IP Library Granted Patent US 10,362,118
Granted Patent B2
US 10,362,118 · App. 15/400,724 · Granted Jul 23, 2019

Synchronization of appliances to a schedule of a user

Inventors: John Henry Grossman, IV (Fremont, CA); Scott Bartlett (Oakland, CA)
Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
H04L67/125G05B15/02G05B19/02G05B19/0426G05B19/05G06F1/3203H02J3/14H04L67/306G05B2219/13063G05B2219/25387G05B2219/2633G05B2219/2642
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,362,118
App. No.
15/400,724
Granted
Jul 23, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system are provided that synchronize one or more appliances to one or more users' schedules. Sensor data may be obtained from a sensor. The sensor data may indicate a state of a first appliance. A user location may be determined. A first characteristic of the first appliance may be obtained. Based upon the user location and the sensor data, a schedule indicating when the user will desire a state change of the first appliance may be determined. A feature of the first appliance may be dynamically modified to cause the first appliance to operate according to the schedule. A notice may be sent to the user that contains information about the first appliance.

Claims (43)

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, at a processor, sensor data from a sensor, the sensor data indicating a state of an appliance;

determining, by the processor, a user location;

based upon the user location and the sensor data, determining, by the processor, a schedule indicating when a user will desire a state change of the appliance; and

dynamically modifying, by the processor, a time duration of a cycle of the appliance to cause the appliance to operate according to the schedule.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a hygrometer, a barometer, a thermometer, an accelerometer, an amp meter, a volt meter, a water meter, an air flow sensor, an air purity sensor or other gas composition analysis tool, a water purity sensor, a timer, a volume sensor, a tachometer, a speedometer, a fuel consumption meter, a watt meter, a clock, or a phase meter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the user location comprises at least one of:

determining coordinates of a Global Positioning System transceiver;

triangulating locations of cellular radio towers to which a cell phone of the user has been connected; or

estimating the user location based on records related to a routine of the user with respect to locations.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the schedule comprises at least one of:

directly receiving information about the schedule; or

receiving:

a direction that determines a manner in which the appliance is to proceed through the cycle; and

information, from a device, that coordinates an operation of the appliance with the schedule.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamically modifying is further according to data received from another appliance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the schedule is further based on data about the appliance.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data about the appliance include at least one of a manufacturer of the appliance, a model of the appliance, a year in which the appliance was manufactured, a history of the appliance, or information about a resource consumption by the appliance.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data about the appliance include performance data for another unit of the appliance.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the performance data for the other unit of the appliance is received via a crowd-sourcing process.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the schedule is further based on another item of information, the other item of information including at least one of a time of day, a price of a resource, a date, a geographic location, an item of information about another appliance, or an item of information from the other appliance.

11. A system comprising:

a central controller comprising a processor and computer readable storage, the processor configured to:

obtain sensor data from a sensor, the sensor data indicating a state of an appliance;

determine a user location;

based upon the user location and the sensor data, determine a schedule indicating when a user will desire a state change of the appliance; and

dynamically modify a time duration of a cycle of the appliance to cause the appliance to operate according to the schedule.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a hygrometer, a barometer, a thermometer, an accelerometer, an amp meter, a volt meter, a water meter, an air flow sensor, an air purity sensor or other gas composition analysis tool, a water purity sensor, a timer, a volume sensor, a tachometer, a speedometer, a fuel consumption meter, a watt meter, a clock, or a phase meter.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the user location by at least one of:

determining coordinates of a Global Positioning System transceiver;

triangulating locations of cellular radio towers to which a cell phone of the user has been connected; or

estimating the user location based on records related to a routine of the user with respect to locations.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the schedule by at least one of:

directly receiving information about the schedule; or

receiving:

a direction that determines a manner in which the appliance is to proceed through the cycle; and

information, from a device, that coordinates an operation of the appliance with the schedule.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to dynamically modify further according to data received from another appliance.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the schedule further based on data about the appliance.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the data about the appliance include at least one of a manufacturer of the appliance, a model of the appliance, a year in which the appliance was manufactured, a history of the appliance, or information about a resource consumption by the appliance.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the data about the appliance include performance data for another unit of the appliance.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the performance data for the other unit of the appliance is received via a crowd-sourcing process.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the schedule further based on another item of information, the other item of information including at least one of a time of day, a price of a resource, a date, a geographic location, an item of information about another appliance, or an item of information from the other appliance.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 5, 2017
From: GOOGLE INC.
To: GOOGLE LLC
Reel/Frame 044129/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2017
From: GROSSMAN, JOHN HENRY, IV; BARTLETT, SCOTT
To: GOOGLE INC.
Reel/Frame 040877/0877 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13713413 · Dec 13, 2012
Related Publication 20170115652A1 · Apr 27, 2017