IP Library Granted Patent US 10,464,206
Granted Patent B2
US 10,464,206 · App. 15/593,475 · Granted Nov 5, 2019

Smart home robot assistant

Inventors: Wes Frisby (Pleasant Grove, UT); Craig Matsuura (Draper, UT); Aaron Davis (Pleasant Grove, UT)
Assignee: Vivint, Inc.
B25J9/0003B25J9/1679B25J11/008B25J13/006E05F1/002G05D1/0282A47L2201/00E05F15/611E05Y2900/132G05B2219/25011G05B2219/25168G05B2219/2642G05B2219/39001G05D2201/0215Y10S901/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,464,206
App. No.
15/593,475
Granted
Nov 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems are described for robot transportation of objects into or out of a home automation system. One example may include determining, by a mobile robotic device, that an object is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system. The method may include deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system. The method also include retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the object and transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the object across the boundary. The method further includes leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the object at a drop-off location. The method may also include reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.

Claims (64)

1. A method for robotic delivery in a home automation system, comprising:

determining a time window for delivery of a delivery package;

identifying, via one or more sensors of a mobile robotic device, that the delivery package is located outside a boundary of a home automation system during the time window and is available to cross the boundary of the home automation system;

deactivating at least a portion of the home automation system by deactivating a security lock or alarm system for a door associated with the home automation system;

retrieving, by the mobile robotic device, the delivery package;

transporting, by the mobile robotic device, the delivery package across the boundary of the home automation system through the door;

leaving, by the mobile robotic device, the delivery package at a drop-off location; and

reactivating at least the portion of the home automation system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, by the mobile robotic device, the delivery package via the one or more sensors of the mobile robotic device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile robotic device, a notification from the home automation system identifying the delivery package,

wherein determining that the delivery package is available to cross the boundary of the home automation system is based at least in part on the notification.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, at the mobile robotic device, an instruction from the home automation system to retrieve the delivery package.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the delivery package has been delivered via tracking information.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the drop-off location for the delivery package based at least on a name on the delivery package, a type of one or more items delivered, a code on the delivery package, tracking information, instructions from the home automation system, instructions from an administrator of the home automation system, or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing an alert to an administrator of the home automation system that the delivery package has arrived;

requesting an authorization to deactivate the portion of the home automation system based at least in part on an arrival of the delivery package;

receiving the authorization to temporary deactivate at least the portion of the home automation system;

wherein deactivating at least the portion of the home automation system is only performed upon receiving the authorization.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

providing an alert to the administrator based at least in part on the deactivating.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

performing a safety inspection of the delivery package, wherein transporting the delivery package across the boundary is only performed when the delivery package passes the safety inspection.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the delivery package is a package to be delivered, garbage, recycling, one or more plants, a pet, or an item requested by a user of the home automation system.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting the drop-off location as a clear space to place the delivery package.

12. A mobile robot device, comprising:

one or more sensors or devices configured to:

determine a time window that a delivery package is expected to arrive based on tracking information;

identify, using sensor data, that the delivery package is located outside a boundary of a home automation system during the time window and is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system;

deactivate at least a portion of the home automation system;

retrieve the delivery package;

transport the delivery package across the boundary;

leave the delivery package at a drop-off location; and

reactivate at least the portion of the home automation system.

13. A home automation system apparatus, comprising:

one or more sensors to detect that the delivery package is available to cross a boundary of the home automation system;

a processor to:

determine a time window that the delivery package is expected to arrive based on tracking information;

identify the delivery package using sensor data during the time window;

determine action instructions for a mobile robotic device to retrieve the delivery package; and

temporarily deactivate at least a portion of a security system of the home automation system apparatus during a duration of the retrieval; and

a transmitter to communicate the action instructions to the mobile robotic device that causes the mobile robotic device to retrieve the delivery package, transport the delivery package across the boundary of the home automation system, and leave the delivery package at a drop-off location.

14. The home automation system apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensors to detect that the delivery package is available further comprises:

scan a delivery area with one or more cameras;

detect a new object within the scanned delivery area; and

determine that the new object is the delivery package.

15. The home automation system apparatus of claim 13 , the processor to further:

request an authorization from an administrator of the home automation system to temporarily deactivate at least the portion of the security system of the home automation system apparatus for retrieval of the delivery package;

receive the authorization to temporarily deactivate at least the portion of the security system; and

temporarily deactivate at least the portion of the security system only in response to receiving the authorization.

16. The home automation system apparatus of claim 13 , the processor to further:

determine a door of a building associated with the home automation system for which the delivery package should pass through;

deactivate the security system for the door;

monitor a location of the mobile robotic device; and

reactivate the security system for the door once the mobile robotic device has crossed the door with the delivery package.

17. The home automation system apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further to:

determine a drop-off location for the delivery package based on one or more of the tracking information or information located on the delivery package; and

include the drop-off location in the action instructions.

Assignments (8)
AFTER-ACQUIRED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 27, 2025
From: VIVINT LLC; SMART HOME PROS, INC.; VIVINT AMIGO, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS PRIORITY COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 070349/0816 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS RECORDED AT REEL 049283, FRAME 0566 Recorded Nov 11, 2024
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 069334/0137 →
RELEASE (REEL 047029/ FRAME 0304) Recorded Nov 1, 2024
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: VIVINT LLC (F/K/A VIVINT, INC.)
Reel/Frame 069289/0468 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2021
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 056832/0824 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 23, 2019
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 049283/0566 →
SUPPL. NO. 2 SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 6, 2018
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA N.A.
Reel/Frame 047024/0048 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 6, 2018
From: VIVINT, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 047029/0304 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2017
From: FRISBY, WES; MATSUURA, CRAIG; DAVIS, AARON
To: VIVINT, INC.
Reel/Frame 042350/0486 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 14530143 · Oct 31, 2014
Related Publication 20170246739A1 · Aug 31, 2017
Cited By (14)
US 12,253,840 US 12,296,694 US 12,369,509 US 12,425,197 US 12,443,180 US 12,472,611 US 12,510,892 US 12,543,881 US 12,564,130 US 12,653,097 US 12,677,737 US 12,690,518 US 12,696,838 US 12,714,019