Methods and systems for control of home automation activity based on user characteristics

• US 10,073,428 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 09/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Bruhn, Christopher William, Nafe, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Dennis M
• Application Number:
  US14/986,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20170191695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23238 TV microprocessor executes also home control, monitoring of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306

Abstract

The present technology relates to systems and methods for control of home automation activity based on user preferences. More specifically, the present technology relates to using a home automation system to control home automation activity based on user preferences. Example embodiments include receiving an input from a user including a set of preferences, generating a user profile using the set of preferences, receiving data indicating that a mobile device has moved from a first location to a second location, transmitting the user profile to the mobile device for application to the home automation system, receiving data indicating that the mobile device has been at the second location for a period of time, comparing the period of time to a predetermined threshold period of time, and applying the home automation settings associated with the second location to the home automation system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving, at a television receiver, an input from a user including a set of preferences associated with a home automation system, wherein the set of preferences includes a weight associated with a first home automation device in a first location and a weight associated with a second home automation device in a second location;

generating, by the television receiver, a user profile using the set of preferences, wherein the user profile includes settings associated with a user and the home automation system, and wherein the profile includes home automation settings associated with the first home automation device and home automation settings associated with the second home automation device;

communicating, by the television receiver, with the first home automation device to determine that a mobile device associated with the user is located in the first location;

transmitting, by the television receiver, the user profile to the mobile device associated with the user, wherein when the user profile is received, the mobile device communicates with the first home automation device to apply, using the weight associated with the first home automation device and the weight associated with the second home automation device, the home automation settings associated with the first home automation device to the first home automation device;

determining, by the second home automation device, that the mobile device has moved from the first location to the second location using data collected by the second home automation device;

determining, at the television receiver, that the mobile device has been at the second location for a period of time;

determining, by the television receiver, that the period of time exceeds a predetermined threshold period of time;

automatically determining, using the data collected by the second home automation device, an updated weight associated with the first home automation device, an updated weight associated with the second home automation device, and an updated threshold period of time, wherein the data collected by the second home automation device is associated with one or more actions taken by the user in the second location; and

in response to determining that the period of time exceeds the updated threshold period of time, applying, using the updated weight associated with the first home automation device and the updated weight associated with the second home automation device, the home automation settings associated with the second home automation device to the second home automation device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating the user profile based on the data collected by the second home automation device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data indicating that the mobile device has moved from the first location to the second location includes data corresponding to communications between the mobile device and the first and second home automation devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the television receiver, the user profile to a second television receiver, wherein the television receiver and second television receiver are connected to two different networks and are located in two different structures.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving updated data indicating one or more characteristics of the user;

updating the user profile using the received updated data; and

applying the settings of the updated user profile to the home automation system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the user as one of a stored list of users associated with the home automation system;

retrieving a stored user profile associated with the user;

updating the stored user profile with the received stored user profile; and

storing the updated user profile.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein determining a location of the mobile device includes using one or more devices of the home automation system, wherein the one or more devices includes a video camera, a microphone, or a motion detector.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data associated with a home automation device in a room of a structure, wherein the home automation device is part of the home automation system and the home automation system is in the structure;

determining that the data associated with a home automation device in the room is associated with the user; and

determining a location of the user in the room using the data associated with a home automation device.

9. A television receiver, comprising:

one or more processors;

a wireless transceiver communicatively coupled to the one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium includes instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving, at a television receiver, an input from a user including a set of preferences associated with a home automation system, wherein the set of preferences includes a weight associated with a first home automation device in a first location and a weight associated with a second home automation device in a second location;

generating, by the television receiver, a user profile using the set of preferences, wherein the user profile includes settings associated with a user and the home automation system, and wherein the profile includes home automation settings associated with the first home automation device and home automation settings associated with the second home automation device;

communicating, by the television receiver, with the first home automation device to determine that a mobile device associated with the user is located in the first location;

