System for detecting trigger event at location and sending notification to remote user device featuring detecting device for detecting trigger event and remote site for receiving notification from detecting device and sending notification to client application of remote user device

• US 9,172,742 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2014
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rezvani, Babak, Kalin, Edward B., Chen, Jack L., Jalili, Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US14/481,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20140375440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/505, 340/3.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 705/80, 705/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/02 Mechanical actuation of the alarm, e.g. by the breaking of a wire
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• 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 12/2818 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 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 : Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 : Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 : Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• 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 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 : Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 : providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 : Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 : Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 : for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 : Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 : Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 : Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 : Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 : Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 : Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 : using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing registration at a remote site that may include, for example, a monitoring module that may communicate with a remote site. A registration protocol may be used by the monitoring module and the remote site in generating the messages communicated during the registration process. The monitoring module may gather and generate various identification information to be included in the registration protocol messages. The registration information provided by the monitoring module maybe stored at the remote site in a database server having a database. A confirmation message may be communicated from the remote site to the monitoring module that may either acknowledge successful registration or report that an error occurred during the registration process.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a node including a device and interface software,

the device being disposed at a location, the device being configured to;

monitor a condition of the location; and

detect a trigger event relating to the condition of the location; and

the interface software being communicatively coupled to a communications network, the interface software being at least partially disposed on the device, the interface software being configured to;

serve as an interface between the device and the communications network; and

transmit, upon the device detecting the trigger event, a device identifier of the device and a notification that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location, the device identifier identifying the device;

a remote site being communicatively coupled to the communications network, the remote site being remote from the location, the remote site being communicatively coupled to the interface software of the node via the communications network, the remote site being configured to;

maintain in a data store account information of a user account, the account information including;

the device identifier of the device, the device being registered to the user account, wherein the remote site included the device identifier in the account information as a result of registration of the device to the account;

obtain, via the interface software of the node and the communications network, the transmitted device identifier of the device and the notification that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location; and

transmit a user notification to the client device associated with the user account, the user notification indicating that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location, the user notification being transmitted from the remote site to the client device via the communications network; and

a client application running on the client device of the user associated with the user account, the client device being communicatively coupled to the communications network, the client device being remote from the remote site, the client application being communicatively coupled to the remote site via the client device and the communications network, the client application being configured to;

display, via the client device, a user interface including graphical information notifying the user that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device of the node includes a sensor for sensing information related to the condition of the location, wherein the device of the node monitors the condition of the location by monitoring the information sensed by the sensor, wherein the device of the node detects the trigger event based at least in part on the information sensed by the sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application running on the client device is further configured to:

display, via the client device, a user interface for remotely monitoring the device of the node, the user interface including a virtual component corresponding to the condition being monitored by the device of the node at the location; and

responsive to use of the virtual component of the user interface, send to the remote site, via the client device and the communications network, a request to monitor information relating to the condition being monitored by the device of the node, the request corresponding to the use of the virtual component of the user interface, the request including the device identifier of the device of the node.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the remote site is further configured to:

obtain from the client application running on the client device, via the communications network, the request to monitor information relating to the condition being monitored by the device of the node, the request including the device identifier of the device of the node;

using the device identifier of the device of the node to locate in the account information of the user account the device address usable for transmitting electronic communications to the device of the node;

transmitting to the device address of the device of the node, via the communications network and the interface software of the node, the request to monitor information relating to the condition being monitored by the device of the node;

obtaining from device of the node, via the communications network and the interface software of the node, information relating to the condition being monitored by the device of the node; and

transmitting to the client application running on the client device, via the communications network, information relating to the condition being monitored by the device of the node;

wherein the client application running on the client device displays, via the user interface for remotely monitoring the device of the node, the information relating to the condition being monitored by the device of the node.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the client application running on the client device is further configured to:

display, via the client device, a user interface for remotely controlling the device of the node, the user interface including a virtual component that corresponds to a physical component of the device, the physical component of the device usable by a user to control the device of the node when present at the device, the virtual component of the user interface useable by a user to control the device of the node when remote from the device; and

