Home automation bubble architecture

• US 9,838,736 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, George Horkan, Holley, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman, Sean
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Michael W
• Application Number:
  US14/565,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20150160634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 700 90
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0068 Door closed
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0069 bolt position
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0094 Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces
• 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 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 : involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 : involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 : for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 : involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/096 : Sliding

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system may include providing a device proxy for a device connected to the home automation system and setting a new value in a value box of the device proxy, whereby the value box corresponds to at least one of a sensor, control, and metadata of the device. The systems and methods may further include determining one or more rules associated with the device proxy and running the determined one or more rules, whereby the determined one or more rules are indicative of interactive relationships between the device proxy and one or more other device proxies corresponding to one or more other devices connected to the home automation system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system, comprising:

providing, by a home automation controller incorporated as part of a television receiver, a device proxy for a device in communication with the home automation system, wherein the device proxy comprises a plurality of value containers, each value container of the plurality of value containers corresponding to a sensor output value or control value of the device;

setting, by the home automation controller, a new value in a value container of the plurality of value containers of the device proxy;

determining, by the home automation controller, one or more rules associated with the device proxy;

running, by the home automation controller, the determined one or more rules, wherein;

the determined one or more rules are indicative of interactive relationships between the device proxy, one or more other device proxies corresponding to one or more other home automation devices in communication with the home automation controller, and a user interface (UI) proxy; and

the UI proxy is distinct from the device proxy and receives the new value from the device proxy based on the determined one or more rules;

updating, by the home automation controller, the one or more other device proxies corresponding to the one or more other home automation devices;

storing, by the home automation controller, the new value in a UI proxy value container of a plurality of UI proxy value containers, and

causing, by the home automation controller, the new value to be transmitted to one or more UI devices based on the UI proxy.

2. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 1, comprising:

wherein the home automation controller comprises a television receiver.

3. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 1, comprising:

connecting, by the home automation controller, the device proxy to a user interface (“

UP”

) device proxy.

4. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 3, comprising:

wherein the UI proxy is in operative communication with a UI device to allow for settings to be solicited for and collected via the UI device.

5. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 4, comprising:

wherein the UI device comprises at least one of a television display screen, an overlay device, a mobile device, a smart wristwatch, and a webpage.

6. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 3, comprising:

wherein the device proxy is connected to the UI proxy via the determined one or more rules.

7. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 6, comprising:

further wherein running the determined one or more rules comprising updating, by the home automation controller, a UI value container value of the UI proxy to mirror the new value provided for in the value container of the device proxy.

8. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 6, comprising:

relaying, by the home automation controller, a message to a UI device to update a user screen of the UI device based on the updated UI value container value.

9. The method for controlling the plurality of devices in the home automation system of claim 1, comprising:

storing, by the home automation controller, configuration information and control information of each of the plurality of devices in a home automations settings database.

10. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, by the home automation controller, a first setting for the device through a UI device proxy;

determining, by the home automation controller, a second device to control based on the determined one or more rules;

after determining the second device to control, automatically sending, by the home automation controller, a reactive setting to a second device proxy associated with the second device;

translating, by the home automation controller, the reactive setting into a protocol-specific action signal associated with a protocol required by the second device; and

sending, by the home automation controller, the translated reactive setting to the second device through a communications network connected to the protocol.

11. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 10, comprising:

initially receiving, by the home automation controller, the determined one or more rules through a UI device proxy, wherein the one or more rules links the first setting of the device with the reactive setting of the second device.

12. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 10, comprising:

receiving, by the home automation controller, a feedback signal from the second device through the communications network, wherein the feedback signal indicates a changed state of the second device.

13. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 12, wherein:

the feedback signal is received at the second device proxy of the home automation controller.

14. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 12, comprising:

after receiving the feedback signal from the second device, determining, by the home automation controller, a new value corresponding to the changed state of the second device as indicated by the feedback signal; and

triggering, by the home automation controller, a mirrored second device proxy associated with the second device to update a current value of the mirrored second device proxy to the new value.

15. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 14, comprising:

determining, by the home automation controller, an additional reactive setting for an additional device proxy of an additional device based on the new value of the mirrored second device proxy; and

sending, by the home automation controller, the additional device setting to the additional device proxy to change a state of the additional device.

16. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 10, comprising:

detecting, by the home automation controller, a change in at least one of the device and the second device; and

updating, by the home automation controller, at least one of the device proxy and the second device proxy with a new value based on the detected change.

17. The method for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system of claim 16, comprising:

wherein detecting the change comprises periodically checking, by the home automation controller, the device and the second device for a health status, an accuracy status, and an up-to-date status.

18. A television receiver having an incorporated home automation controller for controlling a plurality of devices in a home automation system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

provide a device proxy for a device in communication with the home automation system, wherein the device proxy comprises a plurality of value containers, each value container of the plurality of value containers corresponding to a sensor output value or control value of the device;

set, by the home automation controller, a new value in a value container of the plurality of value containers of the device proxy;

determine one or more rules associated with the device proxy;

run the determined one or more rules, wherein;

the determined one or more rules are indicative of interactive relationships between the device proxy, one or more other device proxies corresponding to one or more other home automation devices in communication with the home automation controller, and a user interface (UI) proxy

update the one or more other device proxies corresponding to the one or more other home automation devices;

store the new value in a UI proxy value container of a plurality of UI proxy value containers, and

cause the new value to be transmitted to one or more UI devices based on the UI proxy.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a series of instructions which, when executed by a processor of a television receiver, cause the processor to control a plurality of devices in a home automation system by:

providing a device proxy for a device in communication with the home automation system, wherein the device proxy comprises a plurality of value containers, each value container of the plurality of value containers corresponding to a sensor output value or control value of the device;

setting a new value in a value container of the plurality of value containers of the device proxy;

determining one or more rules associated with the device proxy;

running the determined one or more rules, wherein;

the determined one or more rules are indicative of interactive relationships between the device proxy, one or more other device proxies corresponding to one or more other home automation devices in communication with the home automation system and a user interface (UI) proxy; and

the UI proxy is distinct from the device proxy and receives the new value from the device proxy based on the determined one or more rules;

updating the one or more other device proxies corresponding to the one or more other home automation devices;

storing the new value in a UI proxy value container of a plurality of UI proxy value containers, and

causing the new value to be transmitted to one or more UI devices based on the UI proxy.