Smart home device management

• US 8,375,118 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: HAO, Jack Jianxiu, Stallings, Heath, Geiger, Joseph M., Ortiz, Guillermo, Xia, Wei, VALDEZ, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US12/948,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20120130513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 715716-722, 715733-747, 715/760, 715965-970
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A mobile communication device receives information associated with multiple home devices, and generates, based on the home device information, a connected home dashboard that includes a home device item, a modes item, a monitoring item, a security item, and a notifications item. The mobile communication device also provides the connected home dashboard for display to a user, and receives, from the user, a selection of one of the home device item, the modes item, the monitoring item, the security item, or the notifications item. The mobile communication device further provides, based on the home device information and for display to the user, information associated with the selected item.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by the mobile communication device, information associated with a plurality of home devices;

generating, by the mobile communication device and based on the home device information, a connected home dashboard configured to present a single that includes;

each of a plurality of items, including a home device item, a modes item, a monitoring item, a security item, an energy item, and a notifications item, and

status information indicative of an activity log of actions, and associated times, performed by one or more of the plurality of home devices in response to user interaction via different ones of the plurality of items;

providing, by the mobile communication device, the connected home dashboard for display to a user;

receiving, by the mobile communication device and from the user, a selection of one of the home device item, the modes item, the monitoring item, the security item, the energy item, or the notifications item; and

providing, based on the home device information and by the mobile communication device, information associated with the selection for display to the user.

2. The mobile communication device-implemented method of claim 1, where receiving a selection includes receiving selection of the home device item, and the method further comprises:

providing, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with at least one of the plurality of home devices.

3. The mobile communication device-implemented method of claim 1, where receiving a selection includes receiving selection of the modes item, and the method further comprises:

providing, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with modes of the plurality of home devices.

4. The mobile communication device-implemented method of claim 1, where receiving a selection includes receiving selection of the monitoring item, and the method further comprises:

providing, based on the selection and for display to the user, information provided by audio and visual home devices of the plurality of home devices.

5. The mobile communication device-implemented method of claim 1, where receiving a selection includes receiving selection of the security item, and the method further comprises:

providing, based on the selection and for display to the user, information provided by home devices, of the plurality of home devices, associated with a home security system.

6. The mobile communication device-implemented method of claim 1, where receiving a selection includes receiving selection of the energy item, and the method further comprises:

providing, based on the selection and for display to the user, energy consumption information associated with energy consuming home devices of the plurality of home devices and information associated with energy monitoring home devices of the plurality of home devices.

7. The mobile communication device-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection includes receiving selection of the notifications item, and the method further comprises:

providing, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with a pending notification and including at least one of;

an image captured in connection with generation of the pending notification,

video captured in connection with generation of the pending notification, or

audio captured in connection with generation of the ending, notification.

8. The mobile communication device-implemented method of claim 1, where the mobile communication device comprises at least one of:

a radiotelephone,

a personal communications system (PCS) terminal,

a personal digital assistant (PDA),

a wireless device,

a smart phone, or

a laptop computer with a wireless air card.

9. A computing device-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, information associated with a plurality of home devices;

determining, by the computing device and based on the home device information, whether a notification is needed for one of the plurality of home devices;

providing, by the computing device and when the notification is needed, the home device information and the notification to a mobile communication device, wherein the notification comprises a short message service message (SMS); and

providing, by the computing device and when the notification is not needed, the bionic device information to the mobile communication device,

wherein the mobile communication device generates a connected home dashboard, for display to a user, based on the home device information, wherein the connected home dash board presents a single interface including;

each of a plurality of items, including a home device item, a modes item, a monitoring item, a security item, an energy item, and a notifications item, and

status information indicative of an activity log of actions, and associated times, performed by one or more of the plurality of home devices in response to user interaction via different ones of the plurality of items.

10. The computing device-implemented method of claim 9, where the plurality of home devices includes one or more of:

devices provided in electrical systems of a home,

devices provided in mechanical systems of a home,

devices provided in communication systems of a home, and

devices provided in entertainment systems of a home.

11. The computing device-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a home device control request from the mobile communication device; and

providing the home device control request to a particular one of the plurality of home devices for implementation.

12. The computing device-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving updated home device information based on implementation of the home device control request by the particular one of the plurality of home devices; and

providing the updated home device information to the mobile communication device.

13. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor to execute instructions in the memory to;

receive information associated with a plurality of home devices,

generate, based on the home device information, a connected home dashboard that includes a single interface for presenting;

each of a home device item, a modes item, a monitoring item, a security item, an energy item, and a notifications item, and

status information indicative of a change, and an associated time, to a state of one or more of the plurality of home devices in response to user interaction via different ones of the items;

provide the connected home dashboard for display to a user,

receive, from the user, a selection of one of the home device item, the modes item, the monitoring item, the security item, the energy item, or the notifications item, and

provide, based on the home device information and for display to the user, information associated with the selection.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 13, where the selection includes the home device item and the processor is further to execute ins ructions in the memory to:

provide, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with at least one of the plurality of home devices.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 13, where the selection includes the modes item and the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

provide, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with a home mode, an away mode, a night mode, or a day mode of the plurality of home devices.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 13, where the selection includes the monitoring item and the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

provide, based on the selection and for display to the user, information provided by monitoring devices of the plurality of home devices.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 13, where the selection includes the security item and the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

provide, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with a home security system.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 13, where the selection includes the energy item and the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

provide, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with energy consuming home devices of the plurality of home devices and information associated with energy monitoring home devices of the plurality of home devices.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 13, wherein the selection includes the notifications item and the processor is further to execute instructions in the memory to:

provide, based on the selection and for display to the user, information associated with a pending notification and including at least one of;

an image captured in connection with mention of the pending notification,

video captured in connection with generation of the pending notification, or

audio captured connection with generation of the pending notification.

20. A device, comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor to execute instructions in the memory to;

receive information associated with a plurality of home devices,

determine, based on the home device information, whether a notification is needed for one of the plurality of home devices,

provide, when the notification is needed, the home device information and the notification to a mobile communication device, wherein the notification includes at least one of;

provide, when the notification is not needed, the home device information to the mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device generates a connected home dashboard, for display to a user, based on the home device information, wherein the connected home dash board presents a single interface including;

each of a home device item, a modes item, a monitoring item, a security item, an energy item, and a notifications item, and

status information indicative of a change, and an associated time, to astute of one or more of the plurality of home devices in response to user interaction via different ones of the items,

receive a home device control request from the mobile communication device,

provide the home device control request to a particular one of the plurality of home devices for implementation,

receive updated home device information based on implementation of the home device control request by the particular one of the plurality of home devices, and

provide the updated home device information to the mobile communication device.

21. The device of claim 20, where the plurality of home devices includes one or more of:

devices provided in electrical systems of a home,

devices provided in mechanical systems of a home,

devices provided in communication systems of a home, and

devices provided in entertainment systems of a home.