Configurable controller and interface for home SMA, phone and multimedia

• US 8,638,211 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Icon Acquisitions LLC
• Original Assignee: iControl Networks, Inc. (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohn, Alan Wade, Faulkner, Gary Robert, Johnson, James A., Kitchen, James Edward, Proft, David Leon, Quain, Corey Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/568,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20100277300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/539.1, 340/539.14, 340/539.17, 340/541, 340/3.1, 715/764, 709/219
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0736 in functional embedded systems, i.e. in a data processing system designed as a combination of hardware and software dedicated to performing a certain function testing or monitoring of automated control systems G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/02 Monitoring continuously signalling or alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/08 Signalling of tampering with the line circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/16 Security signalling or alarm systems, e.g. redundant systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• 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 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 : Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 : Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 : Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• 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 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/26 : Special purpose or proprietary protocols or architectures network applications for proprietary or special purpose networking environments H04L67/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/28 : for reactive routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/34 : Modification of an existing route
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections

Abstract

A single platform for controller functionality for each of security, monitoring and automation, as well as providing a capacity to function as a bidirectional Internet gateway, is provided. Embodiments of the present invention provide such functionality by virtue of a configurable architecture that enables a user to adapt the system for the user'"'"'s specific needs. Embodiments of the present invention further provide for remote access to the configurable controller, thereby providing for remote monitoring of the state of a dwelling and for remote control of home automation.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a memory storing configuration information for one or more security sensors, configuration information for one or more monitoring devices, and configuration information for one or more automation devices;

a first communication interface for communication with the one or more security sensors;

a second communication interface for communication with a remote server; and

a processor, coupled to the memory and the first and second communication interfaces, configured to interpret an event signal received via the first communication interface from a first security sensor of the one or more security sensors, wherein said interpreting is performed in accord with configuration information associated with the first security sensor, and transmit data associated with the event signal to the remote server using the second communication interface, wherein the data associated with the event signal conforms with the configuration information associated with the first security sensor, the configuration information including an association between the first security sensor and at least one zone and an association of a response of the device with the at least one zone, the response including the interpreting the event signal and the transmitting the data.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor; and

the processor further configured to display data associated with the event signal using the display, wherein the data associated with the event signal conforms with the configuration information associated with the first security sensor.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

an input device coupled to the processor; and

the processor further configured to receive, from the input device, configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device, and store the received configuration information in the memory.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, from the remote server via the second communication interface, configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device; and

store the configuration information in the memory.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

read, from the memory, configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device; and

transmit the configuration information to the remote server, using the second communication interface.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a third communication interface, coupled to the processor, for communication with the one or more monitoring devices; and

the processor further configured to generate configuration information associated with a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices, configure the first monitoring device using an application programming interface associated with a type of the first monitoring device, and transmit, to the first monitoring device, the configuration information associated with the first monitoring device, using the third communication interface.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

couple among a third communication interface—

and the processor for communication with the one or more monitoring devices;

receive, using the third communication interface, data from a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices; and

transmit the data from the first monitoring device to the remote server, using the second communication interface.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor;

a third communication interface, coupled to the processor, for communication with the one or more monitoring devices; and

the processor further configured to receive, using the third communication interface, data from a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices, in response to a request by a user of the device, and display, using the display, the data from the first monitoring device.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a third communication interface, coupled to the processor, for communication with the one or more monitoring devices; and

the processor further configured to transmit, using the third communication interface, control information to a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices, wherein the control information conforms to configuration information associated with the first monitoring device.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a third communication interface, coupled to the processor, for communication with the one or more automation devices; and

the processor further configured to transmit, using the third communication interface, control information to a first automation device of the one or more automation devices, wherein the control information conforms to configuration information associated with the first automation device.