transmitting, by the television receiver, the user profile to the mobile device associated with the user, wherein when the user profile is received, the mobile device communicates with the first home automation device to apply, using the weight associated with the first home automation device and the weight associated with the second home automation device, the home automation settings associated with the first home automation device to the first home automation device;

determining, by the second home automation device, that the mobile device has moved from the first location to the second location using data collected by the second home automation device;

determining, at the television receiver, that the mobile device has been at the second location for a period of time;

determining, by the television receiver, that the period of time exceeds a predetermined threshold period of time;

automatically determining, using the data collected by the second home automation device, an updated weight associated with the first home automation device, an updated weight associated with the second home automation device, and an updated threshold period of time, wherein the data collected by the second home automation device is associated with one or more actions taken by the user in the second location; and

in response to determining that the period of time exceeds the updated threshold period of time, applying, using the updated weight associated with the first home automation device and the updated weight associated with the second home automation device, the home automation settings associated with the second home automation device to the second home automation device.

10. The television receiver of claim 9, wherein the operations further include:

updating the user profile based on the data collected by the second home automation device.

11. The television receiver of claim 9, wherein the data indicating that the mobile device has moved from the first location to the second location includes data corresponding to communications between the mobile device and the first and second home automation devices.

12. The television receiver of claim 9, wherein the operations further include:

transmitting, by the television receiver, the user profile to a second television receiver, wherein the television receiver and second television receiver are connected to two different networks and are located in two different structures.

13. The television receiver of claim 9, wherein the operations further include:

receiving updated data indicating one or more characteristics of the user;

updating the user profile using the received updated data; and

applying the settings of the updated user profile to the home automation system.

14. The television receiver of claim 9, wherein the operations further include:

identifying the user as one of a stored list of users associated with the home automation system;

retrieving a stored user profile associated with the user;

updating the stored user profile with the received stored user profile; and

storing the updated user profile.

15. The television receiver of claim 9,

wherein determining a location of the mobile device includes using one or more devices of the home automation system, wherein the one or more devices includes a video camera, a microphone, or a motion detector.

16. The television receiver of claim 9, wherein the operations further include:

receiving data associated with a home automation device in a room of a structure, wherein the home automation device is part of the home automation system and the home automation system is in the structure;

determining that the data associated with a home automation device in the room is associated with the user; and

determining a location of the user in the room using the data associated with a home automation device.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving, at a television receiver, an input from a user including a set of preferences associated with a home automation system, wherein the set of preferences includes a weight associated with a first home automation device in a first location and a weight associated with a second home automation device in a second location;

generating, by the television receiver, a user profile using the set of preferences, wherein the user profile includes settings associated with a user and the home automation system, and wherein the profile includes home automation settings associated with the first home automation device and home automation settings associated with the second home automation device;

communicating, by the television receiver, with the first home automation device to determine that a mobile device associated with the user is located in the first location;

transmitting, by the television receiver, the user profile to the mobile device associated with the user, wherein when the user profile is received, the mobile device communicates with the first home automation device to apply, using the weight associated with the first home automation device and the weight associated with the second home automation device, the home automation settings associated with the first home automation device to the first home automation device;

determining, by the second home automation device, that the mobile device has moved from the first location to the second location using data collected by the second home automation device;

determining, at the television receiver, that the mobile device has been at the second location for a period of time;

determining, by the television receiver, that the period of time exceeds a predetermined threshold period of time;

automatically determining, using the data collected by the second home automation device, an updated weight associated with the first home automation device, an updated weight associated with the second home automation device, and an updated threshold period of time, wherein the data collected by the second home automation device is associated with one or more actions taken by the user in the second location; and

in response to determining that the period of time exceeds the updated threshold period of time, applying, using the updated weight associated with the first home automation device and the updated weight associated with the second home automation device, the home automation settings associated with the second home automation device to the second home automation device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein detecting the wireless signal further includes:

receiving data associated with a home automation device in a room of a structure, wherein the home automation device is part of the home automation system and the home automation system is in the structure;

determining that the data associated with a home automation device in the room is associated with the user; and

determining a location of the user in the room using the data associated with a home automation device.