Network device management technology

• US 10,541,902 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Slavin, Alison Jane
• Primary Examiner(s): Won, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/934,271
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• 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 12/2818 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 12/282 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 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; 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 41/0677 Localisation of faults
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• 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: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing network device management. In some implementations, a native mobile device application enables use of a mobile device to add new devices to a network, remove devices from a network, change network and device profile settings, troubleshoot a network, provide an interface into network devices, communications, diagnostics, etc., and provide remote access to the network for installation, programming, troubleshooting, and inclusion.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring local network devices located at a property, the system comprising:

a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a client'"'"'s local network, comprising locally networked devices that are located at the client'"'"'s property;

a native mobile device network application loaded onto a mobile device, the native mobile device network application including instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

tracking the locally networked devices that are located at the property;

based on the tracking of the locally networked devices that are located at the property, detecting status of the locally networked devices that are located at the property; and

providing an interface for managing the locally networked devices located at the property,

wherein the monitoring system is configured to perform operations comprising;

detecting a problem with one of the locally networked devices, and

in response to detecting the problem, sending an alert to the native mobile device network application identifying the detected problem and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem; and

wherein the native mobile device network application further includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising;

receiving the alert identifying the detected problem and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

in response to receiving the alert, determining that the mobile device is unable to communicate with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

based on the determination that the mobile device is unable to communicate with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, outputting, on a display of the mobile device, alert information for the detected problem, the alert information including a description of the detected problem and a description of how to diagnose the detected problem using a local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

after outputting the alert information, detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem; and

in response to detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, establishing the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and starting a diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem using the local connection, the mobile device and the locally networked device both being located within the property to establish the local connection as a direct connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device,

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises;

selecting a diagnosis application that is appropriate for a communication protocol used by the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, features included in the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, and the problem detected; and

starting the diagnosis application automatically, without human intervention, in response to detecting potential to interact with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem.

2. The system of claim 1:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish the local connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of the local connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the local connection to diagnose the detected problem.

3. The system of claim 1:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish a wired connection between the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and the mobile device;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of the wired connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the wired connection to diagnose the detected problem.

4. The system of claim 1:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish a short-range wireless connection between the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and the mobile device;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of the short-range wireless connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the short-range wireless connection to diagnose the detected problem.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish a short-range wireless connection between the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and the mobile device comprises outputting alert information that instructs a user of the mobile device to move within a certain distance of the locally networked device associated with the detected problem.

6. The system of claim 1:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to authorize the mobile device with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of an authorized connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the authorized connection to diagnose the detected problem.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises:

selecting a diagnosis application that is appropriate for a communication protocol used by the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, features included in the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, and the problem detected;

outputting a suggestion to start the diagnosis application in response to detecting potential to interact with the locally networked device; and

awaiting user input confirming the suggestion prior to starting the diagnosis application.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises automatically, without human intervention, starting a diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem.

9. The system of claim 1:

wherein the native mobile device network application further includes instructions that, when executed by the mobile device, cause the mobile device to perform operations comprising sending an update to the monitoring system that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations; and

wherein the monitoring system is further configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving the update that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations, and

handling the locally networked device associated with the detected problem based on the received update that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein the alert sent to the native mobile device network application is a result of managing multiple alerts from within the local network comprised of locally networked devices;

wherein the managing of multiple alerts is performed by an entity of the mobile device network application able to dynamically associate combinations of alerts to a root cause;

wherein the root cause is then sent to the native mobile device network application as the alert.

11. The method of claim 1:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to deauthorize one of the locally networked devices associated with the detected problem;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of an authorized connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the authorized connection to diagnose the detected problem.

12. A method comprising:

tracking locally networked devices that are located at a property, the property being monitored by a monitoring system and the tracking being performed by a native mobile device network application loaded onto a mobile device;

based on the tracking of the locally networked devices that are located at the property, detecting status of the locally networked devices that are located at the property;

providing an interface for managing the locally networked devices located at the property;

detecting a problem with one of the locally networked devices;

in response to detecting the problem, sending an alert to the native mobile device network application identifying the detected problem and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

receiving, by the native mobile device network application, the alert identifying the detected problem and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

in response to receiving the alert, determining that the mobile device is unable to communicate with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

based on the determination that the mobile device is unable to communicate with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, outputting, on a display of the mobile device, alert information for the detected problem, the alert information including a description of the detected problem and a description of how to diagnose the detected problem using a local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

after outputting the alert information, detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem; and

in response to detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, establishing the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and starting a diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem using the local connection, the mobile device and the locally networked device both being located within the property to establish the local connection as a direct connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device,

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises;

selecting a diagnosis application that is appropriate for a communication protocol used by the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, features included in the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, and the problem detected; and

starting the diagnosis application automatically, without human intervention, in response to detecting potential to interact with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem.

13. The method of claim 12:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish the local connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of the local connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the local connection to diagnose the detected problem.

14. The method of claim 12:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish a wired connection between the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and the mobile device;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of the wired connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the wired connection to diagnose the detected problem.

15. The method of claim 12:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish a short-range wireless connection between the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and the mobile device;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of the short-range wireless connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the short-range wireless connection to diagnose the detected problem.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein outputting alert information that includes a description of how to establish a short-range wireless connection between the locally networked device associated with the detected problem and the mobile device comprises outputting alert information that instructs a user of the mobile device to move within a certain distance of the locally networked device associated with the detected problem.

17. The method of claim 12:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to authorize the mobile device with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of an authorized connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the authorized connection to diagnose the detected problem.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises:

selecting a diagnosis application that is appropriate for a communication protocol used by the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, features included in the locally networked device associated with the detected problem, and the problem detected;

outputting a suggestion to start the diagnosis application in response to detecting potential to interact with the locally networked device; and

awaiting user input confirming the suggestion prior to starting the diagnosis application.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises automatically, without human intervention, starting a diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

sending an update to the monitoring system that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations;

receiving the update that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations, and

handling the locally networked device associated with the detected problem based on the received update that describes results of the performance of the diagnosis operations.

21. The method of claim 12:

wherein the alert sent to the native mobile device network application is a result of managing multiple alerts from within the local network comprised of locally networked devices;

wherein the managing of multiple alerts is performed by an entity of the mobile device network application able to dynamically associate combinations of alerts to a root cause;

wherein the root cause is then sent to the native mobile device network application as the alert.

22. The method of claim 12:

wherein outputting alert information for the detected problem comprises outputting alert information that includes a description of how to deauthorize one of the locally networked devices associated with the detected problem;

wherein detecting potential to establish the local connection between the mobile device and the locally networked device associated with the detected problem comprises detecting establishment of an authorized connection with the locally networked device associated with the detected problem using the native mobile device network application; and

wherein starting the diagnosis process used to diagnose the detected problem comprises using the authorized connection to diagnose the detected problem.