3D MAPPING OF INTERNET OF THINGS DEVICES

• US 20160173293A1
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Kevin Alan
• Granted Patent: US 10,091,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• 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

A method for mapping and controlling network-enabled appliances with a control device may comprise collecting spatial information in three dimensions as at least one sensor of the control device is moved within an environment, receiving registration signals from network-enabled appliances in the environment, and associating each network-enabled appliance with a respective 3D position in the environment based on the spatial information. The method may include generating a digital map of the environment from the spatial information and placing a representation of each network-enabled appliance on the digital map based on the respective 3D position. The method may also include generating a spatially aware rule set that applies to one or more rooms within the environment. The method may also include detecting a trigger event, and in response to the trigger event, commanding the network-enabled appliances according to the spatially aware rule set.

Claims

1. A method for mapping and controlling network-enabled appliances with a control device, the method comprising:

collecting spatial information in three dimensions as at least one sensor of the control device is moved within an environment;

receiving registration signals from network-enabled appliances in the environment;

associating each network-enabled appliance with a respective three-dimensional (3D) position in the environment based on the spatial information;

registering each network-enabled appliance with the control device to create a registration log;

generating a digital map of the environment from the spatial information; and

placing a representation of each network-enabled appliance on the digital map based on the respective 3D position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a spatially aware rule set that applies to one or more rooms within the environment based upon the spatial information and the registration log.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a trigger event; and

in response to the trigger event, commanding the network-enabled appliances within the room or rooms according to the spatially aware rule set.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one depth and/or color camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration signals are infrared signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration signals are visible light signals.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before the registration signals are received, soliciting the registration signals from the network-enabled appliances via near field communication, wireless Internet, or a personal area network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising recognizing the network-enabled appliances with machine vision techniques.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an array microphone and the registration signals are audio signals.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising reading visible tags to recognize network-enabled appliances.

11. An automation system comprising a control device for mapping and controlling network-enabled appliances, the control device comprising:

at least one sensor configured to collect spatial information in three dimensions as the at least one sensor is moved within an environment;

a communication unit configured to receive registration signals from network-enabled appliances in the environment; and

a processor configured to execute an automation program to;

associate each network-enabled appliance with a respective three-dimensional (3D) position in the environment based on the spatial information;

register each network-enabled appliance with the control device to create a registration log;

generate a digital map of the environment from the spatial information; and

place a representation of each network-enabled appliance on the digital map based on the respective 3D position.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the automation program is further configured to generate a spatially aware rule set that applies to one or more rooms within the environment based upon the spatial information and the registration log.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the automation program is further configured to, in response to a trigger event, command the network-enabled appliances within the room or rooms via the communication unit according to the spatially aware rule set.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one depth camera and/or color camera.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the registration signals are infrared signals.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the registration signals are visible light signals.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the communication unit is configured to, before the registration signals are received, solicit the registration signals from the network-enabled appliances via near field communication, wireless Internet, or a personal area network.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor comprises an array microphone and the registration signals are audio signals.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the automation program is configured to read visible tags to recognize the network-enabled appliances.

20. An automation system comprising a control device for mapping and controlling network-enabled appliances, the control device comprising:

at least one sensor configured to collect spatial information in three dimensions as the at least one sensor is moved within an environment;

a communication unit configured to receive registration signals from network-enabled appliances in the environment; and

a processor configured to execute an automation program to;

associate each network-enabled appliance with a respective three-dimensional (3D) position in the environment based on the spatial information;

register each network-enabled appliance with the control device to create a registration log;

generate a digital map of the environment from the spatial information;

place a representation of each network-enabled appliance on the digital map based on the respective 3D position;

generate a spatially aware rule set that applies to one or more rooms within the environment based upon the spatial information and the registration log;

detect a trigger event; and

in response to the trigger event, command the network-enabled appliances within the room or rooms via the communication unit according to the spatially aware rule set.