Methods and apparatus for using smart environment devices via application program interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017192402-A1
Application number	US-201615380767-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2016
Priority date	Jun 23, 2014
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and Methods disclosed herein relate to providing a message to an application programming interface (API). The message includes a request for data from a data model, a submission of data to the data model, or both; and a host selection between: a representational state transfer (REST) host and a subscription-based application programming interface (API) host, wherein the REST host receives REST-based messages and the subscription-based API host receives messages in accordance with a standard of the subscription-based API host; wherein the request for data, the submission of data, or both are configured to create, delete, modify, or any combination thereof data related to a smart-device environment structure, a thermostat, a hazard detector, or any combination thereof stored in a data model accessible by the API.

First claim

1 . A system, comprising:
an application programming interface (API) client device, comprising a lighting apparatus including a processor configured to:
detect one or more features of the lighting apparatus;
provide a message to an application programming interface (API), wherein the message comprises a request for data from a data model, a submission of data to the data model, or both based upon the one or more features;
wherein the data model comprises information related to one or more smart-devices, one or more smart-device environment structures comprising the smart-devices, or both.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the data model comprises a single JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) document describing the smart-device environment structure, the smart-devices comprising a thermostat, a hazard detector, or any combination thereof; the processor is configured to provide the message to a representational state transfer (REST) host, a subscription-based application programming interface (API) host, or both; and the REST host receives REST-based messages and the subscription-based API host receives messages in accordance with a standard of the subscription-based API host.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one component of the system is configured to activate the lighting apparatus upon detection, by the system, of an occupant occupying the structure.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one component of the system is configured to deactivate the lighting apparatus when a data element of the data model indicates that an occupant of the structure is away from the structure.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to turn red upon detection, by the system, that an alarm is active at the hazard detector

6 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the lighting apparatus comprises motion sensors configured to detect movement of an object, and the message includes information that causes a data element of the data model to be modified to indicate that an occupant is occupying the structure.

7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one component of the system is configured to cause the lighting apparatus to turn off or dim in proportion to an amount of energy savings based on a peak energy usage program that discourages energy usage during a time period of the program.

8 . The system of claim 2 , wherein a peak energy usage program includes a starting point, an intermediate period, and an ending point and the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate a first color for the starting point, a second color for the intermediate period, and a third color for the ending point.

9 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the hazard detector is configured to activate an alarm and the lighting apparatus is configured to flash a first color when the alarm is initially activated.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the lighting apparatus is continuously illuminated a second color after a configurable amount of time after the alarm is initially activated.

11 . The system of claim 9 , comprising a second API client device comprising a second lighting apparatus, wherein the second lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate a second color on an exit to the structure while the alarm is activated.

12 . The system of claim 9 , comprising a plurality of the API client devices disposed throughout the smart-device environment structures, and only a subset of lighting apparatuses of the plurality of the API client devices are illuminated the second color along a path to an exit of the structure from where an occupant is detected to be located.

13 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to randomly turn on and off, dim by varying amounts for varying time periods, or turn off when a data element of the data model indicates that the structure is unoccupied.

14 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the message includes lighting apparatus information related to energy usage of the lighting apparatus.

15 . The system of claim 2 , comprising a plurality of API client devices;
wherein the message includes energy usage information of the lighting apparatus; and lighting apparatuses of the plurality of API client devices that are more energy efficient are used more often by the system than the lighting apparatuses that are less energy efficient based on the energy usage information.

16 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the lighting apparatus and the thermostat coordinate to produce a scene that includes a combination of a lighting color, dim, or both and an temperature setpoint associated with the lighting.

17 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to create a geo-fence boundary used to switch the smart devices between an occupied mode when an occupant enters the geo-fence boundary and an unoccupied mode when the occupant leaves the geo-fence boundary.

18 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:
the lighting apparatus comprises one or more sensors configured to detect occupancy in rooms of the structures; the system maintains a room profile for each room that identifies temperature tendencies of the room; and the thermostat adjusts the temperature of the rooms in which occupancy is detected based on the respective room profile.

19 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one component of the system is configured to send a notification when the lighting apparatus does not detect occupants in the structure, wherein the notification causes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to deactivate.

20 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one component of the system is configured to adjust light color emitted from the lighting apparatus based on the temperature setpoint of the thermostat.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the light color is tied to a particular heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) operating mode including cooling, heating, occupied, or unoccupied, and to an ambient target temperature of the thermostat.

22 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one component of the system is configured to increase light brightness emitted from the lighting apparatus when a device detects movement.

23 . The system of claim 2 , comprising a second API client device comprising a camera;
wherein the camera is configured to focus on an area where the lighting apparatus is located when the light apparatus breaks.

24 . The system of claim 2 , wherein:
a user profile is maintained that includes at least the preferences of the user for the lighting apparatus, the thermostat, or both; and the user profile is applied to adjust lighting, temperature setpoints, or both when the user is detected as occupying the structure.

25 . The system of claim 24 , wherein:
some user profiles include a higher priority than other user profiles; and the higher priority user profile is applied to control the lighting apparatus, the thermostat, or both, when the user associated with the higher priority user profile is detected as occupying the structure.

26 . The system of claim 24 , wherein the user profiles are applied to respective room in which the associated user is occupying.

27 . The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one component of the system is configured to track usage of the lighting apparatus to determine a home lighting schedule for

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Karp Igor
• Stesin Lev
• Pi-Sunyer Carles
• Mcbride Mark Andrew
• Dubman Alexander
• Lyons James
• Kortz Samuel W
• Hu Gregory J
• Surya Amanda
• Thelen Aubrey
• Horton David
• Soucie Mike
• Tan Leon
• Boross Christopher Anthony
• Boettcher Jesse
• Enwall Tim
• Reddy Prashant Papiahgari
• Malhotra Mark
• Fisher Evan Jarman
• Hester Todd
• Matsuoka Yoky

Classifications

• H05B47/19

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/105

  in response to determined parameters · CPC title

• H04L12/2818

  from a device located outside both the home and the home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007) · CPC title

• F24F11/62

  characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values · CPC title

• H04W4/80 Primary

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title