Methods, systems, and related architectures for managing network connected devices

• US 10,142,421 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mighdoll, Lee, Fadell, Anthony Michael, Steele, Oliver W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Anthan
• Application Number:
  US14/984,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20160119430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 700276, 700277, 700300
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 5/12 using heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• 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 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 : involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/13 : Hot air central heating systems using heat pumps

Abstract

A device management system facilitates an automatic pairing of an electronic device with a management account. The device management system receives a public network address associated with a computer device on a private network accessing the management account. The system retrieves the metadata including a public network address associated with a registration of the electronic device with the device management system. The public network address registered with the metadata is provided by a router on the private network and therefore should match the public network address used by computer devices on the private network. The management account is paired with the electronic device if the electronic device has the same public network address as the computer device accessing the management account. Pairing the management account to the electronic device allows the management account to communicate with the electronic device over the public network through the device management system.

Claims

1. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account, wherein the electronic device comprises a thermostat, a smoke detector, a hazard detector, a carbon monoxide detector, a component of a home security system, a door-entry system, a smart appliance, an electrical outlet, or a light-control system;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

2. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account, wherein the device identifier identifies the electronic device and a public network address used by the electronic device to communicate over the public network portion of the network to the device management system;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

3. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool, wherein the update server accesses each entry in the device registration pool and then uses the metadata in each entry, including a public network address and a private network address, to connect to the corresponding electronic device over the public network portion of the network and a private network portion of the network;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

4. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool, wherein the update server performs a query to the electronic device for a current version of installed software then proceeds to send software updates to the electronic device over the network if the electronic device authorizes the software updates;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

5. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account, wherein the pairing server may automatically pair an entry in the device registration pool associated with the electronic device to a management account if both the electronic device and a computer device using the management account have the same public network address;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

6. The device management system of claim 5, wherein the pairing server is further configured to receive a confirmation from the electronic device that a management account identifier was displayed by the electronic device and that an input was received by the electronic device approving pairing of the electronic device with the management account.

7. The device management system of claim 5, wherein the public network address is associated with a router, the router being part of a private network portion of the network and facilitating communications between the public network portion of the network and the private network portion of the network, wherein the electronic device and the computer device using the management account are also part of the private network portion of the network.

8. The device management system of claim 5, wherein the public network address used to automatically pair the entry in the device registration pool associated with the electronic device to the management account comprises a public network address from which the computer device most recently accessed the management account.

9. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account, wherein the pairing server may transmit a passcode over the public network portion of the network to the electronic device located on a private network portion of the network and then pair the entry in the device registration pool associated with the electronic device to the management account that provides the passcode as it indicates that a user obtained the passcode from the electronic device and provided it to the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

10. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system, wherein the user interface generated by the front end user-interface server displays an image of a house representing a primary enclosure paired to the management account and further displays images of one or more electronic devices for each electronic device inside the primary enclosure with a current condition displayed on each of the images of the one or more electronic devices reflecting the condition of an area in which each electronic device is installed; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

11. The device management system of claim 10, wherein the user-interface generated by the front end user-interface server further displays an image of an additional house representing a secondary enclosure paired to the management account with the image of the additional house deemphasized in relationship to the image of the house representing the primary enclosure.

12. The device management system of claim 11, wherein the user interface generated by the front end user-interface server further receives a selection of the secondary enclosure, and in response to receiving the selection of the secondary enclosure deemphasizes the image of the house representing the primary enclosure in relationship to the image of the additional house representing the secondary enclosure.

13. The device management system of claim 10, wherein the user interface generated by the front end user-interface server is configured to display a separate electronic device icon for each electronic device operating within the primary enclosure.

14. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices, wherein the backend server further provides one or more predetermined condition schedules for uploading over the public network portion of the network to the registered electronic devices.

15. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account, wherein the paring server is further configured to attempt to automatically pair the electronic device with the management account, and if the attempt to automatically pair the electronic device with the management account is unsuccessful, attempt to manually pair the electronic device with the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

16. The device management system of claim 15, wherein the attempt to automatically pair the electronic device to the management account is unsuccessful when the management account is accessed through a public network address and at least one additional management account has been accessed from the same public network address within a predetermined time period.

17. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system, wherein the user interface generated by the front end user-interface server is configured to receive one or more condition setpoints for controlling the electronic device, the one or more condition setpoints being received through one or more bar controls, each of the one or more bar controls corresponding to a single day of the week; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

18. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system, wherein the user interface generated by the front end user-interface server is configured to display one or more condition setpoints together on the user interface, wherein the one or more condition setpoints are spaced according to a timescale; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.

19. A device management system that manages a plurality of electronic devices over a network, comprising:

a registration server configured to execute on one or more computers that receives metadata associated with an electronic device over a public network portion of the network and provisions an entry in a device registration pool referenced by the metadata that includes a device identifier and a public network address associated with the electronic device awaiting to be paired with a management account;

an update server configured to execute on the one or more computers that attempts to update software of each of the electronic devices registered with the registration server if newer versions of the software exist than is currently running on each of the electronic devices corresponding to each entry in the device registration pool;

a pairing server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates associating the electronic device with a management account and authorizes communication with the electronic device using the management account;

a front end user-interface server configured to execute on the one or more computers that facilitates generation of a user-interface for accessing one or more electronic devices from a computer device accessing the management account on the device management system, wherein the user interface generated by the front end user-interface server is configured to display a graphical representation of a user interface of the electronic device such that the graphical representation displays condition controls and information in a manner similar to a graphical user interface of the electronic device; and

a backend server configured to execute on the one or more computers that manages access to data related to electronic devices registered with the device management system and organizes information received over the network related to conditions that are controlled or monitored by the registered electronic devices.