Methods and apparatus for using smart environment devices via application program interfaces

• US 9,668,085 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2015
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Pi-Sunyer, Carles
• Primary Examiner(s): POWERS, WILLIAM S
• Application Number:
  US14/722,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20150370615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 726 20
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/48 prior to normal operation, e.g. pre-heating or pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/04 involving the use of models or simulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• 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 12/2829 : involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 : Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 : for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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 67/30 : Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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: H05B 47/105 : in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

In one embodiment, a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media stores computer instructions. The computer instructions, when executed by a processor, are configured to send one or more requests including an access token to retrieve, access, view, subscribe, or modify data elements of a data model representative of one or more smart environments. The access token is associated with at least an application programming interface (API) client or API client device and one or more scopes granted to the API client or API client device. The one or more scopes provide one or more access rights to one or more of the data elements of the data model defined by a hierarchical position of the data elements in the data model represented by a respective path to the data elements.

Claims

1. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer instructions, the computer instructions, when executed by a processor, configured to:

send one or more requests including an access token to perform an action, comprising retrieving, accessing, viewing, subscribing, modifying, or some combination thereof data elements of a data model representative of one or more smart environments, one or more smart devices of the one or more smart environments, or both, via an application programming interface (API);

wherein;

the access token is associated with at least an application programming interface (API) client or an API client device and one or more scopes granted to the API client or the API client device; and

the one or more scopes provide one or more access rights to one or more of the data elements of the data model defined by a hierarchical position of the data elements in the data model represented by a respective path to the data elements, such that the one or more requests sent via the API are satisfied when the access token is associated with the one or more access rights that allow performing the action.

2. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein:

sending the one or more requests including the access token enables the one or more requests to be processed in accordance with the one or more scopes granted to the API client or the API client device;

the API client comprises a remote API integration point associated with a vendor of the API client device; and

the API client device comprises an electronic device that accesses the API via the remote API integration point.

3. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein sending the one or more requests with the access token enables downstream services to use the access token to identify the one or more scopes granted to the API client or the API client device, wherein the one or more scopes comprise:

a thermostat read scope;

a thermostat read and write scope;

a smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) read scope;

an away read scope;

an away read and write scope;

an estimated time of arrival (ETA) write scope;

a product data read and write scope;

a postal code read scope;

or

some combination thereof.

4. The computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein:

the thermostat read scope enables read access rights to data elements of a thermostat data structure that defines at least one or more thermostat temperature setpoints, wherein the data elements of the thermostat data structure comprise;

a device identifier;

a locale;

a software version;

a structure identifier;

a name;

a last connection timestamp;

a parameter indicating whether the thermostat is online;

a parameter indicating whether the thermostat can control a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to cool;

a parameter indicating whether the thermostat can control the HVAC system to heat,

a parameter indicating whether the HVAC system has a fan;

a timer for how long the fan has been active;

a fan timer timeout;

a parameter indicating whether the thermostat has a leaf icon;

a temperature scale;

a target temperature in Fahrenheit;

a target temperature in Celsius;

a high target temperature in Fahrenheit;

a high target temperature in Celsius;

a low target temperature in Fahrenheit;

a low target temperature in Celsius;

a high away temperature in Fahrenheit;

a high away temperature in Celsius;

a low away temperature in Fahrenheit;

a low away temperature in Celsius;

a HVAC mode;

an ambient temperature in Fahrenheit;

an ambient temperature in Celsius;

a humidity level;

a structure identifier;

thermostats in the structure;

or

some combination thereof; and

the thermostat read scope enables read access rights to data elements of a structure data structure that includes at least one or more references to devices in one or more environments, wherein the data elements of the structure data structure comprise;

a structure identifier;

the thermostats in the structure;

smoke and CO alarms;

an away state;

a name;

a country code;

a peak period start time;

a peak period end time;

a time zone;

or

some combination thereof.

5. The computer-readable media of claim 4, wherein:

the thermostat read and write scope enables read access rights to the same data elements of the thermostat data structure and the structures data object as the thermostat read scope; and

the thermostat read and write scope enables write access rights to data elements of the thermostat data structure comprising;

the target temperature in Fahrenheit;

the target temperature in Celsius;

the high target temperature in Fahrenheit;

the high target temperature in Celsius;

the low target temperature in Fahrenheit;

the low target temperature in Celsius;

the HVAC mode;

or

some combination thereof.

