Smart-home device placement and installation using augmented-reality visualizations
A method for optimizing the placement of smart-home devices may include receiving, by a mobile computing device, a location for a smart-home device, where the mobile computing device comprises a display and a camera; rendering a view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device, where the view of the virtual object is rendered based on a position corresponding to a position of the mobile computing device; and displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device.
1. A method for optimizing the placement of smart-home devices, the method comprising:
capturing, by a camera of a mobile computing device, a view of a smart-home device, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a display;
determining the location for the smart-home device relative to a location of the mobile computing device;
rendering, by the mobile computing device, a view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device, wherein the view of the virtual object is rendered based on a position corresponding to a position of the mobile computing device; and
displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual object comprises a cone projecting away from the location for the smart-home device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual object is rendered as part of a virtual 3-D scene from a perspective of a virtual camera that corresponds to the position of the mobile computing device in the 3-D virtual scene.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein rendering the view of the virtual object comprises clipping a portion of the view of the virtual object based on an obstruction within the field-of-view of the smart-home device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the smart-home device comprises a motion sensor, and the field-of-view of the smart-home device comprises an area in which the motion sensor can detect motion.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a view of the smart-home device during installation;
generating a view of instructions for installing the smart-home device; and
displaying the instructions for installing the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device layered over the view of the smart-home device during installation.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
connecting to a second computing device; and
receiving live installation instructions from a user through the second computing device.
8. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memory devices comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first position of a mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a display and a camera;
receiving a second position of the mobile computing device relative to the first position;
using the first position as the location for a smart-home device;
rendering, by the mobile computing device, a view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device, wherein the view of the virtual object is rendered based on a position corresponding to a position of the mobile computing device; and
displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the smart-home device comprises a magnetic sensor, and the field-of-view of the smart-home device comprises an area in which the magnetic sensor can detect a magnet.
10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the smart-home device comprises a radio, and the field-of-view of the smart-home device comprises a range of the radio.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the smart-home device comprises a motion sensor, and the field-of-view of the smart-home device comprises an area in which the motion sensor can detect motion.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the smart-home device comprises a camera, and the field-of-view of the smart-home device comprises an area that can be captured by the camera.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the view of the virtual object is rendered in a first color when a user and/or the mobile computing device is not in the field-of-view of the smart-home device, and wherein the view of the virtual object is rendered in a second color when the user and/or mobile computing device is in the field-of-view of the smart-home device.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the view of the virtual object is rendered in a first color for a first portion of the field-of-view and is rendered in a second color for a second portion of the field-of-view.
15. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving a finger-tap input on a display of a mobile computing device, wherein the mobile computing device comprises a camera;
determining a location for a smart-home device based on the view of the camera of the mobile computing device and the finger-tap input;
rendering, by the mobile computing device, a view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device, wherein the view of the virtual object is rendered based on a position corresponding to a position of the mobile computing device; and
displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of a virtual object that represents a field-of-view of the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device.
16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein a shape of the virtual object changes according to sensitivity settings on the smart-home device.
17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising additional instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform additional operations comprising:
identifying a source in the smart-home environment that interferes with the field of view of the smart-home device;
rendering a view of a second virtual object that represents an area of interference generated by the source; and
displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of the second virtual object with the view of the virtual object.
18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising additional instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform additional operations comprising:
receiving information descriptive of at least a portion of a smart-home environment;
determining locations in the smart-home environment where the smart-home device should or should not be installed;
rendering a view of a second virtual object that represents the locations in the smart-home environment where the smart-home device should or should not be installed; and
displaying, by the mobile computing device, the view of the second virtual object with the view of the virtual object.
19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15 , comprising additional instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform additional operations comprising:
receiving a view of the smart-home device during installation;
generating a view of instructions for installing the smart-home device; and
displaying the instructions for installing the smart-home device on the display of the mobile computing device layered over the view of the smart-home device during installation.
20. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 19 , comprising additional instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform additional operations comprising:
connecting to a second computing device; and
receiving live installation instructions from a user through the second computing device.