IP Library Granted Patent US 10,798,801
Granted Patent B2
US 10,798,801 · App. 16/019,292 · Granted Oct 6, 2020

Universal smart switch management

Inventor: Dhananjay Lal (St. Louis, MO)
Assignee: Charter Communications Operating, LLC
H05B47/175H04L12/2818H05B47/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,798,801
App. No.
16/019,292
Granted
Oct 6, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments include systems and methods for controlling a smart lighting device. In embodiments, a processor of a smart switch may send to a customer service provider server device a smart switch identifier of the smart switch for incorporation into a data record in the customer service provider server device in association with a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at a customer premises. The processor of the smart switch may generate a lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device that may include the smart switch identifier. The processor of the smart switch may send to the customer service provider server device the generated smart lighting device instruction to the smart lighting device for transmission to the smart lighting device identifier based on the association.

Claims (159)

1. A smart switch, comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

sending to a customer service provider server device, a smart switch identifier of the smart switch for incorporation into a data record in the customer service provider server device in association with a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at a customer premises;

generating a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device, wherein the generated smart lighting device instruction includes the smart switch identifier; and

sending the generated smart lighting device instruction to the customer service provider server device for transmission to the smart lighting device identifier based on the association.

2. The smart switch of claim 1 , wherein the smart switch is disposed to substantially cover a wall switch at the customer premises.

3. The smart switch of claim 2 , wherein the smart switch further comprises a receptacle portion formed to maintain a position of the wall switch in a powered-on position.

4. The smart switch of claim 1 , further comprising a physical switch coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that generating a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device, wherein the generated smart lighting device instruction includes the smart switch identifier, comprises:

generating an actuation signal for the smart lighting device in response to an input at the physical switch to enable the customer service provider server device to generate the smart lighting instruction for the smart lighting device.

5. The smart switch of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that generating a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device, wherein the generated smart lighting device instruction includes the smart switch identifier, comprises:

obtaining a status of the smart lighting device; and

generating a smart lighting device instruction for the smart lighting device based on the obtained status of the smart lighting device.

6. The smart switch of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that obtaining a status of the smart lighting device comprises:

obtaining a status of the smart lighting device from a second smart switch.

7. The smart switch of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that obtaining a status of the smart lighting device comprises:

obtaining a status of the smart lighting device from the customer service provider server device.

8. The smart switch of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving from the customer service provider server device a smart lighting device status responsive to the smart lighting instruction; and

updating the data record with the smart lighting device status.

9. The smart switch of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

sending the smart lighting device status to one or more other devices associated with the smart lighting device.

10. The smart switch of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform N-way control operations.

11. A method of controlling a smart lighting device, comprising:

sending, by a processor of a smart switch, to a customer service provider server device, a smart switch identifier of the smart switch for incorporation into a data record in the customer service provider server device in association with a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at a customer premises;

generating, by the processor of the smart switch, a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device, wherein the generated smart lighting device instruction includes the smart switch identifier; and

sending, by the processor of the smart switch, to the customer service provider server device, the generated smart lighting device instruction to the smart lighting device for transmission to the smart lighting device identifier based on the association.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device comprises:

generating, by the processor of the smart switch, an actuation signal for the smart lighting device in response to an input at the physical switch to enable the customer service provider server device to generate the smart lighting instruction for the smart lighting device.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating, by the processor of the smart switch, a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device, comprises:

obtaining, by the processor of the smart switch, a status of the smart lighting device; and

generating, by the processor of the smart switch, a smart lighting device instruction for the smart lighting device based on the obtained status of the smart lighting device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein obtaining, by the processor of the smart switch, a status of the smart lighting device comprises:

obtaining, by the processor of the smart switch, a status of the smart lighting device from a second smart switch.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein obtaining, by the processor of the smart switch, a status of the smart lighting device comprises:

obtaining, by the processor of the smart switch, a status of the smart lighting device from the customer service provider server device.

