LEVERAGING NEIGHBORHOOD TO HANDLE POTENTIAL VISITOR AT A SMART-HOME

• US 20150154850A1
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony Michael, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Honjo, Shigefumi, McGaraghan, Scott A., Plitkins, Michael, Veron, Maxime, Guenette, Isabel
• Granted Patent: US 9,711,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks

Abstract

This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.

Claims

1. A method of potentially handling a visitor at a smart environment that comprises at least one smart device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computing system, first visitor identification data indicative of the visitor being detected at a first location at a first time;

analyzing, using the computing system, at least a portion of the received first identification data to determine that the visitor is of interest; and

automatically adjusting, using the computing system, a functionality of the at least one smart device of the smart environment based on the analyzing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the functionality of the at least one smart device comprises increasing the perception of occupancy at the smart environment to a visitor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the functionality of the at least one smart device comprises disabling at least a portion of a functionality of a doorbell smart device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting the functionality of the at least one smart device comprises conveying information via an entryway interface smart device of the smart environment that a doorbell user interface of the entryway interface smart device is disabled.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one smart device comprises a smart doorknob device of a door at an entry point to a portion of the smart environment; and

the adjusting comprises locking the door with the smart doorknob device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises increasing the security of the smart environment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises increasing the ability of the at least one smart device to detect visitor information associated with the visitor when the visitor is at the smart environment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the adjusting comprises at least one of the following:

increasing a sampling rate of a sensing component of the at least one smart device;

increasing a sensing range of a sensing component of the at least one smart device; and

activating a sensing component of the at least one smart device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one smart device comprises a smart doorbell device positioned proximate to a door at an entry point to a portion of the smart environment; and

the smart doorbell device comprises a doorbell component operative to be interacted with by a user for generating a request to contact an occupant of the smart environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing comprises determining a particular behavior of the visitor with respect to the first location.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing comprises determining the identification of the visitor.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising, automatically communicating, using the computing system, information indicative of the received first visitor identification data to a remote entity based on the analyzing.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises, prior to the adjusting, processing, using the computing system, the received first identification data to determine that the first location is within a particular distance of the smart environment; and

the adjusting comprises adjusting, using the computing system, the functionality of the at least one smart device of the smart environment based on the analyzing and based on the processing.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises, prior to the receiving, detecting the first visitor identification data using a smart device of a first smart environment at the first location; and

the receiving comprises receiving the first visitor identification data at the computing system from the first smart environment.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein:

the smart device of the first smart environment comprises a smart doorbell device positioned proximate to a door at an entry point to a portion of the first smart environment; and

the smart doorbell device comprises;

a doorbell component operative to be interacted with by a user for generating a request to contact an occupant of the first smart environment; and

at least one sensing component operative to detect the first visitor identification data.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises, prior to the receiving, detecting the first visitor identification data using a portable electronic device of a user associated with at least one smart environment in communication with the computing system; and

the receiving comprises receiving the first visitor identification data at the computing system from the portable electronic device.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the adjusting, receiving, at the computing system, second visitor identification data indicative of the visitor being detected at a second location at a second time that is after the first time; and

processing, using the computing system, the received first identification data in combination with the received second identification data to track a known path of the visitor.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising automatically communicating, using the computing system, information indicative of the tracked known path to a remote entity based on the processing, herein the remote entity comprises at least one of:

an academic entity;

a law enforcement entity;

a package delivery entity; and

a security entity.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising automatically predicting, using the computing system based on tracked known path, the likelihood that a future path of the visitor will reach the smart environment.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising automatically updating, using the computing system, a functionality of at least one other smart device of the smart environment based on the predicting.

3. (canceled)

4. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

15-18. -18. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

29. A system for potentially handling a visitor at a smart environment, the system comprising:

at least one smart device at the smart environment; and

a computing system operative to;

receive first visitor identification data indicative of the visitor being detected at a first location at a first time;

analyze at least a portion of the received first identification data to determine that the visitor is of interest; and

based on the determination that the visitor is of interest, adjust a functionality of the at least one smart device.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a first smart device of a first smart environment at the first location, wherein the first smart device is operative to:

detect the first visitor identification data; and

communicate the detected first visitor identification data to the computing system.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein

the first smart device is an entryway interface smart device positioned at an entryway to a portion of the first smart environment;

and

the entryway interface smart device comprises;

a doorbell component operative to be interacted with by a user for generating a request to contact an occupant of the first smart environment; and

at least one sensing component operative to detect the first visitor identification data.

32. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions recorded thereon for:

receiving, at a computing system, first visitor identification data indicative of a visitor being detected at a first location at a first time;

analyzing, using the computing system, at least a portion of the received first identification data to determine that the visitor is of interest;

processing, using the computing system, at least a portion of the received first identification data to determine that the first location is within a predetermined distance of a smart environment; and

automatically adjusting, using the computing system, a functionality of at least one smart device of a smart environment based on the analyzing and based on the processing.