigned a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is at least one of Internet Protocol (“

IP”

)-based, location based, or media access control identification (“

MAC ID”

)-based.

30. A system, comprising:

a first IoT-capable device, comprising;

at least one first processor;

one or more first sensors;

at least one first transceiver; and

a first non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one first processor, the first non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a first set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one first processor, causes the first IoT-capable device to;

receive at least one first sensor data from each of the one or more first sensors; and

send the at least one first sensor data to a computing system via the at least one first transceiver;

the computing system, comprising;

at least one second processor; and

a second non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one second processor, the second non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a second set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one second processor, causes the computing system to;

receive the at least one first sensor data from each of one or more first sensors of the first IoT-capable device;

analyze the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of second IoT-capable devices associated with a user or user devices associated with the user;

based on a determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or one or more user devices associated with the user, sending, via machine-to-machine communication using the at least one transceiver, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user or the one or more user devices associated with the user;

analyze the at least one first sensor data to determine whether to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of third devices associated with third party groups with which the user has shared at least some access to the first IoT-capable device; and

based on a determination to send the at least one first sensor data to at least one of one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, send, via machine-to-machine communication using the at least one transceiver, the at least one first sensor data to the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the computing system comprises one of one or more processors disposed within one of the one or more second IoT-capable devices associated with the user, one or more processors disposed within one of the one or more user devices associated with the user, one or more processors disposed within one of the at least one third device of the one or more third devices associated with each of the one or more third party groups, a customer premises gateway device, a network gateway device, an IoT gateway device, or an IoT human interface device.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the computing system is disposed within the first IoT-capable device, and wherein sending the at least one first sensor data to a computing system via the at least one first transceiver and receiving the at least one first sensor data from each of one or more first sensors of the first IoT-capable device comprise sending and receiving the at least one first sensor data between the one or more first sensors and the computing system via an internal communications system of the first IoT-capable device.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the one or more first sensors comprise at least one of a temperature sensor, a particulate sensor, a light sensor, an air quality sensor, a humidity sensor, a proximity sensor, a location sensor, a location beacon, an object identifier beacon, a flame detector, an atmospheric oxygen level monitor, an atmospheric carbon dioxide level monitor, an atmospheric nitrogen level monitor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, an environmental carbon monoxide sensor, a smoke detector, a toxicity monitor, a carcinogen detector, a radiation sensor, a telecommunications signal sensor, a sound amplitude sensor, a frequency sensor, an accelerometer, a moisture sensor, a motion sensor, a wind sensor, a weather sensor, or a seismic sensor.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the first IoT-capable device is one of a plurality of IoT-capable devices, and each IoT-capable device is assigned a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is at least one of Internet Protocol (“

IP”

)-based, location based, or media access control identification (“

MAC ID”

)-based.