IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,132,881
Granted Patent B2
US 11,132,881 · App. 16/368,406 · Granted Sep 28, 2021

Electronic devices capable of communicating over multiple networks

Inventors: Ben Wild (Marina Del Rey, CA); Matthew J. England (Santa Monica, CA); Mark Siminoff (Mountain View, CA)
Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
G08B13/19656H04L12/46H04L67/1095H04W88/16H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,132,881
App. No.
16/368,406
Granted
Sep 28, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

This application is directed to an electronic device that acts as a bridge between a remote system and one or more other electronic devices. For instance, the electronic device may establish a first network connection using one or more network interfaces and a second network connection using the one or more network interfaces. In some instances, the first network connection includes a wireless local area network and the second network connection includes a low-power wide-area network. The electronic device may then receive data from the remote system over the first network connection, where the data represents a command for an additional electronic device. Using the data, the electronic device may transmit a data packet to the additional electronic device over the second network connection. The data packet may represent at least an identifier of the additional electronic device and the command.

Claims (102)

1. An audio/video recording and communication device (A/V device) comprising:

a camera;

a speaker;

a microphone;

a first network interface for communicating over a wireless local area network (WLAN);

a second network interface for communicating over a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN);

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, using the first network interface and over the WLAN, a first data packet from a remote system;

determining that the first data packet includes first data representing an identifier of an electronic device;

generating a second data packet, the second data packet including at least:

second data representing the identifier of the electronic device; and

third data representing a command for the electronic device;

sending, using the second network interface and over the LPWAN, at least a portion of the second data packet to the electronic device;

receiving, using the second network interface and over the LPWAN, a third data packet from the electronic device;

generating a fourth data packet indicating that the command was performed by the electronic device; and

sending, using the first network interface and over the WLAN, the fourth data packet to the remote system.

2. The A/V device as recited in claim 1 , the one or more computer-readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

deactivating the first network interface;

determining that a first period of time has elapsed since the deactivating of the first network interface;

based at least in part on the determining that the first period of time has elapsed, activating the first network interface;

deactivating the second network interface;

determining that a second period of time has elapsed since the deactivating of the second network interface; and

based at least in part on the determining that the second period of time has elapsed, activating the second network interface,

wherein the first period of time is different than the second period of time.

3. The A/V device as recited in claim 1 , the one or more computer-readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

detecting, using at least one of the camera or a motion sensor, possible motion of an object;

based at least in part on the detecting of the possible motion, generating image data using the camera; and

sending, using the first network interface and over the WLAN, the image data to the remote system.

4. The A/V device as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a battery, wherein communicating over the WLAN using the first network interface uses a first amount of power from the battery and communicating over the LPWAN using the second network interface uses a second amount of power from the battery, the first amount of power being greater than the second amount of power.

5. An audio/video recording and communication doorbell (A/V doorbell) comprising:

a first network interface;

a second network interface;

a camera;

one or more speakers;

one or more microphones;

an input interface;

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, using the first network interface and over a first network, first data from a remote system, the first data representing an identifier associated with an electronic device;

receiving, using the first network interface and over the first network, second data from the remote system, the second data representing a first command associated with the electronic device;

sending, using the second network interface and over a second network, third data to the electronic device, the third data representing the identifier associated with the electronic device;

sending, using the second network interface and over the second network, fourth data to the electronic device, the fourth data representing the first command associated with the electronic device;

receiving, using the second network interface and over the second network, fifth data from the electronic device, the fifth data indicating that the first command was performed by the electronic device; and

sending, using the first network interface and over the first network, sixth data to the remote system, the sixth data indicating that the first command was performed by the electronic device.

6. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first network includes a wireless local area network and the second network includes a low-power wide-area network.

7. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , wherein communicating over the first network using the first network interface uses a first amount of power and communicating over the second network using the second network interface uses a second amount of power, the first amount of power being different than the second amount of power.

8. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , the one or more computer-readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

deactivating the first network interface;

determining that a first period of time has elapsed since the deactivating of the first network interface;

based at least in part on the determining that the first period of time has elapsed, activating the first network interface;

deactivating the second network interface;

determining that a second period of time has elapsed since the deactivating of the second network interface; and

based at least in part on the determining that the second period of time has elapsed, activating the second network interface.

9. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , the one or more computer readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising sending seventh data for synchronizing the A/V doorbell with the electronic device.

10. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , the one or more computer readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

receiving, using the second network interface and over the second network, seventh data representing a second command to establish a network connection with the remote system; and

based at least in part on the receiving of the seventh data, establishing, using the first network interface and over the first network, the network connection with the remote system,

wherein the receiving of the first data from the remote system occurs based at least in part on the establishing of the network connection.

11. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , the one or more computer readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

determining that a time interval has elapsed; and

based at least in part on the determining that the time interval has elapsed, establishing, using the first network interface and over the first network, a network connection with the remote system,

wherein the receiving of the first data from the remote system occurs based at least in part on the establishing of the network connection.

12. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , the one or more computer readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

determining that a time interval has elapsed; and

based at least in part on the determining that the time interval has elapsed, establishing, using the second network interface and over the second network, a network connection with the electronic device,

wherein the sending of the third data to the electronic device occurs based at least in part on the establishing of the network connection.

13. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , the one or more computer readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

receiving an input using the input interface;

based at least in part on the receiving of the input, generating image data using the camera; and

sending, using the first network interface and over the first network, the image data to at least one of the remote system or a user device.

14. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , the one or more computer readable media storing further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform further operations comprising:

detecting, using at least one of the camera or a motion sensor, possible motion of an object;

based at least in part on the detecting of the possible motion, generating image data using the camera; and

sending, using the first network interface and over the first network, the image data to at least one of the remote system or a user device.

15. The A/V doorbell as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first command is associated with at least one of activating the electronic device or deactivating the electronic device.

16. A method comprising:

establishing, using a first network interface, a first network connection with a remote system;

receiving, using the first network connection, first data from the remote system, the first data representing an identifier associated with an electronic device;

receiving, using the first network connection, second data representing a command for the electronic device;

establishing, using a second network interface, a second network connection with the electronic device;

sending, using the second network connection and to the electronic device, third data representing the identifier;

sending, using the second network connection and to the electronic device, fourth data representing the command;

receiving, using the second network connection and from the electronic device, fifth data indicating that the command was performed by the electronic device; and

sending, using the first network connection and to the remote system, sixth data indicating that the command was performed by the electronic device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein:

the establishing of the first network connection comprises establishing, using the first network interface, a wireless local area network connection with the remote system; and

the establishing of the second network connection comprises establishing, using the second network interface, a low-power wide-area network connection with the electronic device.

18. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising at least one of:

sending seventh data to the remote system, the seventh data associated with synchronizing first communications with the remote system; or

sending eighth data to the electronic device, the eighth data associated with synchronizing second communications with the electronic device.

19. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising generating a data packet, the data packet including at least:

seventh data for synchronizing with the electronic device;

the third data representing the identifier; and

the fourth data representing the command.

20. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising:

deactivating the first network interface;

determining that a first period of time has elapsed since the deactivating of the first network interface;

based at least in part on the determining that the first period of time has elapsed, activating the first network interface;

deactivating the second network interface;

determining that a second period of time has elapsed since the deactivating of the second network interface; and

based at least in part on the determining that the second period of time has elapsed, activating the second network interface.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 27, 2021
From: WILD, BEN; ENGLAND, MATTHEW J.; SIMINOFF, MARK
To: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 056377/0043 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62680869 · Jun 5, 2018
Provisional Application 62668538 · May 8, 2018
Related Publication 20190347916A1 · Nov 14, 2019