SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATICALLY MITIGATING RISK OF DAMAGE FROM BROKEN CIRCUITS
Methods and systems for automatically mitigating risks of damage caused by the breaking of a circuit are provided. A smart home controller and/or insurance provider remote processor may analyze data, with customer permission, received from a smart device disposed on, within, or proximate to a property associated with monitoring the flow of electricity. If it is determined that risk of damage due to the flow of electricity being cut off exists, the smart home controller or remote processor may automatically issue commands to the smart device to take actions mitigating the risk. The smart home controller may transmit information about the risk(s) to a homeowner and/or an insurance provider. The insurance provider remote processor may interpret the transmitted data and perform insurance activities, such as providing a discount or premium, and/or adjusting an insurance policy associated with the property based upon the insured property being equipped with risk mitigation functionality.
1 . A computer-implemented method of limiting damage to a property populated with a plurality of devices, including a circuit monitoring device disposed on the property, the method comprising:
receiving, at a smart home controller and from the plurality of devices via a first wired or wireless communication network, electronic signals conveying operating data related to operation of the plurality of devices;
determining, by one or more processors of the smart home controller, whether the circuit monitoring device disposed on the property cut off the flow of electricity through a circuit based upon the operating data;
responsive to determining that the circuit monitoring device cut off the flow of electricity, determining, by one or more processors, a location identifier associated with the circuit by querying, by the one or more processors, a database configured to store an inventory list, wherein the database includes a first record associated with the circuit that indicates the location identifier;
based on the determined location identifier of the circuit, identifying, by the one or more processors, a second record in the database that indicates the location identifier and is associated with a first device of the plurality of devices;
analyzing, by the one or more processors, additional electronic signals conveying operating data to detect an absence of operating data associated with the first device for one or more regular intervals;
generating, by the one or more processors, an instruction that, when executed by a second device of the plurality of devices, performs an action to prevent or mitigate damage to the first device associated with the flow of electricity through the circuit being cut off, wherein the instruction includes an identifier of the second device and an action code supported by the second device;
transmitting, via the first wired or wireless communication network, the instruction to at least one of the plurality of devices to cause the second device to perform the action; and
communicating, to a mobile or other computer device of an individual associated with the property via a second wired or wireless communication network, an indication that the flow of electricity through the circuit was cut off.
2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second device via the first communication network, a confirmation the action was performed.
3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the circuit monitoring device is one of a circuit breaker, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), an appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI), a residual-current device (RCD), a safety switch, or an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI).
4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the operating data further comprises:
analyzing, by the one or more processors, the operating data to determine that the current monitoring device has been tripped.
5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the instruction, when executed, alters an electrical path for power supplied to the at least one device.
6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
communicating, to an insurance provider associated with the property via the second communication network, the indication that the flow of electricity through the circuit was cut off, wherein the insurance provider performs an insurance-related activity in response to receiving the indication.
7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the insurance-related activity is at least one of:
an update of an insurance policy or premium,
an adjustment of an insurance discount or award,
a processing of an insurance claim, or
a recommendation to purchase at least one additional device or insurance product.
8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein communicating the indication further comprises:
communicating, to the mobile or other computer device via the second communication network, the indication, wherein the indication indicates a location of the circuit on the property.
9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to communicating the indication, receiving, from the mobile or other computer device via the second communication network, a request to re-close the circuit.
10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein, responsive to at least one of:
receiving the request from the mobile or other computer device, or
determining that re-closing the circuit monitoring device may mitigate damage to the property,
the instruction, when executed by the circuit monitoring device, causes the circuit monitoring device to re-close the circuit.
11 . A system for limiting damage to a property populated with a plurality of devices, including a circuit monitoring device disposed on the property, the system comprising:
a plurality of transceivers adapted to communicate data;
a memory adapted to store non-transitory computer executable instructions; and
one or more processors adapted to interface with the plurality of transceivers, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:
receive, from the plurality of devices via the plurality of transceivers, electronic signals conveying operating data related to operation of the plurality of devices;
determine, by the one or more processors, whether the circuit monitoring device cut off the flow of electricity through a circuit based upon the operating data;
responsive to determining that the circuit monitoring device cut off the flow of electricity, determine, by the one or more processors, a location identifier associated with the circuit by querying, a database configured to store an inventory list, wherein the database includes a first record associated with the circuit that indicates the location identifier;
based on the determined location identifier of the circuit, identify, by the one or more processors, a second record in the inventory list that indicates the location identifier and is associated with a first device of the plurality of devices;
analyze, by the one or more processors, additional electronic signals conveying operating data to detect an absence of operating data associated with the first device for one or more regular intervals;
generate, by the one or more processors, an instruction that, when executed by a second device of the plurality of devices, performs an action to prevent or mitigate damage to the first device associated with the flow of electricity through the circuit being cut off, wherein the instruction includes an identifier of the second device and an action code supported by the second device;
transmit, via the plurality of transceivers, the instruction to at least one of the plurality of devices to cause the second device to perform the action; and
communicate, to a mobile or other computer device of an individual associated with the property via the plurality of transceivers, an indication that the flow of electricity through the circuit was cut off.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of transceivers are further configured to:
receive, from the second device, a confirmation the action was performed.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the circuit monitoring device is one of a circuit breaker, a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), an appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI), a residual-current device (RCD), a safety switch, or an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI).
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein to analyze the operating data, the one or more processors are further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to:
analyze, by the one or more processors, the operating data to determine that the current monitoring device has been tripped.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instruction, when executed, alters an electrical path to the first device.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of transceivers are further configured to:
communicate, to an insurance provider associated with the property, the indication that the flow of electricity through the circuit was cut off, wherein the insurance provider performs an insurance-related activity in response to receiving the indication.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of transceivers are further configured to:
communicate, to the mobile or other computer device, the indication, wherein the indication indicates a location of the circuit on the property.
18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of transceivers are further configured to:
responsive to communicating the indication, receive, from the mobile or other computer device, a request to re-close the circuit.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein, responsive to at least one of: receiving the request from the mobile or other computer device, or determining that re-closing the circuit monitoring device may mitigate damage to the property,
the instruction, when executed by the circuit monitoring device, causes the circuit monitoring device to re-close the circuit.
20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions, that when executed cause one or more processors to: receive, from the plurality of devices via a first wired or wireless communication network, electronic signal conveying operating data related to operation of the plurality of devices;
determine, by the one or more processors, whether a circuit monitoring device disposed on a property cut off the flow of electricity through a circuit based upon the operating data;
responsive to determining that the circuit monitoring device cut off the flow of electricity, determine, by the one or more processors, a location identifier associated with the circuit by querying, a database configured to store an inventory list, wherein the database includes to a first record associated with the circuit that indicates the location identifier;
based on the determined location identifier of the circuit, identify, by the one or more processors, a second record in the inventory list that indicates the location identifier and is associated with a first device of the plurality of devices;
analyze, by the one or more processors, additional electronic signals conveying operating data to detect an absence of operating data associated with the first device for one or more regular intervals;
generate, by the one or more processors, an instruction that, when executed by a second device of the plurality of device, performs an action to prevent or mitigate damage to the first device associated with the flow of electricity through the circuit being cut off, wherein the instruction includes an identifier of the second device and an action code supported by the second device;
transmit, via the plurality of transceivers the first communication network, the instruction to at least one of the plurality of devices to cause the second device to perform the action; and
communicate, to a mobile or other computer device of an individual associated with the property via a second communication network, an indication that the flow of electricity through the circuit was cut off.