Secure handling of unsupervised package drop off at a smart-home

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9652912-B2
Application number	US-201414587406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 31, 2014
Priority date	Sep 21, 2012
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of securely handling a delivery of a package by a deliverer at a smart environment that comprises a plurality of smart devices, the method comprising:
detecting delivery information associated with at least one of the package and the deliverer at the smart environment using at least an entryway interface smart device of the plurality of smart devices;
analyzing the detected delivery information using a computing system that is communicatively coupled to at least the entryway interface smart device of the plurality of smart devices;
in response to the analyzing the detected delivery information, automatically providing drop-off feedback from the computing system to the deliverer via at least a first smart device of the plurality of smart devices, wherein the providing the drop-off feedback comprises enabling accessibility to a secure area of the smart environment;
in response to the providing the drop-off feedback, detecting a drop-off action using at least a second smart device of the plurality of smart devices;
analyzing the detected drop-off action using the computing system; and
in response to the analyzing the detected drop-off action, disabling the accessibility to the secure area, wherein:
the providing the drop-off feedback comprises distributing an accessory component of the first smart device to the deliverer for coupling the accessory component to the package;
the distributed accessory component defines the secure area of the smart environment; and
the first smart device is operative to detect at least one of the location of the distributed accessory component and movement of the distributed accessory component when the accessory component is coupled to the package.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the detected delivery information comprises:
determining, with the computing system, a current mode of the smart environment; and
processing, with the computing system, the detected delivery information in combination with at least one setting of the determined current mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the detected delivery information comprises
accessing, with the computing system, trusted delivery information from a remote data source that is trusted by the computing system; and
confirming, with the computing system, the authenticity of at least a portion of the detected delivery information using the accessed trusted delivery information.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the providing the drop-off feedback further comprises conveying an instruction to the deliverer via at least the first smart device to dispose the package at the secure area of the smart environment.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first smart device is the entryway interface smart device.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the providing the drop-off feedback further comprises adjusting the functionality of at least a third smart device of the plurality of smart devices; and
the adjusting comprises providing the package with the accessibility to the secure area of the smart environment.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:
the third smart device comprises a smart doorknob device for a door to the secure area; and
the adjusting comprises unlocking the door with the smart doorknob device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the providing the drop-off feedback comprises adjusting the functionality of at least the first smart device; and
the adjusting comprises providing the package with the accessibility to the secure area of the smart environment.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the first smart device comprises a smart doorknob device for a door to the secure area; and
the adjusting comprises unlocking the door with the smart doorknob device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the secure area comprises one of:
a lobby of a structure; and
an interior of a smart safe appliance.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the providing the drop-off feedback further comprises conveying an instruction to the deliverer via at least the first smart device to dispose the package at the secure area of the smart environment; and
the secure area comprises a sensing area of at least one sensing component of a third smart device of the plurality of smart devices.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the conveying the instruction comprises projecting light from an output component of the first smart device onto a surface of the smart environment for identifying the sensing area with respect to the surface.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the detected drop-off action comprises determining that the detected drop-off action comprises the deliverer handling the package in a particular manner.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the detected drop-off action comprises determining that the detected drop-off action further comprises no item being removed from the secure area.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, after the disabling, continuously detecting the disposition of the package in the secure area using at least the second smart device of the plurality of smart devices.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method further comprises, after the disabling, communicating a drop-off confirmation message using the computing system; and
the communicating the drop-off confirmation message comprises
conveying user drop-off confirmation information from the computing system to a system user associated with the smart environment; and
the user drop-off confirmation information comprises a code for re-enabling accessibility to the secure area of the smart environment.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
detecting the code at the smart environment using at least a third smart device of the plurality of smart devices;
analyzing the detected code using the computing system; and
in response to the analyzing the detected code, automatically re-enabling accessibility to the secure area of the smart environment.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
after the re-enabling, detecting a pick-up action using at least a fourth smart device of the plurality of smart devices;
analyzing the detected pick-up action using the computing system; and
in response to the analyzing the detected pick-up action, communicating a pick-up confirmation message using the computing system, wherein the communicating the pick-up confirmation message comprises conveying deliverer pick-up confirmation information from the computing system to the deliverer.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
after the re-enabling, detecting a pick-up action using at least a fourth smart device of the plurality of smart devices;
analyzing the detected pick-up action using the computing system; and
in response to the analyzing the detected pick-up action, communicating a pick-up confirmation message using the computing system, wherein the communicating the pick-up confirmation message comprises conveying user pick-up confirmation information from the computing system to the system user associated with the smart environment.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first smart device is operative to detect the location of the distributed accessory component when the accessory component is coupled to the package.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first smart device is operative to detect movement of the distributed accessory component when the accessory component is coupled to the p

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Fadell Anthony Michael
• Rogers Matthew Lee
• Matsuoka Yoky
• Sloo David
• Honjo Shigefumi
• Mcgaraghan Scott A
• Plitkins Michael
• Veron Maxime
• Guenette Isabel

Classifications

• G08B25/008

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

• G01C21/206

  specially adapted for indoor navigation · CPC title

• G08B25/002

  Generating a prealarm to the central station · CPC title

• G08B29/185

  Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system · CPC title

• A47G29/14

  Deposit receptacles for food, e.g. breakfast, milk {, or large parcels}; Similar receptacles for {food or} large parcels with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles {, i.e. food or large parcels} · CPC title