Automation of networked devices

• US 9,413,606 B1
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Shawnchoy
• Application Number:
  US14/528,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20160248630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/04 Network management architectures or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A networked device management system is in direct communication with a user'"'"'s networked devices. Alternatively, the networked device management system is in communication with the networked devices via a controller located in proximity to the networked devices. A networked device is an addressable device that is capable of communicating with networked device management system. The networked device management system allows users to control the state of the user'"'"'s networked devices that are registered with the networked device management system. That is, the networked device management system affords user control over the functional capabilities of the user'"'"'s networked device. Networked devices of a user may be located in different geographical locations yet are still user controllable via the networked device management system. Thus, a user does not need to be in the proximity of the networked device in order to control the functional capabilities of the networked device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a registration request from a first networked device connected to a first network, the registration request including metadata describing functional capabilities of the first networked device;

registering the first networked device using the metadata included in the registration request;

receiving, by the computer system, a first request to alter a state of the first networked device located at a first geographic location, the first request received from a computing device of a user;

sending, by the computer system, a first instruction to the first networked device to update its state based on the first request;

receiving, by the computer system, a second request to alter a state of a second networked device connected to a second network and located at a second geographical location different from the first geographical location, the second request received from the computing device of the user;

sending, by the computer system, a second instruction to the second networked device to update its state based on the second request;

receiving, from the computing device of the user, a permission setting granting a second user a level of control of the first networked device;

receiving, from a computing device of the second user, a request to alter the state of the first networked device; and

sending an instruction to the first networked device to update its state based on the request from the second user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first networked device and the second networked device includes one of a light switch, a home appliance, a television, a home thermostat, a sprinkler system, an automobile, a desktop computer, a laptop, or a tablet computer.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a registration token for the first networked device from the computing device of the user;

generating the registration token responsive to the request;

sending the registration token to the computing device, wherein the registration token is forwarded by the computing device to the first networked device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the registration request includes the registration token and registering the first networked device comprises:

receiving the registration token from the first networked device;

determining a validity of the registration token received from the first networked device; and

storing the functional capabilities of the first networked device described by the metadata and a current state of each of the functional capabilities of the first networked device to register the first networked device in the computer system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein determining the validity of the registration token comprises:

comparing the registration token with a plurality of valid registration tokens; and

determining that the registration token is valid responsive to the registration token matching one of the plurality of valid registration tokens.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first request to alter the state of the first networked device comprises an indication of a setting of a functional capability of the first networked device desired by the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the level of control granted to the second user includes control of all functional capabilities of the first networked device or includes control of a subset of the functional capabilities of the networked device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the computing device of the user, a permission setting granting a level of control of the first networked device based on a type of computing device requesting to update the state of the first networked device, the type of computing device indicative of a security level of the computing device;

wherein the level of control includes control of all functional capabilities of the first networked device or includes control of a subset of the functional capabilities of the first networked device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein sending the first instruction to the first networked device comprises:

determining a type of the computing device that sent the first request; and

sending the first instruction responsive to determining that the computing device is granted a level of control of the first networked device to alter the state of the first networked device according to the first request based on the determined type.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the computing device of the user, a permission setting granting a level of control of the first networked device based on a geographic location of a computing device requesting to update the state of the first networked device, the geographic location of the computing device indicative of a security level of the computing device;

wherein the level of control includes control of all functional capabilities of the first networked device or includes control of a subset of the functional capabilities of the first networked device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein sending the first instruction to the first networked device comprises:

determining a geographic location of the computing device that sent the first request; and

sending the first instruction responsive to determining that the computing device is granted a level of control of the first networked device to alter the state of the first networked device according to the first request based on the geographical location of the computing device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

publishing, by the computer system, settings information of a plurality of networked devices registered with the computer system;

receiving a request from the computing device of the user to replicate published setting information of one of the plurality of networked devices to the first networked device of the user; and

sending an instruction to the first networked device to update its settings based on the published setting information of the one of the plurality of networked devices.

13. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable code, the code when executed causing a computer to perform steps comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a registration request from a networked device controller to register a networked device, the registration request received via a first communication protocol and the registration request including metadata describing capabilities of the networked device;

registering the networked device using the metadata included in the registration request;

receiving, by the computer system, a request to alter a state of the networked device from a computing device of a user;

sending, by the computer system, an instruction to the networked device controller to update the state of the networked device based on the request, wherein the networked device controller communicates with the networked device to update the state of the networked device via a second communication protocol distinct from the first communication protocol;

receiving, from the computing device of the user, a permission setting granting a second user a level of control of the networked device;

receiving, from a computing device of the second user, a request to alter the state of the networked device; and

sending, by the computer system, an instruction to the networked device controller to update the state of the networked device based on the request from the second user, wherein the networked device controller sends an instruction to the networked device to update its state based on the instruction received from the computer system.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the networked device controller is located in proximity to the networked device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the networked device includes one of a light switch, a home appliance, a television, a home thermostat, a sprinkler system, an automobile, a desktop computer, a laptop, or a tablet computer.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, from the computing device of the user, a permission setting granting a level of control of the networked device based on a type of computing device requesting to update the state of the networked device, the type of computing device indicative of a security level of the computing device, wherein the level of control includes control of all functional capabilities of the first networked device or includes control of a subset of the functional capabilities of the first networked device;

determining a type of the computing device that sent the first request; and

sending the first instruction responsive to determining that the computing device is granted a level of control of the first networked device to alter the state of the networked device according to the first request based on the determined type.

17. A networked device controller comprising:

at least one computer processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable code, the code when executed by the computer processor causing the networked device controller to perform steps comprising;

sending, by the networked device controller located in proximity to a networked device, a registration request to a computer system to register the networked device, the registration request sent via a first communication protocol and the registration request including metadata describing capabilities of the networked device, wherein the computer system registers the networked device using the metadata;

receiving, by the networked device controller, an instruction from the computer system to update a state of the networked device controller responsive to the computer system receiving a request to alter the state of the networked device from a computing device of a user;

sending an instruction to the networked device to update the state of the networked device based on the instruction received from the computer system, the networked device controller communicating with the networked device via a second communication protocol distinct from the first communication protocol;

receiving, from the computer system, an instruction to update the state of the networked device based on a request from a second user, wherein the computer system received a permission setting granting the second user a level of control of the networked device; and

sending an instruction to the networked device to update its state based on the instruction received from the computer system.