IP Library Granted Patent US 7,333,014
Granted Patent B2
US 7,333,014 · App. 10/981,268 · Granted Feb 19, 2008

Notifying users of device events in a networked environment

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,333,014
App. No.
10/981,268
Granted
Feb 19, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

Notifying a user of a device event, including receiving a device event, associating the device event with a user, receiving an RFID signal from a user's RFID tag, determining the user's location in dependence upon the RFID signal, selecting a user notification appliance in dependence upon the user's location, and notifying the user of the device event with the selected user notification appliance. In typical embodiments, associating the device event with a user also includes reading a user ID from a device record for the device. In typical embodiments, associating the device event with a user also includes identifying the location of the device, identifying a previous location of the user, and associating the device event with a user in dependence upon the location of the device and the previous location of the user.

Claims (17)

1. A method for notifying a user of a device event, the method comprising:

receiving a device event;

associating the device event with a user, including identifying the location of the device, identifying a previous location of the user, and associating the device event with a user in dependence upon the location of the device and the previous location of the user;

receiving an RFID signal from a user's RFID tag;

determining the user's location in dependence upon the RFID signal;

selecting a user notification appliance in dependence upon the user's location; and

notifying the user of the device event with the selected user notification appliance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the device event with a user further comprises reading a user ID from a device record for the device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the device event with a user further comprises identifying a previous location of the user, and associating the device event with a user in dependence upon the location of the device and the previous location of the user further comprises associating the device event with the user in dependence upon the event type of the device event, the location of the device, and the user's previous location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the location of the user in dependence upon the RFID signal further comprises:

receiving a plurality of RFID signals from the RFID tag at a plurality of RFID reader locations; and

determining the location of the user in dependence upon the RFID reader locations and a rule.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the location of the user in dependence upon the RFID signal further comprises:

receiving a plurality of RFID signals at a plurality of RFID reader locations from the RFID tag;

determining for each RFID reader an area of possible locations of the RFID tag; and

determining the intersection of the areas of possible locations.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein notifying the user of the device event with the selected user notification appliance further comprises calling member methods in a device class for the notification appliance.

Assignments (6)
CONTINUED - CHANGE OF JURISDICTION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: ECOBEE INC.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 059805/0101 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
To: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
Reel/Frame 059825/0668 →
AMALGAMATION Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: 1339416 B.C. LTD.; ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES INC.
To: 1339416 B.C. LTD.
Reel/Frame 059825/0888 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: ECOBEE TECHNOLOGIES ULC
To: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0780 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: GENERAC HOLDINGS INC.
To: GENERAC POWER SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059713/0799 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2005
From: AGRAWAL, KAVITA KUMARI; BODIN, WILLIAM KRESS; RYBCZYNSKI, GREGORY WALDEMAR; THORSON, DERRAL C.
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 016010/0205 →