Network device management technology

• US 9,026,648 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Slavin, Alison Jane
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/539,767
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 710/15
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; 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 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing network device management. In some implementations, a native mobile device application enables use of a mobile device to add new devices to a network, remove devices from a network, change network and device profile settings, troubleshoot a network, provide an interface into network devices, communications, diagnostics, etc., and provide remote access to the network for installation, programming, troubleshooting, and inclusion.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring network devices located at a property, the system comprising:

a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property including multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property;

a native mobile device network application loaded onto a mobile device, the native mobile device network application including instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

tracking the multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property, the multiple, different types of networked devices;

based on the tracking of the multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property, detecting status of the multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property; and

providing an interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices located at the property,

wherein the monitoring system is configured to perform operations comprising sending, to the native mobile device network application, a firmware update for a first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices; and

wherein the native mobile device network application further includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at a time when the mobile device is unable to communicate with the first networked device, the firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices,

based on receiving the firmware update at the time when the mobile device is unable to communicate with the first networked device, monitoring ability to communicate with the first networked device over a short-range wireless connection,

based on the monitoring, detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection,

based on detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection, establishing the short-range wireless connection with the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices, and

transmitting, over the established short-range wireless connection, the firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices;

wherein the native mobile device network application further includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising, based on receiving the firmware update at the time when the mobile device is unable to communicate with the first networked device over the local connection, displaying an indication that new firmware has been received for the first networked device with a request to establish the short-range wireless connection with the first networked device; and

wherein the multiple, different types of networked devices include a second device configured to communicate using a ZigBee protocol, a third device configured to communicate using a Bluetooth protocol, a fourth device configured to communicate over a wireless local area network based on an IEEE 802.11 standard, and a fifth device configured to communicate using a Z-Wave protocol;

wherein tracking the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises tracking the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device;

wherein detecting status of the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises detecting status of the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device; and

wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing a standardized interface for managing the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device.

2. The system of claim 1:

wherein the short-range wireless connection between the mobile device and the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises a connection based on a ZigBee protocol, a Z-Wave protocol or a Bluetooth protocol.

3. The system of claim 1:

wherein the multiple, different types of networked devices include a security system device that is part of a security system that monitors the property and that performs functionality related to the security system, an appliance device that is associated with an appliance at the property and performs functionality related to controlling the appliance, and a computer network device that is part of a local computer network at the property and that performs functionality related to the local computer network;

wherein tracking the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises tracking the security system device, the appliance device, and the computer network device;

wherein detecting status of the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises detecting status of the security system device, the appliance device, and the computer network device; and

wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing a standardized interface for managing the security system device, the appliance device, and the computer network device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system comprises a monitoring server that is located remotely from the property, a control panel located at the property, and a camera located at the property,

wherein the monitoring server uses the mobile device as a conduit for transmitting firmware updates to the control panel and the camera by:

detecting that new firmware is available for the control panel and the camera,

in response to detecting the new firmware, determining that the control panel and the camera are only able to receive data from the monitoring server over a cellular channel and determining that the mobile device has loaded the native mobile device network application and is available to assist in managing firmware updates for the control panel and the camera, and

based on these determinations, transmitting the new firmware for the control panel and the camera to the mobile device over an Internet Protocol channel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first networked device includes reduced display capabilities as compared to the mobile device on which the native mobile device network application is loaded.

6. The system of claim 5:

wherein the first networked device does not have any display capabilities; and

wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing a visual display for managing the first networked device.

7. The system of claim 1:

wherein the monitoring system is configured to monitor multiple properties for a user;

wherein tracking the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises tracking association of networked devices with the multiple properties; and

wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises;

identifying the multiple properties for the user that are monitored by the monitoring system;

causing display of the multiple properties on the interface in a manner that enables the user to select one or more of the multiple properties;

receiving a selection of one or more of the multiple properties;

identifying networked devices associated with the selected one or more of the multiple properties; and

causing display of the identified networked devices on the standardized interface.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing an interface with a diagnose control that enables a user to initiate a diagnosis process for one or more of the multiple, different types of networked devices by selecting the diagnose control.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing an interface with a configure control that enables a user to configure settings for one or more of the multiple, different types of networked devices by selecting the configure control.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing an interface with a report control that enables a user to initiate a report generation process that aggregates status data for the multiple, different types of networked devices and combines the status data for the multiple, different types of networked devices in a report.