6. The computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein:

the smoke and CO read scope enables read access rights to data elements of a smoke and CO alarm data structure that defines at least a state of smoke and CO alarms, wherein the data elements of the smoke and CO alarm data structure comprise;

a device identifier;

a locale;

a software version;

a structure identifier;

a name;

a last connection timestamp;

a parameter indicating whether a smoke and CO alarm is online;

a battery health of the smoke and CO alarm;

a CO alarm state;

a smoke alarm state;

a user interface color state;

a parameter indicating whether a manual test is active;

a last manual test time;

or

some combination thereof; and

the smoke and CO read scope enables read access rights to data elements of a structure data structure that includes at least one or more references to devices in one or more environments, wherein the data elements of the structure data structure comprise;

the structure identifier;

thermostats in the structure;

smoke and CO alarms in the structure;

an away state;

a name;

a country code;

a time zone;

or

some combination thereof.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the away read scope enables read access rights to data elements of a structure data structure that includes at least one or more references to devices in one or more environments, wherein the data elements of the structure data structure comprise:

a structure identifier;

thermostats in the structure;

smoke and CO alarms in the structure;

an away state;

a name;

a country code;

a time zone;

or

some combination thereof.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 7, wherein:

the away read and write scope enables read access rights to the same data elements of the structure data structure as the away read scope; and

the away read and write scope enables write access rights to the data element of the structure data structure comprising the away state.

9. The computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein:

the product data read and write scope enables read access to data elements of a company data structure that defines a company as an entity that can share product data with the data model, wherein the data elements of the company data structure comprise;

a device identifier;

a serial number;

a structure identifier;

or

some combination thereof; and

the product data read and write scope enables read access to data elements of a structure data structure that includes at least one or more references to devices in one or more environments, wherein the data elements of the structure data structure comprise a product type identifier;

the product data read and write scope enables read and write access to data elements of the company data structure, wherein the data elements comprise a software version; and

the product data read and write scope enables read and write access to data elements of a resource use data structure that includes an amount and type of resources used by electronic devices, wherein the data elements of the resource data structure comprise;

a value;

a measurement reset time;

a measurement time;

or

some combination thereof for resources comprising electricity, gas, water, or some combination thereof.

10. The computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein:

the ETA write scope enables read access to data elements of a structure data structure that includes at least one or more references to devices in one or more environments, wherein the data elements of the structure data structure comprise;

a structure identifier;

thermostats in the structure;

smoke and CO alarms in the structure;

a name;

a country code;

a time zone;

or

some combination thereof; and

the ETA write scope enables write access to data elements of the structure data structure comprising an ETA.

11. The computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the postal code read scope enables read access rights to data elements of a structure data structure that includes at least one or more references to devices in one or more environments, wherein the data elements of the structure data structure comprise a postal code.

12. A computer-implemented method comprising:

sending, via an application programming interface (API) client or an API client device, one or more requests including an access token to perform an action, comprising retrieving, accessing, viewing, subscribing, modifying, or some combination thereof data elements of a data model representative of one or more smart environments, one or more smart device of the one or more smart environments, or both, via an application programming interface (API);

wherein;

the access token is associated with at least the API client or the API client device and one or more scopes granted to the API client or the API client device; and

the one or more scopes provide one or more access rights to one or more of the data elements of the data model defined by a hierarchical position of the data elements in the data model represented by a respective path to the data elements, such that the one or more requests sent via the API are satisfied when the access token is associated with the one or more access rights that allow performing the action.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein one or more of the data elements in the data model are associated with a vendor of the API client or the API client device and the respective paths to the one or more data elements comprise vendor specific paths that include a name of the vendor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein sending, via the API client or the API client device, the one or more requests including the access token comprises requesting to write data specific to the vendor to the data model, to read data specific to the vendor, or both using the vendor specific paths.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the access rights define a type of access comprising read, write, or read and write;

the API client comprises a remote API integration point associated with a vendor of the API client device; and

the API client device comprises an electronic device that accesses the API via the remote API integration point.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more scopes associated with the access token are based on a version of the API client or the API client device, and the one or more scopes associated with the access token change when a different version of the API client or the API client device is used.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein sending, via the API client or the API client device, one or more requests including the access token enables downstream services to use the access token to identify the one or more scopes associated with the API client or the API client device and to aggregate the one or more access rights provided by the one or more scopes into a superset of access rights when more than one scope are granted to the API client or the API client device.

18. A system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

send one or more requests including an access token to perform an action, comprising retrieving, accessing, viewing, subscribing, modifying, or some combination thereof data elements of a data model representative of one or more smart environments, one or more smart devices of the one or more smart environments, or both, via an application programming interface (API);

wherein;

the access token is associated with at least an application programming interface (API) client or an API client device and one or more scopes granted to the API client or the API client device; and

the one or more scopes provide one or more access rights to one or more of the data elements of the data model defined by a hierarchical position of the data elements in the data model represented by a respective path to the data elements, such that the one or more requests sent via the API are satisfied when the access token is associated with the one or more access rights that allow performing the action.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein sending one or more requests including an access token enables downstream services to use the access token to complete the one or more requests only if the one or more scopes associated with the access token provide the appropriate access rights to complete the request.

20. the API client comprises a remote API integration point associated with a vendor of the API client device;

and

the API client device comprises an electronic device that accesses the API via the remote API integration point.