IP Library Granted Patent US 10,504,312
Granted Patent B2
US 10,504,312 · App. 15/943,430 · Granted Dec 10, 2019

Application and platform for temporary control over property access functions

Inventors: Ryan Hedley Turner (Austin, TX); Daniel Steven Haligas (Panama City, FL); Velayudhan Pillai Venugopal (Austin, TX); Alex Holm Devine (Austin, TX)
Assignee: HomeAway.com, Inc.
G07C9/00166G06Q10/02G06Q30/0645G07C9/00174G07C9/00571G07C9/00896H04L61/1529H04M15/56H04W4/021H04W4/029G07B15/00G07C2209/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,504,312
App. No.
15/943,430
Granted
Dec 10, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A computing device may be configured to transition control over one or more functions of a rental unit to a user (e.g., a traveler) based on one or more of time, geo-location and access credentials. Access may be granted to the traveler to use one or more home automation functions including a HVAC system, a thermostat, lighting, security alarm, automated door locks, etc. An owner of the rental unit may have access to some or all of the home automation functions blocked during the traveler's stay at the rental unit, and at an end of the stay owner access to those functions may be enabled. Some functions may be activated prior to the traveler's arrival at the unit based on a time to arrival and/or distance from the unit. An application on a traveler's computing device may be configured to summon a repair service for the unit.

Claims (73)

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices configured with specific computer-executable instructions,

receiving data representing an estimated time of arrival of a traveler computing device to a housing unit;

receiving data representing a relative time, with respect to the estimated time of arrival, at which an automated function of the housing unit is to be activated;

determining a function activation time for the automated function based at least partly on the estimated time of arrival and the relative time;

determining an estimated location at which the traveler computing device is expected to be at the function activation time;

determining, based at least partly on the traveler computing device being at the estimated location at the function activation time, to active the automated function of the housing unit; and

activating the automated function of the housing unit.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein activating the automated function comprises activating one of: a temperature control function, a security function, or a lighting function.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving location data representing a location of the traveler computing device at a first time prior to the function activation time;

determining a velocity of the traveler computing device at the first time;

determining a second estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit based at least partly on the velocity and location of the traveler computing device at the first time; and

modifying the function activation time based at least partly on the second estimated time of arrival.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein modifying the function activation time is based at least partly on the second estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit and a rule regarding activation of the automated function during individual time periods of a day.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving location data representing a location of the traveler computing device at a first time prior to the function activation time;

determining a velocity of the traveler computing device at the first time;

determining a second estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit based at least partly on the velocity and location of the traveler computing device at the first time; and

modifying the estimated location at which the traveler computing device is expected to be at the function activation time based at least partly on the second estimated time of arrival.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving data representing a second relative time, with respect to the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit, at which a second automated function of the housing unit is to be activated;

determining a second function activation time for the second automated function based at least partly on the estimated time of arrival and the second relative time; and

activating the second automated function of the housing unit at the second function activation time.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving location data representing a current location of the traveler computing device;

receiving velocity data representing a current velocity of the traveler computing device;

determining, using the location data, a distance between the current location of the traveler computing device and a location of the housing unit; and

determining the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit based at least partly on the distance and the velocity data.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a parameter for activation of the automated function based at least partly on at least one of: a time period of a day in which the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit is to occur, or a season of a year in which the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit is to occur.

9. A system comprising:

a computer-readable memory storing executable instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the computer-readable memory and configured by the executable instructions to at least:

receive data representing an estimated time of arrival of a traveler computing device to a housing unit;

receive data representing a relative time, with respect to the estimated time of arrival, at which an automated function of the housing unit is to be activated;

determine a function activation time for the automated function based at least partly on the estimated time of arrival and the relative time;

determine an estimated location at which the traveler computing device is expected to be at the function activation time;

determine, based at least partly on the traveler computing device being at the estimated location at the function activation time, to active the automated function of the housing unit; and

activate the automated function of the housing unit.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the automated function comprises one of: a temperature control function, a security function, or a lighting function.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to at least:

receive location data representing a location of the traveler computing device at a first time prior to the function activation time;

determine a velocity of the traveler computing device at the first time;

determine a second estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit based at least partly on the velocity and location of the traveler computing device at the first time; and

modify the function activation time based at least partly on the second estimated time of arrival.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the function activation time is modified based at least partly on the second estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit and a rule regarding activation of the automated function during individual time periods of a day.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to at least:

receive location data representing a location of the traveler computing device at a first time prior to the function activation time;

determine a velocity of the traveler computing device at the first time;

determine a second estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit based at least partly on the velocity and location of the traveler computing device at the first time; and

modify the estimated location at which the traveler computing device is expected to be at the function activation time based at least partly on the second estimated time of arrival.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to at least:

receive data representing a second relative time, with respect to the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit, at which a second automated function of the housing unit is to be activated;

determine a second function activation time for the second automated function based at least partly on the estimated time of arrival and the second relative time; and

activate the second automated function of the housing unit at the second function activation time.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to at least:

receive location data representing a current location of the traveler computing device;

receive velocity data representing a current velocity of the traveler computing device;

determine, using the location data, a distance between the current location of the traveler computing device and a location of the housing unit; and

determine the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit based at least partly on the distance and the velocity data.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein one or more processors are further configured by the executable instructions to at least determine a parameter for activation of the automated function based at least partly on at least one of: a time period of a day in which the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit is to occur, or a season of a year in which the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device at the housing unit is to occur.

17. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a communication interface in communication with the one or more processors; and

a mobile application configured to execute on the traveler computing device, wherein the mobile application causes the traveler computing device to at least:

determine a current location of the traveler computing device;

determine a velocity of the traveler computing device; and

transmit, to the communication interface, data representing the current location and the velocity.

18. The system of claim 9 , further comprising:

a communication interface in communication with the one or more processors; and

a mobile application configured to execute on the traveler computing device, wherein the mobile application causes the traveler computing device to at least:

determine the estimated time of arrival of the traveler computing device to the housing unit;

determine the estimated location at which the traveler computing device is expected to be at the function activation time; and

transmit, to the communication interface, the data representing the estimated time of arrival and data representing the estimated location.

Assignments (3)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: EXPEDIA GROUP, INC.; EXPEDIA, INC.; HOMEAWAY.COM, INC.; ORBITZ, LLC
Reel/Frame 059719/0926 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2020
From: EXPEDIA, INC.; HOMEAWAY.COM, INC.; ORBITZ, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 052577/0759 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2019
From: TURNER, RYAN HEDLEY; HALIGAS, DANIEL STEVEN; VENUGOPAL, VELAYUDHAN; DEVINE, ALEX HOLM
To: HOMEAWAY.COM, INC.
Reel/Frame 049824/0328 →
Continuity (2)
Division 14544209 · Dec 8, 2014
Related Publication 20180293824A1 · Oct 11, 2018