responsive to use of the virtual component of the user interface, send to the remote site, via the client device and the communications network, the device identifier of the device of the node and a command for controlling the device of the node, the command corresponding to the use of the virtual component of the user interface.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, responsive to receiving from the client application running on the client device the device identifier of the device of the node and the command for controlling the device of the node, the remote site being configured to:

obtain, from the account information of the user account to which the device of the node is registered, the device address being usable for communicating with the device of the node; and

send to the device address usable for communicating with the device of the node, via the communications network, the command for controlling the device of the node;

responsive to receiving, from the remote site via the communications network, the command for controlling the device of the node, the interface software of the node being configured to instruct the device of the node to operate according to the command.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device of the node is a thermostat.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the condition of the location is temperature and the information related to the condition of the location is a temperature value sensed by a component of the thermostat.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a virtual component of the user interface of the client application indicates information related to the condition of the location by displaying a numerical representation of the temperature value.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the user interface of the client application running on the client device includes a virtual representation of the thermostat.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the client device on which the client application runs is a cellular mobile device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the client application running on the cellular mobile device and the node are communicatively coupled via a local-area network, wherein the client application is capable of transmitting a command directly to the node via the local-area network.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the client device on which the client application runs is a system controller, the system controller and the device of the node being disposed at the location remote from the remote site, the system controller being communicatively coupled to the device of the node via a local-area network.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the device of the node is a camera, a radio, a smoke or fire detector, a contact sensor, a light switch, an audio device, a video device, a display device, a washer, a dryer, a microwave oven, a cooking range, a car alarm, a plant watering device, a sprinkler, a carbon monoxide detector, a humidistat, or a rain gauge.

15. A method, comprising:

monitoring, by a device of a node, a condition of a location, the device of the node being disposed at the location;

detecting, by the device of the node, a trigger event relating to the condition of the location;

upon the device detecting the trigger event, outputting, by interface software of the node, a device identifier of the device and a notification that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location, the device identifier identifying the device, the interface software being communicatively coupled to a communications network, the interface software being at least partially disposed on the device, the interface software serving as an interface between the device and the communications network;

obtaining, by a remote site via the communications network and the interface software of the node, the device identifier of the device and the notification that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location, the remote site being remote from the location, the remote site being communicatively coupled to the node via the communications network, the remote site maintaining in a data store a plurality of user accounts, the data store including;

device-identifying information including a plurality of device identifiers corresponding to a plurality of devices, each of the plurality of device identifiers identifying one of the plurality of devices, each of the plurality of device identifiers being associated with at least one of the plurality of user accounts;

locating, by the remote site, from among the plurality of user accounts, a user account associated with the device identifier of the device that detected the trigger event;

determining a notification action to be executed by the remote site upon receiving notification that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location;

transmitting, in accordance with the notification action, a user notification to the client device associated with the user account, the user notification indicating that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location, the user notification being transmitted from the remote site to the client device via the communications network;

obtaining, by a client application running on a client device being communicatively coupled to the communications network, the user notification indicating that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location, the client device being remote from the remote site, the client application being communicatively coupled to the remote site via the client device and the communications network;

displaying, by the client application running on the client device, a user interface including graphical information notifying the user that the device detected the trigger event relating to the condition of the location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the device of the node is a thermostat, wherein the condition of the location is temperature, wherein the information related to the condition is a temperature value sensed by a component of the thermostat.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the client device on which the client application runs is a cellular mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the client application running on the cellular mobile device and the node are communicatively coupled via a local-area network, wherein the client application is capable of transmitting a command directly to the node via the local-area network.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the client device on which the client application runs is a system controller, the system controller and the device of the node being disposed at the location remote from the remote site, the system controller being communicatively coupled to the node via a local-area network.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the device of the node is a camera, a radio, a smoke or fire detector, a contact sensor, a light switch, an audio device, a video device, a display device, a washer, a dryer, a microwave oven, a cooking range, a car alarm, a plant watering device, a sprinkler, a carbon monoxide detector, a humidistat, or a rain gauge.