11. The system of claim 1:

wherein the monitoring system is configured to perform operations comprising;

detecting a problem with one of the multiple, different types of networked devices, and

in response to detecting the problem, sending an alert to the native mobile device network application identifying the detected problem and the networked device associated with the detected problem; and

wherein the native mobile device network application further includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

receiving the alert identifying the detected problem and the networked device associated with the detected problem;

establishing a short-range wireless connection with the networked device associated with the detected problem; and

performing, using the established short-range wireless connection, diagnosis operations based on the detected problem.

12. The system of claim 11:

wherein sending the alert to the native mobile device network application identifying the detected problem and the networked device associated with the detected problem comprises;

identifying authorization information needed by the native mobile device network application to establish a short-range wireless connection with the networked device associated with the detected problem, and

sending the identified authorization information to the native mobile device network application in addition to the alert; and

wherein establishing the short-range wireless connection with the networked device associated with the detected problem comprises establishing the short-range wireless connection with the networked device associated with the detected problem using the identified authorization information.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the native mobile device network application further includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving the alert identifying the detected problem and the networked device associated with the detected problem, displaying the alert with instructions for diagnosing the detected problem;

after displaying the alert with instructions for diagnosing the detected problem, detecting potential to interact with the networked device associated with the detected problem; and

in response to detecting potential to interact with the networked device associated with the detected problem, automatically, without human intervention, starting a diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem.

14. The system of claim 11:

wherein the native mobile device network application further includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising sending an update to the monitoring system that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations; and

wherein the monitoring system is further configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving the update that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations, and

handling the networked device associated with the detected problem based on the received update that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein sending, to the native mobile device network application, the firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises:

detecting the firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices;

identifying an ability to send the firmware update for the first networked device through the native mobile device network application; and

determining to send the firmware update to the native mobile device network application instead of the first networked device in response to the identified ability to send the firmware update for the first networked device through the native mobile device network application.

16. The system of claim 1:

wherein monitoring ability to communicate with the first networked device comprises monitoring ability to communicate with the first networked device over a short-range wireless communication protocol;

wherein detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device comprises detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless communication protocol; and

wherein establishing the connection with the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises establishing a connection with the first networked device using the short-range wireless communication protocol.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein establishing a connection with the first networked device using the short-range wireless communication protocol comprises automatically, without human intervention, establishing the connection with the first networked device using the short-range wireless communication protocol in response to detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless communication protocol.

18. A method comprising:

tracking multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at a property;

based on the tracking of the multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property, detecting status of the multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property;

providing an interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices located at the property;

receiving, at a mobile device at a time when the mobile device is unable to communicate with a first networked device, a firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices;

based on receiving the firmware update at the time when the mobile device is unable to communicate with the first networked device;

displaying an indication that new firmware has been received for the first networked device with a request to establish a short-range wireless connection with the first networked device, and

monitoring, by the mobile device, ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection;

based on the monitoring, detecting, by the mobile device, ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection;

based on detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection, establishing, by the mobile device, the short-range wireless connection with the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices, and

transmitting, by the mobile device over the established short-range wireless connection, the firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices;

wherein the multiple, different types of networked devices include a second device configured to communicate using a ZigBee protocol, a third device configured to communicate using a Bluetooth protocol, a fourth device configured to communicate over a wireless local area network based on an IEEE 802.11 standard, and a fifth device configured to communicate using a Z-Wave protocol;

wherein tracking the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises tracking the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device;

wherein detecting status of the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises detecting status of the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device; and

wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing a standardized interface for managing the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device.

19. A native mobile device network application stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the native mobile device network application including instructions that, when executed by a mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising:

tracking multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at a property;

based on the tracking of the multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property, detecting status of the multiple, different types of networked devices that are located at the property;

providing an interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices located at the property;

receiving, at a time when the mobile device is unable to communicate with a first networked device, a firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices;

based on receiving the firmware update at the time when the mobile device is unable to communicate with the first networked device;

displaying an indication that new firmware has been received for the first networked device with a request to establish a short-range wireless connection with the first networked device, and

monitoring ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection;

based on the monitoring, detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection;

based on detecting ability to communicate with the first networked device over the short-range wireless connection, establishing the short-range wireless connection with the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices, and

transmitting, over the established short-range wireless connection, the firmware update for the first networked device included in the multiple, different types of networked devices;

wherein the multiple, different types of networked devices include a second device configured to communicate using a ZigBee protocol, a third device configured to communicate using a Bluetooth protocol, a fourth device configured to communicate over a wireless local area network based on an IEEE 802.11 standard, and a fifth device configured to communicate using a Z-Wave protocol;

wherein tracking the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises tracking the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device;

wherein detecting status of the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises detecting status of the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device; and

wherein providing the interface for managing the multiple, different types of networked devices comprises providing a standardized interface for managing the second device, the third device, the fourth device, and the fifth device.