Managing barrier and occupancy based home automation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12504728-B2
Application number	US-201916397210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2019
Priority date	Apr 25, 2014
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for controlling access to a home based on user occupancy. According to at least one embodiment, an apparatus for controlling access to a home based on user occupancy includes a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory which are executable by a processor to determine a location of a user of a home automation system relative to a barrier of a home being monitored by the home automation system. The instructions are executable to determine whether to permit a change in a locking mechanism of the barrier based in part on the determined location of the user, and maintain a current state of the home automation system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for controlling access to a home based on user occupancy, comprising:
a processor; a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to:
detect, via at least one sensor, interaction with a locking mechanism by a user, wherein the locking mechanism comprises the at least one sensor and is configured to be actuated via at least one of an inner side of a barrier of a home and an outer side of barrier, wherein the home is monitored by a home automation system communicatively coupled to the locking mechanism, and wherein the home automation system is in an armed state such that one or more alarms is triggered in response to unauthorized access through the barrier;
determine, by a controller of the home automation system, that the user is authorized access through the barrier in response to the user interacting with the locking mechanism via the inner side of the barrier; and
in response to determining that the user is authorized, actuate the locking mechanism to unlock the barrier and provide the user access therethrough, wherein actuating the locking mechanism maintains the armed state and suppresses the one or more alarms.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:
determine an identity of the user, wherein determining whether the user is authorized is based in part on the identity of the user.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein determining the identity of the user is based at least in part on one or more identifiers associated with the user.

4 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein actuating the locking mechanism includes:
unlocking the locking mechanism in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the inner side of the barrier; and maintaining the barrier locked in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the outer side of the barrier and is identified as an unauthorized person.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:
generate an alarm when the user is identified as an unauthorized person and the locking mechanism is interacted with via the outer side of the barrier.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the barrier is one of a door and a window of the home.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the user is authorized includes determining one or more intent factors of the user.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein determining the one or more intent factors of the user comprises determining whether the user is touching an inside handle used to control opening the barrier or an outside handle used to control opening of the barrier.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a touch sensor, a voice recognition sensor, the motion sensor, and an optical sensor.

10 . A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:
detect, via at least one sensor, interaction with a locking mechanism by a user, wherein the locking mechanism comprises the at least one sensor and is configured to be actuated via at least one of an inner side of a barrier of a home and an outer side of the barrier, wherein the home is monitored by a home automation system communicatively coupled to the locking mechanism, and wherein the home automation system is in an armed state such that one or more alarms is triggered in response to unauthorized access through the barrier; determine, by a controller of the home automation system, that the user is authorized access through the barrier in response to the user interacting with the locking mechanism via the inner side of the barrier; and in response to determining that the user is authorized, actuate the locking mechanism to unlock the barrier and provide the user access therethrough, wherein actuating the locking mechanism maintains the armed state and suppresses the one or more alarms.

11 . The computer-program product of claim 10 , wherein actuating the locking mechanism includes:
unlocking the locking mechanism in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the inner side of the barrier; and maintaining the barrier locked in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the outer side of the barrier and is identified as an unauthorized person.

12 . The computer-program product of claim 10 , wherein determining the position of the user includes determining if the user is touching an inside handle or an outside handle used to open the barrier.

13 . The computer-program product of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to determine an identity of the user by receiving a signal from an electronic device carried by the user.

14 . The computer-program product of claim 10 , wherein feedback from the at least one sensor, is receivable by the controller irrespective of whether the state of the home automation system is in the armed state or a disarmed state.

15 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
detecting, via at least one sensor, interaction with a locking mechanism by a user, wherein the locking mechanism comprises the at least one sensor and is configured to be actuated via at least one of an inner side of a barrier of a home and an outer side of the barrier, wherein the home is monitored by a home automation system communicatively coupled to the locking mechanism, and wherein the home automation system is in an armed state such that one or more alarms is triggered in response to unauthorized access through the barrier; determining, by a controller of the home automation system, that the user is authorized access through the barrier in response to the user interacting with the locking mechanism via the inner side of the barrier; and in response to determining that the user is authorized, actuating the locking mechanism to unlock the barrier and provide the user access there through, wherein actuating the locking mechanism maintains the armed state and suppresses the one or more alarms.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
unlocking the locking mechanism in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the inner side of the barrier and the user is identified as an authorized user; and locking the locking mechanism in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the outer side of the barrier and the user is identified as an unauthorized user.

17 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
unlocking the locking mechanism in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the inner side of the barrier; and locking the locking mechanism in response to the locking mechanism being interacted with via the outer side of the barrier.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein determining whether the user is authorized access includes determining use of a handle assembly used to open the barrier.

Assignees

• Vivint Inc
• Vivint Llc

Inventors

• Lyman Jefferson

Classifications

• H04L12/2803

  Home automation networks · CPC title

• H04L12/2827 Primary

  Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality · CPC title

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title