Monitoring and reporting household activities in the smart home according to a household policy

• US 9,872,088 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2015
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Veron, Maxime
• Primary Examiner(s): RUSHING, MARK S
• Application Number:
  US14/639,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20160261932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 34087007
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/60 for transmitting utility meters data, i.e. transmission of data from the reader of the utility meter
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 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

Abstract

Embodiments provided herein relate to monitoring and reporting household activities. In one embodiment, a method includes: monitoring, via a smart device, one or more activities associated with: a household; analyzing, via the smart device, a processor, or both, at least one characteristic of the one or more activities to discern information about the household; and reporting, via the device, the discerned information.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a device disposed in a household environment, configured to monitor one or more activities associated with;

a household, an individual within the household, a situation within the household, day-to-day activities within the household, or a combination thereof; and

a processor configured to;

analyze at least one characteristic of the one or more activities to discern information about the household, the individual, the situation, the typical activities, or a combination thereof;

report the discerned information, wherein the device is configured to monitor child occupancy and audio signatures; and

discern and report that potential mischief is occurring when a child is without adult supervision and the audio signatures indicate that the child is whispering or is quiet.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive a software update from a remote server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the received software update updates software executed by the device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a video sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to process a video stream obtained by the video sensor to discern and report that the potential mischief is occurring.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second type, wherein the first type is video, and wherein the processor is operative to process a video stream obtained by the first sensor in conjunction with the second sensor to discern and report that the potential mischief is occurring.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second type is acoustic.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the second type is infrared.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the second type is olfactory.

9. A method implemented in a device disposed in a household environment, comprising:

monitoring one or more activities associated with;

a household, an individual within the household, a situation within the household, day-to-day activities within the household, or a combination thereof;

analyzing at least one characteristic of the one or more activities to discern information about the household, the individual, the situation, the typical activities, or a combination thereof;

reporting the discerned information, wherein the device is configured to monitor child occupancy and audio signatures; and

discerning and reporting that potential mischief is occurring when a child is without adult supervision and the audio signatures indicate that the child is whispering or is quiet.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a software update from a remote server.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the received software update updates software executed by the device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the device comprises a video sensor, and wherein said discerning and reporting that potential mischief is occurring when a child is without adult supervision and the audio signatures indicate that the child is whispering or is quiet the comprises processing a video stream obtained by the video sensor.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the device comprises a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second type, wherein the first type is video, and wherein said discerning and reporting that potential mischief is occurring when a child is without adult supervision and the audio signatures indicate that the child is whispering or is quiet the comprises processing a video stream obtained by the first sensor in conjunction with the second sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second type is acoustic.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second type is infrared.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the second type is olfactory.

17. A tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising machine-readable instructions to:

monitor, via a processor, one or more activities associated with;

a household, an individual within the household, a situation within the household, day-to-day activities within the household, or a combination thereof;

analyze, via the processor, at least one characteristic of the one or more activities to discern information about the household, the individual, the situation, the typical activities, or a combination thereof;

report, via the processor, the discerned information, wherein the processor is configured to monitor child occupancy and audio signatures; and

discern and report, via the processor, that potential mischief is occurring when a child is without adult supervision and the audio signatures indicate that the child is whispering or is quiet.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, comprising instructions to receive a software update from a remote server.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the received software update updates software executed by the device.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, comprising instructions to process a video stream obtained by a video sensor to discern and report that the potential mischief is occurring.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 17, comprising instructions to process a video stream obtained by the first sensor of a first type in conjunction with a second sensor of a second type to discern and report that the potential mischief is occurring, wherein the first type is video.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the second type is acoustic.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the second type is infrared.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the second type is olfactory.