Modification of automated environment behavior based on user routine

• US 10,496,050 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2015
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marti, Lukas M., Mayor, Robert W., Mathias, Arun G., Huang, Ronald Keryuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge, Charles R
• Application Number:
  US14/856,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20160091872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• 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 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

An automated environment can include an accessory device that operates according to an automation rule, to take a prescribed action when a triggering condition occurs. A controller device for the automated environment can determine a user'"'"'s regular routine and can detect when the user is deviating from the regular routine. The controller device can communicate with accessory devices in the automated environment to modify their behavior relative to the automation rules.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, a location of a user, wherein the computing device is one from a group consisting of a mobile phone and a wearable device;

determining, by the computing device, an established user routine based on the determined location of the user;

detecting, by the computing device, a deviation from the established user routine;

determining, directly by the computing device, that the deviation should result in modifying an operational behavior of an accessory in an automated environment, wherein the accessory is operated in accordance with an automation rule that specifies a triggering condition and an action to be taken in response to the triggering condition, and wherein the operational behavior is to be modified by temporarily overriding the automation rule; and

sending, by the computing device, instructions to the automated environment to modify the operational behavior of the accessory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the deviation should result in modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes:

determining that the deviation satisfies a criterion of significance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the deviation should result in modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes:

determining that a particular pattern of the established user routine that is being deviated from correlates with the triggering condition of the automation rule.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the deviation should result in modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes:

determining a proposed modification to the operational behavior of the accessory;

presenting a prompt to a user of the computing device suggesting the proposed modification; and

receiving a user input indicating that the proposed modification is accepted.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation includes returning to the automated environment at a delayed time relative to the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes delaying operation of the accessory.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation includes returning to the automated environment at an earlier time than the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes rescheduling operation of the accessory based on the earlier time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation includes leaving the automated environment at an earlier time than the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes rescheduling operation of the accessory based on the earlier time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation includes leaving the automated environment at a later time than the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes continuing an operation of the accessory.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviation includes traveling for an extended period and modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes suspending an automated operation of the accessory for the extended period.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the deviation occurring during a predetermined amount of time, suggesting an updated automation rule to the user.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein temporarily overriding the automation rule comprises one of:

ignoring the automation rule, performing a different action from the action specified by the automation rule, and substituting the triggering condition specified by the automation rule with a different triggering condition.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the temporary override of the automation rule remains in effect until the deviation from the established user routine ends.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

before detecting the deviation, creating the automation rule based on a learned user routine.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the established user routine comprises:

determining, by the computing device, one or more user interactions with one or more accessories; and

determining a pattern of activity of the user with the one or more accessories over time.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the location of the user is determined using one or more sensors of the computing device.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the location of the user is determined using one of a GPS of the computing device and a Wi-Fi of the computing device.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the location of the user is performed while the computing device is worn or carried by the user.

18. A method comprising:

receiving, at a coordinator device of an automated environment comprising a plurality of accessories, a notification from a computing device indicating that a deviation from an established user routine has been detected, wherein the computing device determines a location of a user, and wherein the computing device determines the established user routine based on the determined location of the user, wherein the computing device is one from a group consisting of a mobile phone and a wearable device;

determining, by the coordinator device, that the deviation should result in modifying an operational behavior of an accessory of the plurality of accessories, wherein the accessory is operated in accordance with an automation rule and the operational behavior is to be modified by overriding the automation rule; and

temporarily overriding, by the coordinator device, the automation rule for the accessory, thereby modifying the operational behavior of the accessory.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the automation rule specifies a triggering condition and an action to be taken in response to the triggering condition, and wherein overriding the automation rule includes one or more of a group consisting of:

not instructing the accessory to take the action associated with the automation rule even though the triggering condition is satisfied;

sending an instruction message to the accessory to take a different action other than the action specified by the automation rule; and

sending an instruction message to the accessory to take the action specified by the automation rule under a condition different from the triggering condition.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the automation rule specifies a triggering condition and an action to be taken in response to the triggering condition and wherein overriding the automation rule includes sending an override instruction to the accessory, the override instruction including one or more instructions selected from a group consisting of:

an instruction to ignore the triggering condition;

an instruction to substitute an alternative triggering condition for the triggering condition specified by the automation rule; and

an instruction to take an action different from the action in response to the triggering condition specified by the automation rule.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein determining that the deviation should result in modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes:

determining that a particular pattern that is being deviated from correlates with a triggering condition of the automation rule.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein determining that the deviation should result in modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes:

determining a proposed modification to the operational behavior of the accessory;

sending a prompt to the computing device suggesting the proposed modification; and

receiving a user input indicating that the proposed modification is accepted.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the deviation includes returning to the automated environment at a delayed time relative to the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes delaying operation of the accessory.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the deviation includes returning to the automated environment at an earlier time than the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes rescheduling operation of the accessory based on the earlier time.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the deviation includes leaving the automated environment at an earlier time than the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes rescheduling operation of the accessory based on the earlier time.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the deviation includes leaving the automated environment at a later time than the established user routine, and wherein modifying the operational behavior of the accessory includes continuing an operation of the accessory.

27. A computing controller device comprising:

a communication interface to communicate with one or more accessories in an automated environment, wherein the computing controller device is one from a group consisting of a mobile phone and a wearable device; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and configured to;

determine a location of a user;

determine an established user routine based on the location of the user;

detect a deviation from the established user routine;

directly determine that the deviation should result in modifying an operational behavior of an accessory in the automated environment, wherein the accessory is operated in accordance with an automation rule that specifies a triggering condition and an action to be taken in response to the triggering condition, and wherein the operational behavior is to be modified by temporarily overriding the automation rule; and

send instructions to the automated environment to modify the operational behavior of the accessory.