Commissioning devices for automation systems

• US 9,246,757 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The ADT Security Corporation (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zonoff Incorporated
• Inventors: Balog, Michael, Harris, Michael, Buchert, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US13/748,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20130191755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

Remote commissioning for an automation system enables a retailer to sell a new device to a customer pre-configured to work together with devices that are already a part of the user'"'"'s automation system. Knowledge of how the devices are likely to be used at the automation system'"'"'s location, a list of existing devices already installed and how they are configured, possible input from the customer, and the end user'"'"'s current usage patterns are optionally used to configure the devices before they leave the store. Assisted local commissioning for an automation device enables an end user to commission devices themselves by simplifying the installation and commissioning process. The system uses a reference database of devices that includes information on how to commission the devices along with user-manual information and pictures for physical installation, and setup instructions so the system can walk a user through the process step by step.

Claims

1. A method for pre-commissioning a new device for an end-user'"'"'s automation system, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a request to pre-commission the new device for the end-user'"'"'s automation system;

(b) generating a personalized device setup for the new device based on usage patterns corresponding to past usage of one or more existing devices in the end-user'"'"'s automation system;

(c) pre-commissioning the new device via a wireless link based on the personalized device setup while the new device is remote from the end-user'"'"'s automation system, such that, when the pre-commissioned new device is powered on within the end-user'"'"'s automation system, the pre-commissioned new device operates within the end-user'"'"'s automation system without the need for any further configuration by the end user and without the need for any local commissioning by the end-user'"'"'s automation system; and

(d) logically adding the new device into the end-user'"'"'s automation system in order to pre-commission the new device while the new device is remote from the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the end-user'"'"'s automation system comprises a gateway controller that does not support a direct wireless link with the pre-commissioned new device, such that the pre-commissioned new device requires a bridge device in order to communicate with the gateway controller; and

further comprising logically including the bridge device in the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the end-user'"'"'s automation system comprises a gateway controller that does not support a direct wireless link with the pre-commissioned new device, such that the pre-commissioned new device requires a new bridge device in order to communicate with the gateway controller; and

step (c) further comprises pre-commissioning the new bridge device while the new bridge device is remote from the end-user'"'"'s automation system, such that, when the pre-commissioned new device and the pre-commissioned new bridge device are powered on within the end-user'"'"'s automation system, the pre-commissioned new device and the pre-commissioned new bridge device operate within the end-user'"'"'s automation system without the need for any further configuration by the end user and without the need for any local commissioning by the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the end-user'"'"'s automation system comprises a gateway controller that communicates with the one or more existing devices in the end-user'"'"'s automation system; and

further comprising receiving information corresponding to the usage patterns from the gateway controller.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting information corresponding to the pre-commissioned new device to the gateway controller, such that the end-user'"'"'s automation system knows about the pre-commissioned new device before the pre-commissioned new device is powered on within the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a first existing device in the end-user'"'"'s automation system is a different type of device from the new device; and

further comprising generating the personalized device setup for the new device based on usage patterns corresponding to past usage of the first existing device in the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

7. A computer for pre-commissioning a new device for an end-user'"'"'s automation system, wherein computer is remote from the end-user'"'"'s automation system and:

(a) the computer receives a request to pre-commission the new device for the end-user'"'"'s automation system;

(b) the computer generates a personalized device setup for the new device based on usage patterns corresponding to past usage of one or more existing devices in the end-user'"'"'s automation system, wherein the computer pre-commissions the new device via a wireless link based on the personalized device setup while the new device is remote from the end-user'"'"'s automation system, such that, when the pre-commissioned new device is powered on within the end-user'"'"'s automation system, the pre-commissioned new device operates within the end-user'"'"'s automation system without the need for any further configuration by the end user and without the need for any local commissioning by the end-user'"'"'s automation system; and

(c) the computer logically adds the new device into the end-user'"'"'s automation system in order to pre-commission the new device while the new device is remote from the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

8. The computer of claim 7, wherein:

the end-user'"'"'s automation system comprises a gateway controller that does not support a direct wireless link with the pre-commissioned new device, such that the pre-commissioned new device requires a bridge device in order to communicate with the gateway controller; and

the computer logically includes the bridge device in the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

9. The computer of claim 7, wherein:

the end-user'"'"'s automation system comprises a gateway controller that does not support a direct wireless link with the pre-commissioned new device, such that the pre-commissioned new device requires a new bridge device in order to communicate with the gateway controller; and

the computer pre-commissions the new bridge device while the new bridge device is remote from the end-user'"'"'s automation system, such that, when the pre-commissioned new device and the pre-commissioned new bridge device are powered on within the end-user'"'"'s automation system, the pre-commissioned new device and the pre-commissioned new bridge device operate within the end-user'"'"'s automation system without the need for any further configuration by the end user and without the need for any local commissioning by the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

10. The computer of claim 7, wherein:

the end-user'"'"'s automation system comprises a gateway controller that communicates with the one or more existing devices in the end-user'"'"'s automation system; and

the computer receives information corresponding to the usage patterns from the gateway controller.

11. The computer of claim 10, wherein the computer transmits information corresponding to the pre-commissioned new device to the gateway controller, such that the end-user'"'"'s automation system knows about the pre-commissioned new device before the pre-commissioned new device is powered on within the end-user'"'"'s automation system.

12. The computer of claim 7, wherein:

a first existing device in the end-user'"'"'s automation system is a different type of device from the new device; and

the computer generates the personalized device setup for the new device based on usage patterns corresponding to past usage of the first existing device in the end-user'"'"'s automation system.