Managing local environment using data traffic information

• US 9,766,602 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2009
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Noecker, Jr., Nicholas J., Ruano, Julio E., Torres, Javier R., Williamson, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, KEVIN S
• Application Number:
  US12/538,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20110040391A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,961 Days
• Field of Search: 709224
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

A system, and computer usable program product for managing a local environment using data traffic information are provided in the illustrative embodiments. According to the invention, an data traffic on a data network associated with the local environment is monitored at a networking device. The local environment includes one or more devices. A device from the one or more devices is controllable using the data network. A condition in the local environment is inferred from the data traffic. An action to cause a change in the local environment is determined. A command corresponding to the action is sent to a subset of devices in the set of devices in the local environment to perform the action.

Claims

1. A computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage device including computer usable code for managing a local environment using data traffic information stored in a computer memory, the computer usable code comprising:

computer usable code for monitoring at a networking device, a data traffic on a data network associated with the local environment, the local environment comprising a set of devices, a device in the set of devices being controllable using the data network;

computer usable code for computing, at the networking device, a first logical conclusion from a first pattern in the data traffic, the first pattern being a type of data that is generated while a user is present in the local environment and interacting with a system, the first logical conclusion being usable for selecting a first device from the set of devices, wherein the first logical conclusion is distinct from a second logical conclusion computed at the networking device from a second pattern in the data traffic, the second pattern being a pattern in historical data indicative of a pre-programmed task executing on the system without the user interacting with the system, and wherein the second logical conclusion is usable for selecting a second device from the set of devices;

computer usable code for concluding, using the first logical conclusion and the second logical conclusion, that the user is present in the local environment;

computer usable code for determining an action to cause a change in the local environment using the first device;

computer usable code for determining a topology of the local environment;

computer usable code for using the topology to compute distances between a subset of devices;

computer usable code for determining the user'"'"'s location relative to the subset of devices using the topology;

computer usable code for estimating, based on the user'"'"'s location, a time period before the action; and

computer usable code for sending a command corresponding to the action to a first device in the local environment such that the action is performed after the time period.

2. The computer usable program product of claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable code for receiving information from a set of information sources; and

computer usable code for using the data traffic and the information from the set of information sources in the computing.

3. The computer usable program product of claim 2, wherein the local environment topology includes geographical map of the local environment.

4. The computer usable program product of claim 2, further comprising:

computer usable code for determining whether the first pattern is detected from information received from an information source in the set of information sources, forming an information detection determination; and

computer usable code for determining, using a rule, responsive to the information detection determination being false, that a condition exists in the local environment, wherein the condition is used in computing the first logical conclusion from the first pattern.

5. The computer usable program product of claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable code for detecting the first pattern in the data traffic;

computer usable code for determining whether the first pattern is specified in a configuration, forming configuration determination; and

computer usable code for selecting, responsive to the configuration determination being true, a configured action corresponding to the first pattern and specified in the configuration as the action.

6. The computer usable program product of claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable code for detecting the first pattern in the data traffic, further comprising;

computer usable code for correlating the first pattern with a condition in the local environment; and

computer usable code for storing the first pattern and the action in a data storage.

7. The computer usable program product of claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable code for detecting the first pattern in the data traffic, further comprising;

computer usable code for determining whether the first pattern and a stored action correlated to the first pattern are stored in a data storage; and

computer usable code for performing, responsive to the stored action being in the data storage, the stored action as the action.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage medium in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage medium associated with the remote data processing system.

10. The computer usable program product of claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable code for detecting, that the first pattern and the second pattern are both present in the data traffic;

computer usable code for correlating the first pattern with the second pattern using a second rule, to determine that a second condition exists in the local environment;

computer usable code for computing a third logical conclusion using the second condition;

computer usable code for determining a second action to cause a second change in the local environment according to the third logical conclusion and using a third device; and

computer usable code for sending a command corresponding to the second action to the third device in the local environment to perform the second action.

11. A data processing system for managing a local environment using data traffic information stored in a computer memory, the data processing system comprising:

a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises;

computer usable code for monitoring at a networking device, a data traffic on a data network associated with the local environment, the local environment comprising a set of devices, a device in the set of devices being controllable using the data network;

computer usable code for computing, at the networking device, a first logical conclusion from a first pattern in the data traffic, the first pattern being a type of data that is generated while a user is present in the local environment and interacting with a system, the first logical conclusion being usable for selecting a first device from the set of devices, wherein the first logical conclusion is distinct from a second logical conclusion computed at the networking device from a second pattern in the data traffic, the second pattern being a pattern in historical data indicative of a pre-programmed task executing on the system without the user interacting with the system, and wherein the second logical conclusion is usable for selecting a second device from the set of devices;

computer usable code for concluding, using the first logical conclusion and the second logical conclusion, that the user is present in the local environment;

computer usable code for determining an action to cause a change in the local environment using the first device;

computer usable code for determining a topology of the local environment;

computer usable code for using the topology to compute distances between a subset of devices;

computer usable code for determining the user'"'"'s location relative to the subset of devices using the topology;

computer usable code for estimating, based on the user'"'"'s location, a time period before the action; and

computer usable code for sending a command corresponding to the action to a first device in the local environment such that the action is performed after the time period.

12. The data processing system of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable code for receiving information from a set of information sources; and

computer usable code for using the data traffic and the information from the set of information sources in the computing.

13. The data processing system of claim 12, further comprising:

computer usable code for determining whether the first pattern is detected from information received from an information source in the set of information sources, forming an information detection determination; and

computer usable code for determining, using a rule, responsive to the information detection determination being false, that a condition exists in the local environment, wherein the condition is used in computing the first logical conclusion from the first pattern.

14. The data processing system of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable code for detecting the first pattern in the data traffic;

computer usable code for determining whether the first pattern is specified in a configuration, forming configuration determination; and

computer usable code for selecting, responsive to the configuration determination being true, a configured action corresponding to the first pattern and specified in the configuration as the action.

15. The data processing system of claim 11, further comprising:

computer usable code for detecting, that the first pattern and the second pattern are both present in the data traffic;

computer usable code for correlating the first pattern with the second pattern using a second rule, to determine that a second condition exists in the local environment;

computer usable code for computing a third logical conclusion using the second condition;

computer usable code for determining a second action to cause a second change in the local environment according to the third logical conclusion and using a third device; and

computer usable code for sending a command corresponding to the second action to the third device in the local environment to perform the second action.