Maintaining up-to-date home automation models

• US 9,900,177 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2014
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• 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: Holley, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/475,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20150160623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• 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
• 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

Embodiments detailed herein may involve a first status update of a home automation device installed as part of a home automation system in a home being received. An entry of a plurality of entries in a master home automation model may be updated based on the first status update of the home automation device. The master home automation model may be maintained by the home automation host system. The plurality of entries may correspond to home automation device characteristics of the plurality of home automation devices. A numerical identifier used to track status updates related to the home automation system in the home may be incremented. Within the master home automation model, the incremented numerical identifier may be assigned to the updated entry in the master home automation model.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining an up-to-date home automation model, the system comprising:

a remote device configured to perform wireless communication and to maintain a remotely-stored home automation model of a home automation system; and

a home automation host system, comprising;

one or more wireless interfaces;

a master home automation model that is stored as a database that tracks current operating characteristics of a plurality of home automation devices, wherein;

for each home automation device of the plurality of home automation devices, the database links;

an update counter;

a device characteristic;

a device identifier, and a current status;

a plurality of entries correspond to home automation device characteristics of the plurality of home automation devices; and

the remotely-stored home automation model is stored by the remote device remotely from the master home automation model stored by the home automation host system;

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 which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

communicate with a plurality of home automation devices installed in a home as part of a home automation system via the one or more wireless interfaces using one or more communication protocols to obtain status updates;

receive a first status update of a home automation device of the plurality of home automation devices;

update an entry of a plurality of entries in a master home automation model based on the first status update of the home automation device;

increment an update counter used to track status updates related to the home automation system in the home; and

assign, within the master home automation model, the incremented update counter to the device update count linked with the device characteristic of the home automation device in the master home automation model;

receive, from the remote device, a request for an update to the remotely-stored home automation model of the home automation system, wherein;

the request indicates a most-recent update counter stored by the remote device;

compare the most-recent update counter received from the remote device with the incremented update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system;

determine that information from the entry of the plurality of entries of the master home automation model is to be transmitted to the remote device based on comparing the most-recent update counter received from the remote device with the incremented update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system; and

cause the information from the entry of plurality of entries of the master home automation model to be transmitted to the remote device based on comparing the most-recent update counter received from the remote device with the incremented update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system, the information being indicative of the first status update, wherein;

the remote device updates the remotely-stored home automation model based on the information transmitted by the home automation host system to the remote device.

2. The system for maintaining the up-to-date home automation model of claim 1, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

prior to receiving the first status update, receive a second status update of the home automation device installed as part of the home automation system in the home; and

update the entry of the plurality of entries in the master home automation model based on the second status update of the home automation device, wherein the second status update is subsequently overwritten by the first status update and no request for the update to the remotely-stored home automation model is received from the remote device between updating the entry based on the second status update and updating the entry based on the first status update.

3. The system for maintaining the up-to-date home automation model of claim 2, wherein no information indicative of the second status update is transmitted to the remote device.

4. The system for maintaining the up-to-date home automation model of claim 1, the system further comprising:

the home automation device; and

the remote device, wherein the remote device is a wireless device that only intermittently updates the remotely-stored home automation model.

5. The system for maintaining the up-to-date home automation model of claim 4, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a master checksum value based on the master home automation model; and

cause the master checksum value to be transmitted to the remote device.

6. The system for maintaining the up-to-date home automation model of claim 5, wherein the remote device is configured to:

calculate a remote checksum value based on the remotely-stored home automation model;

compare the master checksum value received from the home automation host system with the calculated remote checksum value; and

request a rebuild of the remotely-stored home automation model based on comparing the master checksum value with the calculated remote checksum value.

7. A method for maintaining an up-to-date home automation model, the method implemented with at least one processor coupled with memory-stored executable instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method, comprising:

communicating, by a home automation host system, with a plurality of home automation devices installed in a home as part of a home automation system via one or more wireless interfaces using one or more communication protocols to obtain status updates;

receiving, by the home automation host system, a first status update of a home automation device of the plurality of home automation devices installed as part of the home automation system in the home;

updating, by the home automation host system, an entry of a plurality of entries in a master home automation model based on the first status update of the home automation device, wherein;

the master home automation model is;

stored and maintained by the home automation host system as a database that tracks current operating characteristics of the plurality of home automation devices, wherein;

for each home automation device of the plurality of home automation devices, the database links;

an update counter;

a device characteristic;

a device identifier, and a current status; and

the plurality of entries correspond to home automation device characteristics of the plurality of home automation devices;

incrementing, by the home automation host system, an update counter used to track status updates related to the home automation system in the home; and

assigning, by the home automation host system, within the master home automation model, the incremented update counter to the device update count linked with the device characteristic of the home automation device in the master home automation model;

receiving, by the home automation system from a remote device, a request for an update to a remotely-stored home automation model of the home automation system, wherein;

the remotely-stored home automation model is stored by the remote device remotely from the master home automation model stored by the home automation host system, and

the request indicates a most-recent update counter stored by the remote device;

comparing, by the home automation system, the most-recent update counter received from the remote device with the incremented update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system;

determining, by the home automation system, that information from the entry of the plurality of entries of the master home automation model is to be transmitted to the remote device based on comparing the most-recent update counter received from the remote device with the incremented update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system; and

causing, by the home automation system, the information from the entry of plurality of entries of the master home automation model to be transmitted to the remote device based on comparing the most-recent update counter received from the remote device with the incremented update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system, the information being indicative of the first status update;

wherein the remote device updates the remotely-stored home automation model based on the information transmitted by the home automation host system.

8. The method for maintaining the up-to-date home automation model of claim 7, the method further comprising:

prior to receiving the first status update, receiving, by the home automation host system, a second status update of the home automation device installed as part of the home automation system in the home; and

updating, by the home automation host system, the entry of the plurality of entries in the master home automation model based on the second status update of the home automation device, wherein the second status update is subsequently overwritten by the first status update and no request for the update to the remotely-stored home automation model is received from the remote device between updating the entry based on the second status update and updating the entry based on the first status update.

9. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for maintaining an up-to-date home automation model at a home automation host system, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

communicate with a plurality of home automation devices installed in a home as part of a home automation system via one or more wireless interfaces and via one or more communication protocols to obtain status updates;

receive a first status update of a home automation device installed as part of a home automation system in a home, the home automation system comprising a plurality of home automation devices;

update an entry of a plurality of entries in a master home automation model based on the first status update of the home automation device, wherein;

for each home automation device of the plurality of home automation devices, the database links;

an update counter;

a device characteristic;

a device identifier, and a current status;

the plurality of entries correspond to home automation device characteristics of the plurality of home automation devices;

increment a numerical identifier used to track status updates related to the home automation system in the home;

assign, within the master home automation model, the incremented numerical identifier to the updated entry in the master home automation model;

receive, from a remote device, a request for an update to a remotely-stored home automation model of the home automation system, wherein;

the remotely-stored home automation model is stored by the remote device remotely from the master home automation model stored by the home automation host system, and

the request indicates a remote update counter stored by the remote device;

compare the remote update counter received from the remote device with an update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system;

determine that information from the entry of the plurality of entries of the master home automation model is to be transmitted to the remote device based on comparing the remote update counter received from the remote device with the update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system; and

cause the information from the entry of plurality of entries of the master home automation model to be transmitted to the remote device based on comparing the remote update counter received from the remote device with the update counter of the master home automation model maintained by the home automation host system, the information being indicative of the first status update wherein;

the remote device updates the remotely-stored home automation model based on the information transmitted by the home automation host system to the remote device.