IP Library Granted Patent US 12688769
Granted Patent B2
US 12688769 · App. 17/860,893 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Home security automation with lighting control

Inventors: Michael Papworth (Eagle Mountain, UT); Ben Meakin (Sandy, UT); Ryan Beaver (South Jordan, UT); Liz Sanchez (Riverton, UT); Jonah Stowe (Orem, UT); Liby Sebastian (Riverton, UT); Todd Crofts (Salt Lake City, UT); Brian Skarda (South Jordan, UT); Chris Harris (Holladay, UT)
Assignee: Vivint LLC
G08B25/001G06F3/02G08B25/10H05B47/19H05B47/196
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12688769
App. No.
17/860,893
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for lighting control are described. An apparatus may include a panel for controlling one or more devices associated with a home. A panel may include a recess shaped to encapsulate a switch disposed on a wall of the home. A panel may include user interface hardware configured to receive input from a user. A panel may include a processor, a memory in electronic communication with the processor storing instructions executable by the processor. An instruction may include transmitting one or more communications to the one or more devices to cause the one or more devices to perform a first action based on input received by the user interface hardware. An instruction may include transmitting one or more communications to the home automation hub to cause one or more other devices to perform a second action based on the input received by the user interface hardware.

Claims (61)

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

a panel for controlling one or more devices associated with a home, wherein the panel is configured to communicate with a home automation controller, the panel comprising:

user interface hardware configured to receive input from a user;

one or more radio components configured to communicate with the one or more devices and with the home automation controller;

a processor; and

a memory in electronic communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

transmit one or more communications to the one or more devices associated with the home to cause the one or more devices to perform a first action based on one or more of input received by the user interface hardware and a communication from the home automation controller; and

transmit one or more communications to the home automation controller to cause one or more other devices associated with the home to perform a second action based on the one or more of the input received by the user interface hardware and the communication from the home automation controller;

wherein:

the first action and the second action are selected based on a configurable scene associated with the one or more devices and the user in response to one or more of the panel and the home automation controller identifying the user; and

the first action and the second action are selected to indicate an alarm condition in response to the home automation controller detecting a security event.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive one or more communications from the home automation controller; and

transmit one or more additional communications to the one or more devices associated with the home to cause the one or more devices to perform an additional action based on the one or more communications from the home automation controller.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more communications from the home automation controller are based on data from one or more sensors in communication with the home automation controller.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein one or more of the additional action and the second action comprises the one or more devices flashing an exterior light in response to the home automation controller detecting the security event.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the exterior light comprises a red color indicating the alarm condition.

6 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the data from the one or more sensors indicates a user has opened a garage door.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more other devices comprise one or more of an electrically actuated window covering, a fan, a lock, a fireplace, an electrical outlet, a television, a speaker, a kitchen appliance, a sprinkler system, a garage door, a thermostat, a furnace, and an air conditioning unit.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the scene associated with the user comprises a configurable scene preselected by the user and associated with the input received by the user interface hardware.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

determine an identity of the user based on the input received by the user interface hardware; and

select the scene based on the determined identity.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user interface hardware comprises one or more of a camera, a microphone, and a fingerprint scanner.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

track locations of the user and one or more other users, in cooperation with one or more additional panels, as the user and the one or more other users move between rooms of the home; and

transmit one or more additional communications to the one or more devices and the home automation controller to change to a different scene based on the tracked locations of the user and the one or more other users.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the user interface hardware comprises a set of control buttons comprising at least one control button configured to trigger the first action and at least one control button configured to trigger the second action.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first action and the second action comprises activating a light source, deactivating the light source, dimming the light source, activating the one or more devices associated with the home, deactivating the one or more devices associated with the home, activating a setting of the panel, deactivating the setting of the panel, or any combination thereof.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

transmitting the one or more communications to the one or more devices associated with the home is in response to the input comprising the user pressing at least one control button of the user interface hardware for a first activation duration; and

transmitting the one or more communications to the home automation controller is in response to the input comprising the user pressing the at least one control button of the user interface hardware for a second activation duration.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the input from the user comprises the user pressing at least one control button of the user interface hardware a number of times within a threshold period.

16 . A system comprising:

a set of home automation devices;

a home automation controller; and

a lighting control panel controlling at least a subset of the home automation devices, the lighting control panel comprising:

a recess in the lighting control panel, the recess shaped to encapsulate a switch disposed on a wall of a home, the switch in electrical communication with at least one home automation device of the set of home automation devices;

user interface hardware configured to receive input from a user;

one or more radio components configured to communicate with the at least one home automation device of the set of home automation devices and with the home automation controller;

a processor; and

a memory in electronic communication with the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

transmit one or more communications to the at least one home automation device of the set of home automation devices to perform a first action based on one or more of input received by the user interface hardware and a communication from the home automation controller; and

transmit one or more communications to the home automation controller to cause one or more other home automation devices of the set of home automation devices to perform a second action based on the one or more of the input received by the user interface hardware and the communication from the home automation controller;

wherein:

the first action and the second action are selected based on a configurable scene associated with the one or more home automation devices and the user in response to one or more of the panel and the home automation controller identifying the user; and

the first action and the second action are selected to indicate an alarm condition in response to the home automation controller detecting a security event.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to:

receive one or more communications from the home automation controller; and

transmit one or more additional communications to the at least one home automation device to perform an additional action based on the one or more communications from the home automation controller.

18 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising one or more sensors in communication with the home automation controller, wherein the one or more communications from the home automation controller are based on data from the one or more sensors.

19 . An apparatus comprising:

means for controlling one or more devices associated with a home;

means for receiving a switch disposed on a wall of the home, the switch in communication with at least one of the one or more devices;

means for receiving input from a user;

means for transmitting one or more communications to the one or more devices associated with the home to cause the one or more devices to perform a first action based on one or more of the input received from the user and a communication from the means for controlling the one or more devices associated with the home; and

means for transmitting one or more communications to a home automation controller to cause one or more other devices associated with the home to perform a second action based on one or more of the input received from the user and the communication from the means for controlling the one or more devices associated with the home;

wherein:

the first action and the second action are selected based on a configurable scene associated with the one or more devices and the user in response to one or more of the panel and the home automation controller identifying the user; and

the first action and the second action are selected to indicate an alarm condition in response to the home automation controller detecting a security event.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising means for tracking a location of the user as the user moves between rooms of the home based on the received input from the user, the scene selected based on the tracked location.