Sensor Event Rules for Unified Home Automation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing home security, monitoring, and automation systems require separate programming and control, limiting flexibility and versatility, and are often tied to proprietary architectures.
Innovation Solution
A single platform, the SMA controller, provides centralized control over security, monitoring, and automation systems, enabling user-configurable rules that associate sensor events with actions by other sensors, monitoring devices, and automation devices, with connectivity to external servers for remote access and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate programming and control stations are used for security, monitoring, and automation systems, then each system can be independently controlled, but the overall system complexity increases and flexibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines security, monitoring, and automation control functions into a single centralized controller. This consolidation eliminates the need for multiple separate control stations, reducing system complexity while maintaining the ability to independently control each subsystem through unified rule-based management.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized controller is designed to perform multiple functions across different domains (security sensing, monitoring, and automation control). By making the controller universal, the system achieves greater flexibility and adaptability without requiring domain-specific control devices.
2Reliability
If automation and monitoring systems are coupled as slaves to security systems, then integration is achieved, but the automation and monitoring systems lose flexibility and are tied to proprietary architectures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic, bidirectional communication between all subsystems through the centralized controller. Rather than static master-slave relationships, the system allows any sensor or device to trigger actions in other subsystems through configurable rules, enabling flexible integration that maintains autonomy while achieving coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized controller acts as an intermediary that mediates between security, monitoring, and automation subsystems. It receives inputs from any subsystem and can trigger outputs to any other subsystem through rule-based logic, providing integration without subordinate relationships and preserving flexibility.
3Ease of operation
If multiple devices are used to control security, monitoring, and automation environments, then specialized control for each function is achieved, but equipment quantity increases and centralized coordination is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple control functions into a single centralized controller device. This consolidation reduces the total quantity of control equipment while providing unified access to all security, monitoring, and automation functions through one interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized controller is designed with universal capabilities to handle all control operations across different subsystems. It can program, monitor, and control security sensors, monitoring devices, and automation apparatuses through a single device, eliminating the need for multiple specialized controllers.
4Reliability
If proprietary architectures are used for integration, then system stability is improved, but adaptability to different protocols and devices is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized controller is designed with universal communication capabilities that support multiple protocols and device types. It can interface with various security sensors, monitoring devices, and automation apparatuses using different communication standards, providing both stability through standardized architecture and adaptability through protocol flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and devices for managing sensor event rules are described. A sensor event rule may be determined. The sensor event rule comprises a rule sensor identifier and a rule event identifier. Data indicative of a sensor event may be received. The data may be associated with a first premises device. The data may further indicate an identifier of the first premises device and an identifier of a sensor event. Based on determining that the identifier of the rule sensor identifier corresponds to the identifier of the first premises device and that the rule event identifier corresponds to the identifier of the sensor event, a control signal may be transmitted to a second premise device. The control signal may be configured to cause configuration of one or more settings associated with one or more functions of the second premises device.