11. The device of claim 10 further comprising:

an input device coupled to the processor; and

the processor further configured to receive the control information from the input device.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to receive the control information from the remote server, using the second communication interface.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the configuration information for the one or more security sensors comprises:

identification of a zone of a sensor of the one or more sensors;

identification of a type of the sensor;

identification of a unique identifier for the sensor; and

identification of a zone function for the sensor.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising:

a display coupled to the processor;

the memory further storing instructions, executable by the processor, associated with one or more widget application programs and configuration information associated with the one or more widget application programs; and

the processor further configured to execute instructions associated with a first widget application program, and display information generated by the first widget application program using the display.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the second communication interface is further configured to communicate with a remote portal server;

the one or more widget application programs are selected from a set of widget application programs using the remote portal server;

and the one or more widget application programs are distributed to the device by the remote portal server.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for storing configuration information for one or more security sensors, configuration information for one or more monitoring devices, and configuration information for one or more automation devices;

first means for communicating with the one or more security sensors;

second means for communicating with a remote server;

means for interpreting an event signal received via the first means for communicating from a first security sensor of the one or more security sensors, wherein said means for interpreting performs said interpreting in accord with configuration information associated with the first security sensor; and

means for transmitting data associated with the event signal to the remote server using the second means for communicating, wherein the data associated with the event signal conforms with the configuration information associated with the first security sensor, the configuration information including an association between the first security sensor and at least one zone and an association of a response of the apparatus with the at least one zone, the response including the interpreting the event signal and the transmitting the data.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for displaying data associated with the event signal, wherein the data associated with the event signal conforms with the configuration information associated with the first security sensor.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for inputting configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving from the remote server, via the second means for communicating, configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for reading, from the means for storing, configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device; and

means for transmitting the configuration information to the remote server, via the second means for communicating.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for receiving data from a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices; and

means for transmitting the data from the first monitoring device to the remote server, via the second means for communicating.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for transmitting control information to a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices, wherein the control information conforms to configuration information associated with the first monitoring device.

23. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for transmitting control information to a first automation device of the one or more automation devices, wherein the control information conforms to configuration information associated with the first automation device.

24. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

means for storing instructions associated with one or more widget application programs and configuration information associated with the one or more widget application programs;

means for executing instructions associated with a first widget application program; and

means for displaying information generated by the first widget application program.

25. A method performed by a security, monitoring and automation controller, said method comprising:

storing configuration information for one or more security sensors, configuration information for one or more monitoring devices, and configuration information for one or more automation devices, wherein said storing is performed using a memory readable by the security, monitoring and automation (SMA) controller;

interpreting an event signal received from a first security sensor of the one or more security sensors, wherein said interpreting is performed in accord with configuration information associated with the first security sensor; and

transmitting data associated with the event signal to a remote server, wherein the data associated with the event signal conforms with the configuration information associated with the first security sensor, the configuration information including an association between the first security sensor and at least one zone and an association of a response of the SMA controller with the at least one zone, the response including the interpreting the event signal and the transmitting the data.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

displaying data associated with the event signal, wherein said displaying is performed using a display coupled to the SMA controller, wherein the data associated with the event signal conforms with the configuration information associated with the first security sensor.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

receiving, from the remote server, configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device; and

storing the configuration information in the memory.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

reading, from the memory, configuration information associated with one or more of a security sensor, a monitoring device and an automation device; and

transmitting the configuration information to the remote server.

29. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

generating configuration information associated with a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices;

configuring the first monitoring device using an application programming interface associated with a type of the first monitoring device; and

transmitting the configuration information associated with the first monitoring device to the first monitoring device.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

transmitting control information to a first monitoring device of the one or more monitoring devices, wherein the control information conforms to configuration information associated with the first monitoring device.

31. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

transmitting control information to a first automation device of the one or more automation devices, wherein the control information conforms to configuration information associated with the first automation device.

32. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

storing instructions, executable by the SMA controller, associated with one or more widget application programs, wherein said storing is performed using the memory;

storing configuration information associated with the one or more widget application programs, wherein said storing is performed using the memory; and

executing instructions associated with a first widget application program of the one or more widget application programs; and

displaying information generated by the first widget application program, using a display coupled to the SMA controller.

33. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

selecting the one or more widget application programs from a set of widget application programs, wherein said selecting is performed using a remote portal server coupled to the SMA controller; and

distributing the one or more widget application programs to the SMA controller by the remote portal server.