IP Library Granted Patent US 11,962,672
Granted Patent B2
US 11,962,672 · App. 18/316,580 · Granted Apr 16, 2024

Virtual device systems and methods

Inventors: Chris Decenzo (Menlo Park, CA); David Proft (Austin, TX); Paul J. Dawes (Redwood City, CA)
Assignee: ICONTROL NETWORKS, INC.
H04L69/18G08B25/08H04L67/12H04L41/082
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,962,672
App. No.
18/316,580
Granted
Apr 16, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system comprising a gateway at a premises and configured to communicate with a premises device including a proprietary communication protocol different from a protocol of the gateway. The system includes a bridge server coupled to the gateway and to a device server. The device server corresponds to the premises device. An integration component, running on the bridge server, corresponds to the premises device. The system includes a virtual instance running on the gateway. The virtual instance corresponds to the premises device. The virtual instance is configured to represent a state change of the premises device using data received from the premises device via at least one of the integration component and the device server.

Claims (52)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a gateway device located at a premises and configured to communicate with a premises management system located at the premises, a command to generate a virtual device instance representing a premises device located at the premises;

storing, by the gateway device and based on the command, data indicative of the virtual device instance, wherein the virtual device instance facilitates integration of the premises device into the premises management system, and wherein the virtual device instance configures the gateway device to virtually manage the premises device via communication with a device server, located external to the premises, which manages the premises device; and

updating, by the gateway device, the data indicative of the virtual device instance to indicate a change in state of the premises device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the command to generate the virtual device comprises receiving an object template indicating one or more of a property of the premises device or a command of the premises device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the data indicative of the virtual device instance comprises receiving, based on converting state information in a format associated with the device server to a format associated with the virtual device instance, an update to the virtual device instance.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a user interface associated with the premises management system is configured, based on the virtual device instance, to represent the premises device as integrated into the premises management system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual device instance represents premises data of the premises device using a different data format than the device server.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device server manages the premises device by sending commands recognizable to the premises device and the gateway device virtually manages the premises device by generating virtual commands unrecognizable to the premises device and corresponding to the recognizable commands sent by the device server.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, based on user input via a user interface associated with the premises management system, an indication of a command for the premises device; and

sending, to a computing device located external to the premises and based on the indication of the command, an indication of a virtual command representing a function of the premises device, wherein the computing device is configured to convert the virtual command into a command recognizable by the server device.

8. A gateway device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:

receive, at a premises, a command to generate a virtual device instance representing a premises device located at the premises, wherein the gateway device is configured to communicate with a premises management system located at the premises;

store, based on the command, data indicative of the virtual device instance, wherein the virtual device instance facilitates integration of the premises device into the premises management system, and wherein the virtual device instance configures the gateway device to virtually manage the premises device via communication with a device server, located external to the premises, which manages the premises device; and

update the data indicative of the virtual device instance to indicate a change in state of the premises device.

9. The gateway device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to receive the command to generate the virtual device comprises instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to receive an object template indicating one or more of a property of the premises device or a command of the premises device.

10. The gateway device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to update the data indicative of the virtual device instance comprises instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to receive, based on converting state information in a format associated with the device server to a format associated with the virtual device instance, an update to the virtual device instance.

11. The gateway device of claim 8 , wherein a user interface associated with the premises management system is configured, based on the virtual device instance, to represent the premises device as integrated into the premises management system.

12. The gateway device of claim 8 , wherein the virtual device instance represents premises data of the premises device using a different data format than the device server.

13. The gateway device of claim 8 , wherein the device server manages the premises device by sending commands recognizable to the premises device and the gateway device virtually manages the premises device by generating virtual commands unrecognizable to the premises device and corresponding to the recognizable commands sent by the device server.

14. The gateway device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the device to:

receive, based on user input via a user interface associated with the premises management system, an indication of a command for the premises device; and

send, to a computing device located external to the premises and based on the indication of the command, an indication of a virtual command representing a function of the premises device, wherein the computing device is configured to convert the virtual command into a command recognizable by the server device.

