Smart home robot assistant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017246739-A1
Application number	US-201715593475-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 12, 2017
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Aug 31, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for robot transportation of objects into or out of a home automation system. One example may include determining, by a mobile robotic device, that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system. The method may include deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system. The method also include retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the object and transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the object across the boundary. The method further includes leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the object at a drop-off location. The method may also include reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for robotic delivery in a home automation system, comprising:
determining, by a mobile robotic device, that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system; deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system; retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the object; transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the object across the boundary; leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the object at a drop-off location; and reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the mobile robotic device, the object via one or more sensors of the mobile robotic device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the mobile robotic device, a notification from the home automation system identifying the object, wherein determining that the object is available to cross the boundary of the home automation system is based at least in part on the notification.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the mobile robotic device, an instruction from the home automation system to retrieve the object.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is a delivery package, the method further comprising:
detecting, via one or more sensors of the mobile robotic device, the delivery package located outside the boundary of the home automation system, wherein deactivating at least the portion of the home automation system further comprises deactivating a security lock or alarm system for a door associated with the home automation system, wherein transporting the object across the boundary further comprises carrying, by the mobile robotic device, the delivery package inside the boundary of the home automation system through the door.

6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining the delivery package has been delivered via tracking information.

7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining the drop-off location for the delivery package based at least on a name on the delivery package, a type of one or more items delivered, a code on the delivery package, tracking information, instructions from the home automation system, instructions from an administrator of the home automation system, or combinations thereof

8 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining a time window for delivery of the delivery package; and looking for the object during the time window.

9 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
providing an alert to an administrator of the home automation system that the delivery package has arrived; requesting authorization to deactivate the portion of the home automation system based at least in part on the arrival of the delivery package; receiving authorization to temporary deactivate at least the portion of the home automation system; wherein deactivating at least the portion of the home automation system is only performed upon receiving the authorization.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing an alert to the administrator based at least in part on the deactivating.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a safety inspection of the object, wherein transporting the object across the boundary is only performed when the object passes the safety inspection.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is a package to be delivered, garbage, recycling, one or more plants, a pet, or an item requested by a user of the home automation system.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting the drop-off location as a clear space to place the object.

14 . A mobile robot device, comprising:
one or more sensors or devices configured to:
determine that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system;
deactivate at least a portion of the home automation system;
retrieve the object;
transport the object across the boundary;
leave the object at a drop-off location; and
reactivate at least the portion of the home automation system.

15 . An home automation system apparatus, comprising:
one or more sensors to detect that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system; a processor to:
determine action instructions for a mobile robotic device to retrieve the object; and
temporarily deactivate at least a portion of a security system of the home automation system apparatus during a duration of the retrieval; and
a transmitter to communicate the action instructions to a mobile robotic device that causes the mobile robotic device to retrieve the object, transport the object across a boundary of the home automation system, and leave the object at a drop-off location.

16 . The home automation system apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the object is a delivery package, and wherein the one or more sensors to detect that the delivery package is available further comprises:
scan a delivery area with one or more cameras; detect a new object within the scanned area; and determine that the new object is the delivery package.

17 . The home automation system apparatus of claim 15 , the processor to further:
request authorization from an administrator of the home automation system to temporarily deactivate at least the portion of the security system of the home automation system apparatus for retrieval of the object; receive the authorization to temporarily deactivate at least the portion of the security system; and temporarily deactivate at least the portion of the security system only in response to receiving the authorization.

18 . The home automation system apparatus of claim 15 , the processor to further:
determine a door of a building associated with the home automation system for which the object should pass through; deactivate a security system for the door; monitor the location of the mobile robot device; and reactivate the security system for the door once the mobile robot device has crossed the door with the object.

19 . The home automation system apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the object is a delivery package, and wherein the processor is further to:
determine a time window that the delivery package is expected to arrive based on tracking information; and identify the delivery package using sensor data during the time window.

20 . The home automation system apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the processor is further to:
determine a drop-off location for the delivery package based on one or more of the tracking information or information located on the delivery package; and include the drop-off location in the action instructions.

Assignees

• Vivint Inc

Inventors

• Frisby Wes
• Matsuura Craig
• Davis Aaron

Classifications

• G05B2219/2642

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house · CPC title

• E05Y2900/132

  Doors · CPC title

• A47L2201/00

  Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation · CPC title

• E05F15/611

  for swinging wings · CPC title

• G08B25/008

  Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system · CPC title