16. Method of claim 11 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processor of the smart switch, from the customer service provider server device a smart lighting device status responsive to the smart lighting instruction; and

updating, by the processor of the smart switch, the data record with the smart lighting device status.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

sending, by the processor of the smart switch, the smart lighting device status to one or more other devices associated with the smart lighting device.

18. A customer service provider server device, comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

generating a data record that includes a smart switch identifier of a smart switch at a customer premises;

generating an association between the smart switch identifier and a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at the customer premises;

storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record in the memory;

receiving from the smart switch a smart lighting device instruction including the smart switch identifier;

obtaining the smart lighting device identifier from the memory based on the association; and

sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the smart lighting device identifier obtained based on the association.

19. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that:

the smart lighting device instruction received from the smart switch comprises an actuation signal; and

wherein sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the smart lighting device identifier obtained based on the association comprises:

obtaining a status of the smart lighting device; and

generating and sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the actuation signal and the obtained status of the smart lighting device.

20. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving from the smart switch a registration message including an indication of the smart lighting device with which the smart switch is to be associated;

sending to a lighting service provider server device the indication of the smart lighting device; and

receiving the smart lighting device identifier from a lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device.

21. The customer service provider server device of claim 20 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that receiving the smart lighting device identifier from a lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device comprises:

receiving a plurality of smart lighting device identifiers from the lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device.

22. The customer service provider server device of claim 21 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that generating the association between the smart switch identifier and a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at the customer process comprises:

generating the association between the smart switch identifier and the plurality of smart lighting device identifiers.

23. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving from the smart switch a registration message including an indication of a location of the smart switch in the customer premises;

sending to a lighting service provider server device the indication of the smart switch location in the customer premises; and

receiving the plurality of smart lighting device identifiers from the lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart switch location in the customer premises.

24. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving from the smart switch a registration message including an indication of the smart lighting device with which the smart switch is to be associated; and

receiving a plurality of smart lighting device identifiers from a lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device.

25. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a smart lighting device status in response to sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device;

determining based on the association in the data record the smart switch identifier; and

sending the smart lighting device status to the determined associated smart switch.

26. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

sending the smart lighting device status to one or more other devices associated with the smart lighting device.

27. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record in the memory comprises:

storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record comprising one or more of a plurality of smart switch identifiers and a plurality of associations.

28. The customer service provider server device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform N-way control operations.

29. A method of controlling a smart lighting device, comprising:

generating, by a processor of a customer service provider server device, a data record that includes a smart switch identifier of a smart switch at a customer premises;

generating, by the processor of a customer service provider server device, an association between the smart switch identifier and a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at the customer premises;

storing, by the processor of a customer service provider server device, the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record in the memory;

receiving, by the processor of a customer service provider server device, from the smart switch a smart lighting device instruction including the smart switch identifier;

obtaining, by the processor of a customer service provider server device, the smart lighting device identifier from the memory based on the association; and

sending, by the processor of a customer service provider server device, the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the smart lighting device identifier obtained based on the association.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein:

the smart lighting device instruction received from the smart switch comprises an actuation signal; and

wherein sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the smart lighting device identifier obtained based on the association comprises:

obtaining a status of the smart lighting device; and

generating and sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the actuation signal and the obtained status of the smart lighting device.

31. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

receiving from the smart switch a registration message including an indication of the smart lighting device with which the smart switch is to be associated;

sending to a lighting service provider server device the indication of the smart lighting device; and

receiving the smart lighting device identifier from a lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein receiving the smart lighting device identifier from a lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device comprises:

receiving a plurality of smart lighting device identifiers from the lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein generating the association between the smart switch identifier and a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at the customer process comprises:

generating the association between the smart switch identifier and the plurality of smart lighting device identifiers.

34. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

receiving from the smart switch a registration message including an indication of a location of the smart switch in the customer premises;

sending to a lighting service provider server device the indication of the smart switch location in the customer premises; and

receiving the plurality of smart lighting device identifiers from the lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart switch location in the customer premises.

35. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

receiving from the smart switch a registration message including an indication of the smart lighting device with which the smart switch is to be associated; and

receiving a plurality of smart lighting device identifiers from a lighting service provider server device based on the indication of the smart lighting device.

36. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

receiving a smart lighting device status in response to sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device;

determining based on the association in the data record the smart switch identifier; and

sending the smart lighting device status to the determined associated smart switch.

37. The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

sending the smart lighting device status to one or more other devices associated with the smart lighting device.

38. The method of claim 29 , wherein storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record in the memory comprises:

storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record comprising one or more of a plurality of smart switch identifiers and a plurality of associations.

39. A system for controlling a smart lighting device, comprising:

a smart switch, comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

sending to a customer service provider server device, a smart switch identifier of the smart switch;

generating a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device, wherein the generated smart lighting device instruction includes the smart switch identifier; and

sending the generated smart lighting device instruction to the customer service provider server device for transmission to the smart lighting device identifier based on the association; and

a customer service provider server device, comprising:

a communication interface;

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the memory and configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

generating a data record that includes the smart switch identifier of a smart switch at a customer premises;

generating an association between the smart switch identifier and a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at the customer premises;

storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record in the memory;

receiving from the smart switch the smart lighting device instruction including the smart switch identifier;

obtaining the smart lighting device identifier from the memory based on the association; and

sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the smart lighting device identifier obtained based on the association.

40. The system of claim 39 , wherein the processor of the smart switch is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that obtaining a status of the smart lighting device comprises:

obtaining a status of the smart lighting device from a second smart switch.

41. The system of claim 39 , wherein the processor of the smart switch is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that obtaining a status of the smart lighting device comprises:

obtaining a status of the smart lighting device from the customer service provider server device.

42. The system of claim 39 , wherein the processor of the smart switch is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving from the customer service provider server device a smart lighting device status responsive to the smart lighting instruction; and

updating the data record with the smart lighting device status.

43. The system of claim 42 , wherein the processor of the smart switch is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

sending the smart lighting device status to one or more other devices associated with the smart lighting device.

44. The system of claim 39 , wherein the processor of the customer service provider server device is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

sending the smart lighting device status to one or more other devices associated with the smart lighting device.

45. The system of claim 39 , wherein the system further comprises at least a second smart switch to form a plurality of smart switches,

wherein the processor of the customer service provider server device is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record in the memory comprises:

storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record comprising one or more of the plurality of smart switch identifiers and a plurality of associations.

46. A non-transitory processor readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a smart switch to perform operations comprising:

sending to a customer service provider server device, a smart switch identifier of the smart switch for incorporation into a data record in the customer service provider server device in association with a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at a customer premises;

generating a smart lighting device instruction for a smart lighting device, wherein the generated smart lighting device instruction includes the smart switch identifier; and

sending the generated smart lighting device instruction to the customer service provider server device for transmission to the smart lighting device identifier based on the association.

47. A non-transitory processor readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor of a customer service provider server device to perform operations comprising:

generating a data record that includes a smart switch identifier of a smart switch at a customer premises;

generating an association between the smart switch identifier and a smart lighting device identifier of a smart lighting device at the customer premises;

storing the smart switch identifier and the association in a data record in the memory;

receiving from the smart switch a smart lighting device instruction including the smart switch identifier;

obtaining the smart lighting device identifier from the memory based on the association; and

sending the smart lighting instruction to the smart lighting device based on the smart lighting device identifier obtained based on the association.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2022
From: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 061503/0937 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2022
From: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES, LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 061504/0307 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 10, 2022
From: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 061633/0069 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 25, 2018
From: BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS, LLC; CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC; TIME WARNER CABLE INTERNET LLC
To: WELLS FARGO TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 046630/0193 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2018
From: LAL, DHANANJAY
To: CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OPERATING, LLC
Reel/Frame 046288/0198 →
Continuity (1)
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