Home automation weather detection

• US 9,948,477 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Marten, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Suryawanshi, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US14/709,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20160334811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 700276
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1931 to control the temperature of one space
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event include receiving image data from a camera in operative communication with a host system, where the image data is representative of an outdoor weather event that is captured by the camera, and analyzing the image data to identify the outdoor weather event. Systems and methods may include determining a home automation rule based on the identified outdoor weather event, where the home automation rule includes an operational setting of a home automation device, and instructing the home automation device based on the determined home automation rule via a home automation network.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event, comprising:

receiving, by a host system, image data from a camera in operative communication with the host system, wherein the image data is representative of an outdoor weather event that is captured by the camera;

receiving, by the host system, audio data from a microphone in operative communication with the host system, wherein the audio data corresponds to the received image data;

analyzing, by the host system, the image data and the audio data to identify the outdoor weather event, wherein analyzing the audio data comprises comparing the audio data to a plurality of sound profiles mapped to a plurality of weather events;

determining, by the host system, a home automation rule based on the identified outdoor weather event, wherein the home automation rule includes an operational setting of a home automation device; and

instructing, by the host system, the home automation device based on the determined home automation rule via a home automation network.

2. The method for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 1, wherein:

the image data comprises a still image that is captured by the camera in predetermined time intervals.

3. The method for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 1, wherein:

the image data comprises a moving image that is captured over a predefined length of time by the camera at predetermined time intervals.

4. The method for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing, by the host system, the image data to a baseline image data to identify the outdoor weather event in real-time.

5. The method for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 4, further comprising:

based on the comparison, determining, by the host system, one or more descriptive tags representative of the identified outdoor weather event; and

determining, by the host system, the home automation rule based on a match of the home automation rule with the one or more descriptive tags.

6. The method for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the host system, an alert to a mobile device in operative communication with the host system, wherein the alert is indicative of the image data and the identified outdoor weather event.

7. The method for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the host system, a third-party weather forecast comprising current conditions for a geographic location of the host system; and

determining, by the host system, whether the identified outdoor weather event is consistent with the third-party weather forecast.

8. A system for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event, comprising:

a computer system, wherein the computer system is configured to;

receive image data from a camera in operative communication with the computer system, wherein the image data is representative of an outdoor weather event that is captured by the camera;

receive audio data from a microphone in operative communication with the computer system, wherein the audio data corresponds to the received image data;

analyze the image data and the audio data to identify the outdoor weather event, wherein analyzing the audio data comprises comparing the audio data to a plurality of sound profiles mapped to a plurality of weather events;

determine a home automation rule based on the identified outdoor weather event, wherein the home automation rule includes an operational setting of a home automation device; and

instruct the home automation device based on the determined home automation rule via a home automation network.

9. The system for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 8, wherein:

the image data comprises a still image that is captured by the camera in predetermined time intervals.

10. The system for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 8, wherein:

the image data comprises a moving image that is captured over a predefined length of time by the camera at predetermined time intervals.

11. The system for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 8, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

compare the image data to a baseline image data to identify the outdoor weather event in real-time.

12. The system for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 8, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

based on the comparison, determine one or more descriptive tags representative of the identified outdoor weather event; and

determine the home automation rule based on a match of the home automation rule with the one or more descriptive tags.

13. The system for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 8, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

send an alert to a mobile device in operative communication with the computer system, wherein the alert is indicative of the image data and the identified outdoor weather event.

14. The system for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 8, wherein the computer system is further configured to:

receive a third-party weather forecast comprising current conditions for a geographic location of the computer system; and

determine whether the identified outdoor weather event is consistent with the third-party weather forecast.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event, the instructions executable by one or more processors for at least:

receiving image data from a camera, wherein the image data is representative of an outdoor weather event that is captured by the camera;

receiving audio data from a microphone, wherein the audio data corresponds to the received image data;

analyzing the image data and the audio data to identify the outdoor weather event, wherein analyzing the audio data comprises comparing the audio data to a plurality of sound profiles mapped to a plurality of weather events;

determining a home automation rule based on the identified outdoor weather event, wherein the home automation rule includes an operational setting of a home automation device; and

instructing the home automation device based on the determined home automation rule via a home automation network.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 15, wherein the instructions executable by one or more processors further comprises:

comparing the image data to a baseline image data to identify the outdoor weather event in real-time.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for controlling a device in a home automation network based on detection of a weather event of claim 16, wherein the instructions executable by one or more processors further comprises:

based on the comparison, determining one or more descriptive tags representative of the identified outdoor weather event; and

determining the home automation rule based on a match of the home automation rule with the one or more descriptive tags.