Smart-home device installation guidance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10991213-B2
Application number	US-201916695492-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2019
Priority date	Oct 7, 2013
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

Various arrangements for assessing an installation of a smart home device are presented. An orientation of the smart home device may be analyzed to determine whether the orientation of the smart home device is unsuitable for one or more features of the smart home device to function properly. An indication of whether the orientation of the smart home device is unsuitable may be output, such as by the smart home device using voice or lighting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for assessing an installation of a home device, the method comprising:
measuring, by an orientation sensor, an orientation of the home device;
analyzing the measured orientation of the home device to determine that the orientation of the home device is unsuitable for a feature of the home device to function properly; and
outputting an indication of the orientation of the home device being unsuitable.

2. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 1 , wherein the orientation being unsuitable is at least partially due to a measured wireless signal strength being within an unacceptable range.

3. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 1 , wherein the home device is a thermostat that controls operation of an HVAC system.

4. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 1 , wherein the home device is a carbon monoxide detector, a smoke detector, or a combination carbon monoxide and smoke detector.

5. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 1 , wherein the home device controls illumination of one or more lights.

6. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the home device via a first wireless communication interface, a first communication from a low-power node; and
in response to receiving the communication from the low-power node, transmitting, by the home device, via a second wireless communication interface, a second communication via a wireless network.

7. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 6 , wherein the first wireless communication interface operates at a relatively low power and the second wireless communication interface operates at a relatively high power compared to the first wireless communication interface.

8. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 6 , wherein the first wireless communication interface uses a wireless mesh networking protocol.

9. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving one or more readings of a proximity sensor of the home device, wherein the orientation being unsuitable is at least partially due to the one or more readings of the proximity sensor.

10. The method for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 9 , wherein the proximity sensor is a passive infrared (PIR) sensor.

11. An apparatus for assessing an installation of a home device, the apparatus comprising:
a home device that is being installed in a home;
one or more processors that are configured to:
analyze an orientation of the home device to determine that the orientation of the home device is unsuitable for a feature of the home device to function properly; and
output an indication of the orientation of the home device being unsuitable.

12. The apparatus for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 11 , the home device comprising wireless communication circuitry wherein the orientation being unsuitable is at least partially due to a wireless signal strength measured using the wireless communication circuitry being within an unacceptable range.

13. The apparatus for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 11 , wherein the home device is a thermostat that controls operation of an HVAC system.

14. The apparatus for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 11 , wherein the home device is a carbon monoxide detector, a smoke detector, or a combination carbon monoxide and smoke detector.

15. The apparatus for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 11 , wherein the home device controls illumination of one or more lights.

16. The apparatus for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 11 , wherein the home device comprises a first wireless communication interface and a second wireless communication interface, wherein:
a first communication is received from a low-power node via the first wireless communication interface;
in response to the communication from the low-power node, a second communication is transmitted to a wireless network using the second wireless communication interface; and
the first wireless communication interface operates at a relatively low power and the second wireless communication interface operates at a relatively high power compared to the first wireless communication interface.

17. The apparatus for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 11 , the home device comprises a proximity sensor, wherein:
the home device is configured to perform one or more readings using the proximity sensor; and
the orientation being determined as unsuitable is at least partially due to the one or more readings of the proximity sensor.

18. The apparatus for assessing the installation of the home device of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are part of the home device.

19. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:
analyze an orientation of a home device to determine that the orientation of the home device is unsuitable for a feature of the home device to function properly; and
output an indication of the orientation of the home device being unsuitable.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the one or more processors are part of a cloud-based server system.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Sloo David
• Webb Nick
• Matsuoka Yoky
• Fadell Anthony Michael
• Rogers Matthew Lee

Classifications

• H05B47/1965

  using handheld communication devices · CPC title

• H05B47/197

  Sound control or voice control · CPC title

• H05B47/1975

  Gesture control · CPC title

• H05B47/196

  characterised by user interface arrangements · CPC title

• F24F11/58

  using Internet communication · CPC title