Method and apparatus of template model view generation for home monitoring and control

1. A method comprising:

receiving a model view specified by a user via a user device, wherein the model view includes a floor plan of a premise corresponding to the user, and the model view further includes location information of one or more sensors or one or more actuators that have been identified by the user as being within the floor plan of the premises corresponding to the user;

generating, via a processor, a template model view based on the received model view by removing, via the processor, identifying information associated with the user

storing the template model view in a memory for access by another user, wherein the template model view is used by the other user to identify location information of one or more sensors or one or more actuators within the floor plan that corresponds to a premises of the other user;

comparing the template model view with stored template model views; and

classifying the template model view based on the comparison,

wherein removing identifying information associated with the user includes removing the location information of the one or more sensors or one or the more actuators that have been identified by the user as being within the floor plan of the premises corresponding to the user.

2. A method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request from the other user to access the template model view, the request specifying a criterion;

determining that the template model view satisfies the criterion; and

permitting access to the template model view in response to the request, if the criterion is satisfied.

3. A method of claim 2 , wherein the criterion is an image of another premise of the other user.

4. A method of claim 2 , further comprising:

prompting the other user with one or more questions to determine information about the other premise, wherein the permission to access the template model view is further based on the determined information.

5. A method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining a plurality of template model views that satisfy the criterion;

retrieving information about another premise based on the request; and

selecting one or more of the template models using the retrieved information.

6. A method of claim 5 , wherein the information includes at least one of geographical location, architectural description, and information associated with a developer of the other premise.

7. A method of claim 6 , wherein the architectural description includes information relating to at least one of style, elevation, number of stories, number of bedrooms, and number of bathrooms.

8. A method of claim 1 , wherein the template model view is stored in a database managed by a service provider, the method further comprising:

initiating transmission of the template model view for customization and use by a user device configured to present a graphical user interface for controlling and displaying the sensors or the actuators within the customized model view as part of a home monitoring service provided by the service provider.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured:

to receive a model view specified by a user, wherein the model view includes a floor plan of a premise that corresponds to the user, and the model view further includes location information of one or more sensors or one or more actuators that have been identified by the user as being within the floor plan of the premises corresponding to the user,

to generate a template model view based on the received model view by removing identifying information associated with the user,

to store the template model view for access by another user, wherein the template model view is used by the other user to identify location information of one or more sensors or one or more actuators within the floor plan that corresponds to a premises of the other user,

to compare the template model view with stored templates, and

to classify the template model view based on the comparison,

wherein removing identifying information associated with the user includes removing the location information of the one or more sensors or one or the more actuators that have been identified by the user as being within the floor plan of the premises corresponding to the user.

10. An apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to receive a request from the other user to access the template model view, the request specifying a criterion, to determine that the template model view satisfies the criterion, and to permit access to the template model view in response to the request, if the criterion is satisfied.

11. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the criterion is an image of another premise of the other user.

12. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to prompt the other user with one or more questions to determine information about the other premise, wherein the permission to access the template model view is further based on the determined information.

13. An apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a plurality of template model views that satisfy the criterion, to retrieve information about another premise based on the request, and to select one or more of the template models using the retrieved information.

14. An apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the information includes at least one of geographical location, architectural description, and information associated with a developer of the other premise.

15. An apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the architectural description includes information relating to at least one of style, elevation, number of stories, number of bedrooms, and number of bathrooms.

16. An apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the template model view is stored in a database managed by a service provider, the processor is further configured to initiate transmission of the template model view for customization and use by a user device configured to present a graphical user interface for controlling and displaying the sensors or the actuators within the customized model view as part of a home monitoring service provided by the service provider.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to at least perform the following steps:

receiving a model view specified by a user, wherein the model view includes a floor plan of a premise corresponding to the user, and the model view further includes location information of one or more sensors or one or more actuators that have been identified by the user as being within the floor plan of the premises corresponding to the user;

generating a template model view based on the received model view by removing identifying information associated with the user;

storing the template model view in a database for access by another user, wherein the template model view is used by the other user to identify location information of one or more sensors or one or more actuators within the floor plan that corresponds to a premises of the other user;

comparing the template model view with stored template model views; and

classifying the template model view based on the comparison,

wherein removing identifying information associated with the user includes removing the location information of the one or more sensors or one or the more actuators that have been identified by the user as being within the floor plan of the premises corresponding to the user.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17 , further comprising the step:

selecting one of the template model views stored in the database in response to a request by the other user,

wherein the selected model view provides a baseline model view for customization by the other user.