IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,867,458

Granted Patent B1

US 10,867,458 · App. 16/284,280 · Granted Dec 15, 2020

Home monitoring system triggered rules

Inventors: Kyle Rankin Johnson (Arlington, VA); William Wireko Mensah (Tysons, VA)

Assignee: Alarm.com Incorporated

G07C9/00309 G07C9/00571 G07C9/00896 H04B1/3833 H04L12/2816 H04L12/2823 H04W4/021 H04W4/80 H04W76/10 G07C2009/00341 G07C2009/00928 H04W84/12

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 10,867,458
App. No.: 16/284,280
Granted: Dec 15, 2020
Kind: B1

External Links

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Abstract

In some implementations, a system can trigger an action to be performed at a property based on satisfaction of criteria related to location information and a connection status of a mobile computing device. Location information of the mobile computing device relative of a pre-defined geographic region including at least a portion of the property is initially obtained. A connection status of the mobile computing device for a short range wireless connection with a communication-enabled device within the property is then obtained. Criteria for an action at the property is then determined to be satisfied by the location information and the connection status of the mobile computing device. The action is finally triggered to be performed at the property in response to determining that criteria for the action is satisfied.

Claims (110)

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

obtaining location information of a mobile computing device relative to a pre-defined geographic area including at least a portion of a property;

obtaining a connection status of the mobile computing device for a short range wireless connection with a communication-enabled device within the property;

determining that criteria for home-automation action at the property is satisfied by

(i) the location information of the mobile computing device relative to the pre-defined geographic area including at least the portion of the property, and

(ii) the connection status of the mobile computing device for the short range wireless connection with the communication-enabled device within the property;

determining that the criteria for home-automation action at the property has not been satisfied by

(i) the location information of the mobile computing device relative to the pre-defined geographic area including at least the portion of the property, and

(ii) the connection status of the mobile computing device for the short range wireless connection with the communication-enabled device within the property,

wherein:

the location information of the mobile computing device comprises data indicating that the mobile computing device is presently located within the pre-defined geographic area, and

the connection status of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has recently disconnected from a wireless local network within the portion of the property after first connecting to the wireless local network; and

in response to determining that criteria for the home-automation action at the property is satisfied, automatically triggering the home-automation action to be performed at the property,

wherein the home-automation action is performed by one or more controllable devices at the property other than a camera.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location information of the mobile computing device comprises at least one or more of:

data indicating that the mobile computing device has entered the pre-defined geographic area,

data indicating that the mobile computing device has left the pre-defined geographic area,

data indicating that the mobile computing device is presently located within the pre-defined geographic area, or

data indicating that the mobile computing device is located outside the pre-defined geographic area.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection status of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has either connected to a wireless local network within the portion of the property, or disconnected from the wireless local network within the portion of the property.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the connection status of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has either established a Bluetooth connection with a particular device associated with the property, or disconnected from a Bluetooth connection with the particular device associated with the property.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the location information of the mobile computing device comprises data indicating that the mobile computing device has entered the pre-defined geographic area,

the connection status of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has connected to a wireless local network within the portion of the property; and

automatically triggering the home-automation action to be performed at the property comprises transmitting an instruction to unlock a door of the property.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the location information of the mobile computing device comprises data indicating that the mobile computing device has left the pre-defined geographic area,

the connection status of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has disconnected from a wireless local network within the portion of the property; and

automatically triggering the home-automation action to be performed at the property comprises transmitting an instruction to lock a door of the property.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the location information of the mobile computing device comprises data indicating that the mobile computing device is presently located within the pre-defined geographic area,

the connection status of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has connected to a wireless local network within the portion of the property; and

automatically triggering the home-automation action to be performed at the property comprises transmitting an instruction to unlock a door of the property.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that criteria for the home-automation action at the property is satisfied comprises comparing (i) the location information of the mobile computing device, and (ii) the connection status of the mobile computing device with one or more entries of an action rule repository, and

wherein the home-automation action automatically triggered at the property corresponds to the one or more entries of the action rule repository.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more controllable devices at the property comprises at least one of a garage opener, a connected home appliance, a connected lightbulb, a smart hub, a thermostat, a smart lock, or a window opening device, and

wherein the home-automation action to be performed at the property is one or more of:

unlocking a door;

locking a door;

opening a door;

closing a door;

opening a window;

closing a window;

opening a garage door;

closing a garage door;

adjusting appliance settings;

turning on a light; and

turning off a light.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more controllable devices are located inside of the property;

the home-automation action is performed inside of the property;

the location information of the mobile computing device comprises data indicating that the mobile computing device is presently located outside of the pre-defined geographic area; and

the connection status of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has connected to the wireless local network within the portion of the property.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining time information associated with timing of the connection status of the mobile computing device and timing of the location information of the mobile computing device relative to the pre-defined geographic area, and

wherein determining that criteria for an action at the property is satisfied further comprises:

determining that the time information comprises data indicating an initial Wi-Fi connection attempt by the mobile computing device after a specified time period after the mobile computing device has entered the pre-defined geographic area.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device is one of two devices, and the home-automation action is triggered by satisfaction of two connection events that are individually associated with the two devices.

13. A system comprising:

one or more computers; and

one or more storage devices storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: