Methods and apparatus for using smart environment devices via application program interfaces

• US 10,764,735 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2019
• Issued: 09/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Horton, David, Tan, Leon, Urman, Andrew, Daniels, Melissa
• Primary Examiner(s): Mudrick, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US16/565,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20200045522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 719328
• 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 11/48 prior to normal operation, e.g. pre-heating or pre-cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/04 involving the use of models or simulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• 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 12/2829 : involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 : Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 : Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 : for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• 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: H04L 67/30 : Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 : for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 : in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

Systems and Methods disclosed herein relate to providing control of smart devices via data provided from or to a doorbell, via an application programming interface (API). The data provided by the doorbell may be submission data related to the doorbell, while received data may be reception data related to one or more smart devices, a smart-device environment structure hosting the smart devices, or both. Based upon the reception data and/or the submission data, a status of the doorbell and/or of the smart devices may be modified.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an application programming interface (API) client device, comprising a light, the light comprising a processor configured to;

provide submission data to an application programming interface (API), the submission data including information about the light to be processed by a cloud service that includes a data model associated with the API, the data model comprising information related to one or more smart-devices, one or more structures comprising the smart-devices, or both; and

receive reception data from the API, the reception data including information about the one or more smart-devices, the one or more structures comprising the smart-devices, or both, a light status of the light being modified based upon the reception data, and a smart-device status being modified based upon the submission data, or both.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the data model comprises a single JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) document describing the one or more structures, the one or more smart-devices, or both, and the one or more smart-devices comprise;

a thermostat, a hazard detector, a camera, security system, a doorbell, or any combination thereof;

the processor is configured to provide the submission data, receive the reception data, or both by providing a request to a representational state transfer (REST) host, a subscription-based application programming interface (API) host, or both; and

the REST host receives REST-based messages and the subscription-based API host receives messages in accordance with a standard of the subscription-based API host.

3. The system of claim 1, the system comprising one or more hazard detectors within one of the one or more structures, wherein the reception data includes information indicating that at least one of the one or more hazard detectors is in an alarm state;

the processor configured to;

based on the indication of the alarm state, modify the light status by controlling a state of the light.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controlling the state of the light comprises the light:

emitting a color of light;

emitting a light pattern;

changing an illumination level;

or

any combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, the system comprising a camera within one of the one or more structures, wherein the reception data includes information indicating an indication of motion detection by the camera;

the processor configured to;

based on the indication of the motion detection, modify the light status by controlling a state of the light.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the reception data comprises an away indication that indicates that an away-state is detected by one or more smart-devices;

the processor configured to;

based on the indication of the away-state, modify the light status by changing an illumination level of the light.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more smart-devices comprises:

a thermostat, a camera, a door lock, or an occupancy sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the light comprises:

a light bulb;

a plug with an attached light;

a lighting controller;

or

a light switch.

9. A method for controlling a light, the method comprising:

providing submission data to an application programming interface (API), by the light, which is an API client device, the submission data including information about the light to be processed by a cloud service that includes a data model associated with the API, the data model comprising information related to one or more smart-devices, one or more structures comprising the smart-devices, or both; and

receiving reception data from the API, the reception data including information about the one or more smart-devices, the one or more structures comprising the smart-devices, or both, a light status of the light being modified based upon the reception data, and a smart-device status being modified based upon the submission data, or both.

10. The method of claim 9, the light including an occupancy sensor, the method further comprising:

detecting motion, using the occupancy sensor, in a zone inside or outside of one of the one or more structures; and

including an indication of the detected motion in the submission to the API that is effective to operate one or more additional lights associated with the one of the one or more structures.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more additional lights are activated immediately after the detection of the motion, activated after a fixed time delay after the detection of the motion, or activated after a bounded, random time delay after the detection of the motion.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the received reception data includes a trigger from one of the one or more smart-devices, the method further comprising:

based on the trigger, modifying the light status by controlling a state of the light.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the controlling the state of the light comprises the light:

emitting a color of light;

emitting a light pattern;

changing an illumination level;

or

any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the trigger is:

sensing motion in a certain activity zone, a door opening or closing, a lock being locked or unlocked, a window being opened or closed, a garage door opening or closing, an animal door moving, a window being broken, lights being turned on or off, or any combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the reception data comprises an away indication that indicates that an away-state is detected by one or more smart-devices, the method further comprising:

based on the indication of the away-state, modifying the light status by changing an illumination level of the light.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the light comprises:

a light bulb;

a plug with an attached light;

a lighting controller;

or

a light switch.

17. An application programming interface (API) client device, comprising a key system, the key system comprising a processor configured to:

provide submission data to an application programming interface (API), the submission data including information about the key system to be processed by a cloud service that includes a data model associated with the API, the data model comprising information related to one or more smart-devices, one or more structures comprising the smart-devices, or both; and

receive reception data from the API, the reception data including information about the one or more smart-devices, the one or more structures comprising the smart-devices, or both, a key status of the key system being modified based upon the reception data, and a smart-device status being modified based upon the submission data, or both.

18. The API client device of claim 17, wherein the key system is attached to a door of one of the one or more structures, the processor configured to:

detect a change in a lock-state of the door; and

include an indication of the change in the lock-state in the submission data to the API, the indication being effective to operate one or more lights within the one of the one or more structures.

19. The API client device of claim 17, wherein the key system is attached to a door of one of the one or more structures, the processor configured to:

detect a change in a lock-state of the door; and

include an indication of the change in the lock-state in the submission data to the API, the indication being effective to change setting of a thermostat associated with the one of the one or more structures.

20. The API client device of claim 17, wherein the key system is attached to a door of one of the one or more structures, the processor configured to:

detect a change in a lock-state of the door; and

include an indication of the change in the lock-state in the submission data to the API, the indication being effective to change a security-alarm setting for the one of the one or more structures.