15. A system comprising:

a premises management system located at a premises; and

a gateway device located at the premises and configured to communicate with the premises management system, wherein the gateway device is further configured to:

receive a command to generate a virtual device instance representing a premises device located at the premises;

store, based on the command, data indicative of the virtual device instance, wherein the virtual device instance facilitates integration of the premises device into the premises management system, and wherein the virtual device instance configures the gateway device to virtually manage the premises device via communication with a device server, located external to the premises, which manages the premises device; and

update the data indicative of the virtual device instance to indicate a change in state of the premises device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the gateway device is configured to receive the command to generate the virtual device based on receiving an object template indicating one or more of a property of the premises device or a command of the premises device.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the gateway device is configured to update the data indicative of the virtual device instance based on receiving, based on converting state information in a format associated with the device server to a format associated with the virtual device instance, an update to the virtual device instance.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein a user interface associated with the premises management system is configured, based on the virtual device instance, to represent the premises device as integrated into the premises management system.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the virtual device instance represents premises data of the premises device using a different data format than the device server.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the device server manages the premises device by sending commands recognizable to the premises device and the gateway device virtually manages the premises device by generating virtual commands unrecognizable to the premises device and corresponding to the recognizable commands sent by the device server.

21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the gateway device is further configured to:

receive, based on user input via a user interface associated with the premises management system, an indication of a command for the premises device; and

send, to a computing device located external to the premises and based on the indication of the command, an indication of a virtual command representing a function of the premises device, wherein the computing device is configured to convert the virtual command into a command recognizable by the server device.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause:

receiving, by a gateway device located at a premises and configured to communicate with a premises management system located at the premises, a command to generate a virtual device instance representing a premises device located at the premises;

storing, by the gateway device and based on the command, data indicative of the virtual device instance, wherein the virtual device instance facilitates integration of the premises device into the premises management system, and wherein the virtual device instance configures the gateway device to virtually manage the premises device via communication with a device server, located external to the premises, which manages the premises device; and

updating, by the gateway device, the data indicative of the virtual device instance to indicate a change in state of the premises device.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein receiving the command to generate the virtual device comprises receiving an object template indicating one or more of a property of the premises device or a command of the premises device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein updating the data indicative of the virtual device instance comprises receiving, based on converting state information in a format associated with the device server to a format associated with the virtual device instance, an update to the virtual device instance.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein a user interface associated with the premises management system is configured, based on the virtual device instance, to represent the premises device as integrated into the premises management system.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the virtual device instance represents premises data of the premises device using a different data format than the device server.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the device server manages the premises device by sending commands recognizable to the premises device and the gateway device virtually manages the premises device by generating virtual commands unrecognizable to the premises device and corresponding to the recognizable commands sent by the device server.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 22 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause:

receiving, based on user input via a user interface associated with the premises management system, an indication of a command for the premises device; and

sending, to a computing device located external to the premises and based on the indication of the command, an indication of a virtual command representing a function of the premises device, wherein the computing device is configured to convert the virtual command into a command recognizable by the server device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2023
From: DECENZO, CHRIS; DAWES, PAUL J.; PROFT, DAVID
To: ICONTROL NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 064461/0371 →
Continuity (17)
Continuation 17691774 · Mar 10, 2022
Continuation 15177915 · Jun 9, 2016
Continuation In Part 14943162 · Nov 17, 2015
Continuation In Part 14645808 · Mar 12, 2015
Continuation In Part 14628651 · Feb 23, 2015
Continuation In Part 13954553 · Jul 30, 2013
Continuation In Part 13929568 · Jun 27, 2013
Continuation In Part 13718851 · Dec 18, 2012
Continuation In Part 13531757 · Jun 25, 2012
Continuation In Part 13334998 · Dec 22, 2011
Continuation In Part 13104932 · May 10, 2011
Continuation In Part 12972740 · Dec 20, 2010
Continuation In Part 12539537 · Aug 11, 2009
Continuation In Part 12197958 · Aug 25, 2008
Continuation In Part 12189780 · Aug 11, 2008
Provisional Application 62172852 · Jun 9, 2015
Related Publication 20230412710A1 · Dec 21, 2023