System for utility usage triggering action

• US 9,967,145 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Ryan Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): BALSECA, FRANKLIN D
• Application Number:
  US14/550,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20160150298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/002 Remote reading of utility meters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• 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: H04Q 2209/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/10 using a centralized architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless 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 2209/80 Arrangements in the sub-station, i.e. sensing device
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/86 Performing a diagnostic of the sensing device
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to using sensors and measurements from sensors to trigger actions within a network. Specifically, various techniques and systems are provided for measuring usage or measurements, using sensors, of utilities or other environmental factors, generating profiles based on the usage or measurements, and triggering actions within a network device based on the usage, measurements and profiles. Embodiments of the present invention may include, for example, compiling historical usage based on the use or measurements detected by a network device and generating a usage profile based on that use or measurements. The normal usage profile may be compared with the usage over a certain predetermined period of time to detect any abnormal use or measurements from the network device, and an action may be taken as a result of an abnormality.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

compiling, by a network device on a network, historical usage data based on use of a utility by the network device, wherein the network includes multiple network devices on the network;

generating a historical usage profile of the network device using the historical usage data, wherein the historical usage profile includes a threshold and a threshold delay associated with the threshold, wherein the threshold and the threshold delay are determined using the historical usage data, and wherein the threshold is associated with a boundary between normal and abnormal usage of the utility;

compiling, by the network device on the network, current usage data based on use of a utility by the network device;

generating a current usage profile of the network device based on the current compiled usage data;

determining that the current usage data is abnormal based on the current usage profile and the historical usage profile, wherein determining that the current usage data is abnormal includes determining that a portion of the current usage data crosses the threshold;

upon determining that the current usage data is abnormal, transmitting, by the network device, a notification to multiple additional network devices on the network;

determining, by the network device, that the portion of the current usage data remains across the threshold for a period of time equal to or greater than the threshold delay; and

broadcasting a communication to the multiple additional network devices on the network when the network device determines that the portion of the current usage data remains across the threshold for a period of time equal to or greater than the threshold delay, wherein when the communication is received, a state of the network device is changed, and wherein receiving the communication facilitates one of the multiple additional network devices changing the state of the network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication includes an indication that the current usage data is abnormal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device includes a water dispensing mechanism.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the changed state of the network device is an amount of flow of liquid per period of time.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the changed state of the network device is a state of liquid dispensed by the water dispensing mechanism.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device includes a thermostat.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the changed state of the network device is a temperature sensed by a sensor within the thermostat.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting a light from an LED connected to the network device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting audio from a speaker connected to the network device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining current usage data includes determining a measurement by a sensor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting a notification that is displayable when received.

12. A computing device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to perform operations including;

compiling, by a network device on a network, historical usage data based on use of a utility by the network device, wherein the network includes multiple network devices on the network;

generating a historical usage profile of the network device using the historical usage data, wherein the historical usage profile includes a threshold and a threshold delay associated with the threshold, wherein the threshold and the threshold delay are determined using the historical usage data, and wherein the threshold is associated with a boundary between normal and abnormal usage of the utility;

compiling, by the network device on the network, current usage data based on use of a utility by the network device;

generating a current usage profile of the network device based on the current compiled usage data;

determining that the current usage data is abnormal based on the current usage profile and the historical usage profile, wherein determining that the current usage data is abnormal includes determining that a portion of the current usage data crosses the threshold;

upon determining that the current usage data is abnormal, transmitting, by the network device, a notification to multiple additional network devices on the network;

determining, by the network device, that the portion of the current usage data remains across the threshold for a period of time equal to or greater than the threshold delay; and

broadcasting a communication to the multiple additional network devices on the network when the network device determines that the portion of the current usage data remains across the threshold for a period of time equal to or greater than the threshold delay, wherein when the communication is received, a state of the network device is changed, and wherein receiving the communication facilitates one of the multiple additional network devices changing the state of the network device.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the communication includes an indication that the current usage data is abnormal.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the network device includes a water dispensing mechanism.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the changed state of the network device is an amount of flow of liquid per period of time.

16. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the changed state of the network device is a state of liquid dispensed by the water dispensing mechanism.

17. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the network device includes a thermostat.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the changed state of the network device is a temperature sensed by a sensor within the thermostat.

19. The computing device of claim 12, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting a light from an LED connected to the network device.

20. The computing device of claim 12, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting audio from a speaker connected to the network device.

21. The computing device of claim 12, wherein determining current usage data includes determining a measurement by a sensor.

22. The computing device of claim 12, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting a notification that is displayable when received.

23. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

compile, by a network device on a network, historical usage data based on use of a utility by the network device, wherein the network includes multiple network devices on the network;

generate a historical usage profile of the network device using the historical usage data, wherein the historical usage profile includes a threshold and a threshold delay associated with the threshold, wherein the threshold and the threshold delay are determined using the historical usage data, and wherein the threshold is associated with a boundary between normal and abnormal usage of the utility;

compile, by the network device on the network, current usage data based on use of a utility by the network device;

generate a current usage profile of the network device based on the current compiled usage data;

determine that the current usage data is abnormal based on the current usage profile and the historical usage profile, wherein determining that the current usage data is abnormal includes determining that a portion of the current usage data crosses the threshold;

upon determining that the current usage data is abnormal, transmit, by the network device, a notification to multiple additional network devices on the network;

determine, by the network device, that the portion of the current usage data remains across the threshold for a period of time equal to or greater than the threshold delay; and

broadcast a communication to the multiple additional network devices on the network when the network device determines that the portion of the current usage data remains across the threshold for a period of time equal to or greater than the threshold delay, wherein when the communication is received, a state of the network device is changed, and wherein receiving the communication facilitates one of the multiple additional network devices changing the state of the network device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the communication includes an indication that the current usage data is abnormal.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the network device includes a water dispensing mechanism.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the changed state of the network device is an amount of flow of liquid per period of time.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the changed state of the network device is a state of liquid dispensed by the water dispensing mechanism.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the network device includes a thermostat.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the changed state of the network device is a temperature sensed by a sensor within the thermostat.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting a light from an LED connected to the network device.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting audio from a speaker connected to the network device.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein determining current usage data includes determining a measurement by a sensor.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein broadcasting the communication includes transmitting a notification that is displayable when received.