Home automation communication system

• US 9,619,985 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2015
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vivint Incorporated (NRG Energy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stricker, Jimmy, Matsuura, Craig, Carlson, Ryan, Vogelsberg, John, Tupy, Michael Allen, Mahar, Matthew, Eyring, Matthew J., Gordon-Carroll, Clint, Warren, Jeremy B., Nye, James Ellis, Lyman, Jefferson
• Primary Examiner(s): FILE, ERIN M
• Application Number:
  US14/681,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20160300468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A method for security and/or automation systems is described. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving occupancy data associated with a home. The method may further include automatically selectively broadcasting an audio stream to at least one of a plurality of speakers in the home based, at least in part, on the received occupancy data.

Claims

1. A method for security and/or automation systems, comprising:

receiving an audio stream from a source that is remote from a home;

receiving location data associated with a plurality of speakers in the home;

receiving occupancy data associated with the home, the received occupancy data comprising a location of each of one or more detected occupants;

automatically selectively broadcasting the audio stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home based at least in part on the received occupancy data and the received location data;

selectively detecting audio from at least one of a plurality of microphones in the home based at least in part on the received occupancy data; and

automatically transmitting the detected audio to the source that is remote from the home.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively broadcasting the audio stream, or selectively detecting audio, or a combination thereof, is further based at least in part on a location of an alarm event in the home.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively broadcasting the audio stream, or selectively detecting audio, or a combination thereof, is further based at least in part on receiving a detected occupancy pattern of the home.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

toggling audio broadcasts to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home, or toggling audio detection from at least one of a plurality of microphones in the home, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a time stamp with a first audio stream received from at least one of a plurality of microphones in the home; and

selectively broadcasting a second audio stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home based at least in part on the time stamped first audio stream.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying locations of the plurality of microphones in the home; and

selectively broadcasting the audio stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home, or selectively detecting audio from at least one of the plurality of microphones in the home, or a combination thereof, based at least in part on the identified locations.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

updating the identified locations of at least one of the speakers or microphones in the home, or a combination thereof, based at least in part on detected alarm events or occupancy data, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the occupancy data is detected by any one of a motion detector, audio detector, RFID sensor, heart rate detector, respiration detector, vibration detector, or video camera, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selectively broadcasting the audio stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home, or selectively detecting audio from at least one of a plurality of microphones in the home, or a combination thereof, based at least in part on most recently detected motion data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio stream is any one of an alarm, a chime, or a voice message, or a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein any one of the plurality of speakers or a plurality of microphones, or a combination thereof, comprises a component of a home security system, a smart home system, a doorbell, a door camera, a thermostat, a control panel, a sensor, a smoke detector, a mobile robotic device, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein selectively broadcasting the audio stream, or detecting audio, or a combination thereof, is initiated based at least in part on receiving an alarm signal from the home.

13. An apparatus for security and/or automation systems, comprising:

a processor;

memory in electronic communication with the processor; and

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to;

receive an audio stream from a source that is remote from a home;

receive location data associated with a plurality of speakers in the home;

receive occupancy data associated with the home, the received occupancy data comprising a location of each of one or more detected occupants;

automatically selectively broadcast the audio stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home based at least in part on the received occupancy data and the received location data;

selectively detect audio from at least one of a plurality of microphones in the home based at least in part on the received occupancy data; and

automatically transmit the detected audio to the source that is remote from the home.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein selectively broadcasting the audio stream, or selectively detecting audio, or a combination thereof, is further based at least in part on a location of an alarm event in the home.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein selectively broadcasting the audio stream, or selectively detecting audio, or a combination thereof, is further based at least in part on receiving a detected occupancy pattern of the home.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify locations of the plurality of microphones in the home; and

selectively broadcast the audio stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home, or selectively detect audio from at least one of the plurality of microphones in the home, or a combination thereof, based at least in part on the identified locations.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

update the identified locations of at least one of the speakers or microphones in the home, or a combination thereof, based at least in part on detected alarm events or occupancy data, or a combination thereof.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for security and/or automation systems, the code executable by a processor to:

receive an audio stream from a source that is remote from a home;

receive location data associated with a plurality of speakers in the home;

receive occupancy data associated with the home, the received occupancy data comprising a location of each of one or more detected occupants;

automatically selectively broadcast the audio stream to at least one of the plurality of speakers in the home based at least in part on the received occupancy data and the received location data;

selectively detect audio from at least one of a plurality of microphones in the home based at least in part on the received occupancy data; and

automatically transmit the detected audio to the source that is remote from the home.