Control based on geo-dependent conditions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10021517-B2
Application number	US-201514798734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 15, 2014
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A network device capable of performing rule-based actions dependent on geolocation-based conditions or realtime conditions from an external source. The network device can obtain its geolocation, obtain a rule based on a condition, query sources for and/or calculate updated statuses of the condition based on the geolocation, and perform actions based on the updated status of the condition, the geolocation, and the rule. The network device is capable of safely shutting down when voltage supplied to the network device falls outside of and acceptable range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
obtaining, by a computing device, a geolocation;
determining a current status of a condition using the geolocation of the computing device, wherein the current status is indicative of a value, and wherein the condition is a geolocation-dependent variable;
determining a rule for performing an action by the computing device, wherein the rule includes information for determining an offset;
dynamically determining the offset using the rule;
applying the offset to the value of the current status to generate an offset status;
performing the action based on the offset status, the geolocation, and the rule;
determining an updated status of the condition;
automatically performing the action based on the updated status of the condition, the geolocation, and the rule; and
transmitting a status update associated with the action through a network interface of the computing device, wherein the status update, when received by an access device, is usable to generate an indication of the performance of the action based on the updated status.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geolocation is based on a location of the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the updated status of the condition includes querying an external source for the updated status of the condition.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
saving the current status of the condition and the updated status of the condition.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is related to solar time, wherein the current status of the condition is a first sunrise/sunset time, and wherein the updated status of the condition is a subsequent sunrise/sunset time.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying the offset to a value of the updated status to generate an offset updated status, and wherein automatically performing the action based on the updated status of the condition includes automatically performing the action based on the offset updated status.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising updating the offset prior to applying the offset to the updated status.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the condition is a location-dependent variable capable of having the current status and the updated status, and wherein determining the current status includes dynamically applying the geolocation to the location-dependent variable to obtain the current status.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically determining the offset includes:
automatically transmitting a request for a pre-calculated offset, wherein the request includes the geolocation; and
receiving the pre-calculated offset, wherein the pre-calculated offset is selected using the geolocation.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically determining the offset includes:
receiving existing offset information associated with one or more network devices, wherein the one or more network devices share a logical network with the computing device, and wherein the offset information stored by the one or more network devices is used by the one or more network devices to offset an additional value of an additional current status to generate an additional offset status which is used by the one or more network devices to perform an additional action associated with the one or more network devices; and
determining the offset using the existing offset information.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a request to confirm the dynamically determined offset;
receiving a response to the request to confirm; and
adjusting the offset based on the response to the request to confirm.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining topographical information or altitude information associated with the geolocation, wherein dynamically determining the offset using the rule includes using the topographical information or the altitude information.

13. A system, comprising:
one or more data processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which when executed on the one or more data processors, cause the one or more data processors to perform operations including:
obtaining, by a computing device, a geolocation;
determining a current status of a condition using the geolocation of the computing device, wherein the current status is indicative of a value, and wherein the condition is a geolocation-dependent variable;
determining a rule for performing an action by the computing device, wherein the rule includes information for determining an offset;
dynamically determining the offset using the rule;
applying the offset to the value of the current status to generate an offset status;
performing the action based on the offset status, the geolocation, and the rule;
determining an updated status of the condition;
automatically performing the action based on the updated status of the condition, the geolocation, and the rule; and
transmitting a status update associated with the action through a network interface of the computing device, wherein the status update, when received by an access device, is usable to generate an indication of the performance of the action based on the updated status.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the geolocation is based on a location of the computing device.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein determining the updated status of the condition includes querying an external source for the updated status of the condition.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the condition is related to solar time, wherein the current status of the condition is a first sunrise/sunset time, and wherein the updated status of the condition is a subsequent sunrise/sunset time.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the operations further include applying the offset to a value of the updated status to generate an offset updated status, and wherein automatically performing the action based on the updated status of the condition includes automatically performing the action based on the offset updated status.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further include updating the offset prior to applying the offset to the updated status.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the condition is a location-dependent variable capable of having the current status and the updated status, and wherein determining the current status includes dynamically applying the geolocation to the location-dependent variable to obtain the current status.

20. The system of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further include saving the current status of the condition and the updated status of the condition.

21. The system of claim 13 , wherein dynamically determining the offset includes:
automatically transmitting a request for a pre-calculated offset, wherein the request includes the geolocation; and
receiving the pre-calculated offset, wherein the pre-calculated offset is selected using the geolocation.

22. The system of claim 13 , wherein dynamically determining the offset includes:
receiving existing offset information associated with one or more network devices, wherein the one or more network devices share a logical network with the computing device, and wherein the offset information stored by the one or more network devices is used by the one or more network devices to offset an additional value of an additional current status to generate an additional offset status which is used by t

Assignees

• Belkin International Inc

Inventors

• Kim Ryan Yong
• Pathuri Venkata Subba Rao
• Kelly Francis Michael
• Zeira Ohad
• Van Harlingen Brian

Classifications

• H04W56/00

  Synchronisation arrangements · CPC title

• H04W4/50

  Service provisioning or reconfiguring · CPC title

• H04W64/003

  locating network equipment · CPC title

• H04W4/021 Primary

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title