Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically provisioning devices that do not include or cannot provide a unique hardware identifier over a machine-to-machine network. A device or application may provide a server with a non-unique provisioning identifier during restricted communication between the server and the device. In response to receiving a provisioning identifier from a device, a server may generate a globally unique device identifier associated with the provisioning identifier for the individual device, and transmit the unique identifier to the device. The device may retain the unique identifier for future transactions. A request may be provided to a user, at the device, the server or any other interface, requesting that a newly identified device be authenticated. Upon authentication the device may communicate with the server with additional interactions that were not provided after provisioning and before authentication.

Abstract: Systems and methods for utilizing unused space in expensive message based communication to embed messages from a sender device to a receiver device to maximize payload usage over a potentially fee-based messaging service. One or more machine-to-machine messages may be embedded in unutilized transport space when other communications, that may potentially be delivered over a fee-based network, are initiated at a device. The machine-to-machine message and other communications may be extracted from a combined message package at a receiving device and processed as if they were independently transported. Machine-to-machine messages may be segmented and embedded across multiple unrelated communication packages and later reassembled.

Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a printed circuit board (PCB) assembly, can include a dielectric layer and a first conductive layer mechanically coupled to the dielectric layer. In an example, the first conductive layer can include a first arm having a shape defined by a first outer border comprising a first conic section and a first inner border comprising a second conic section, a feed line coupled to the first arm at a feedpoint location at or near a central axis of the first arm, and a second arm offset from the first arm along the central axis of the first arm, the second arm defined by a shape at least in part mirroring a shape of the first arm.

Abstract: In a thermostat having a plurality of demand circuits and a thermostat controller, a method of controlling devices connected to the demand circuits. One or more demand circuits in a thermostat are connected to devices in an HVAC system. The thermostat is configured to associate each connected demand circuit with the device to which it is connected and control signals are routed from the thermostat controller to the one or more demand circuits to control devices associated with the demand circuits.

Abstract: A lightweight end-to-end network architecture in which the transport layer is a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer is disclosed. The network architecture also includes a Hyper Text Transport Protocol (HTTP) layer, a Messages over TCP (MT) protocol layer, a Message over Device-initiated HTTP (MDH) protocol layer, a multiplexing layer, and a facility layer. The MDH and MT layers are used in the alternative. The MT layer has a low overhead requirement. The MDH layer provides an enhanced firewall traversal capability.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically provisioning devices that do not include or cannot provide a unique hardware identifier over a machine-to-machine network. A device or application may provide a server with a non-unique provisioning identifier during restricted communication between the server and the device. In response to receiving a provisioning identifier from a device, a server may generate a globally unique device identifier associated with the provisioning identifier for the individual device, and transmit the unique identifier to the device. The device may retain the unique identifier for future transactions. A request may be provided to a user, at the device, the server or any other interface, requesting that a newly identified device be authenticated. Upon authentication the device may communicate with the server with additional interactions that were not provided after provisioning and before authentication.

Abstract: A system and method of transmitting vehicle information from a vehicle to a server across an external network. A vehicle bus connector module is plugged into a vehicle bus through the vehicle's vehicle bus connector. The vehicle bus connector module is also communicatively connected to a personal communications device. Vehicle information is collected from the vehicle bus and combined with information captured by the personal communications device to form a driver log. The driver log is transmitted to the server via the external network.

Abstract: A thermostat method and apparatus has one or more demand circuits, an energy storage device; a DC regulator connected to the energy storage device, and a thermostat control connected to the DC regulator and to the energy storage device. Current is drawn from the one or more demand circuits when demand associated with the demand circuits is not active and the energy storage device is charged with the current drawn from the one or more demand circuits. If energy stored in the energy storage device is below the first predetermined threshold, activity in the thermostat is reduced and if energy stored in the energy storage device is above the second predetermined threshold, activity in the thermostat is allowed to increase.

Abstract: A system and method of communicating with a plurality of different types of devices. A device driver is defined for each type of device. The device driver creates and maintains a set of channels for each device; each channel represents a property of the device. Newly acquired data received from one of the devices is received at the device driver and published to the channel associated with the data. Publishing the newly acquired data to the channel associated with the data includes storing the newly acquired data in a channel database with a time stamp corresponding to the time the data was received. Control information for one of the devices is received at the device driver and associated with one of the channels. The control information is passed to the device being controlled.

Abstract: A planar antenna, such as included as a portion of a wireless communication assembly, can include a dielectric portion, a first conductive portion, extending along a surface of the dielectric portion, and a second conductive portion, parallel to the first conductive portion, extending along the surface of the dielectric portion, the second conductive portion laterally offset from the first portion to provide a specified lateral separation between the first and second conductive portions. The first and second conductive portions can be configured to provide respective resonant operating frequencies ranges offset from each other, and the first and second conductive portions can be configured to follow a commonly-shared path, including at least one bend, along the surface of the dielectric portion.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a wireless network having a plurality of nodes. Each node determines whether to replace the beacon node. When a node determines that the beacon node is to be replaced, the node determines whether it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node. The decision whether to nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node is a function of a random number generated by the node. If the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, the node sends out one or more beacon signals. Beacon signals are received by potential replacement nodes and, if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, the node removes itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for third party control of a device have been disclosed. By utilizing a third party to control a device, view and control of a device may be separated.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a devices, systems, and methods to configure a wireless device. A wireless device may comprise a housing, a wireless communication interface, and a configuration interface. The housing may be configured to be mounted to an outlet supplying power to the wireless device via an electrical conductor. The wireless communication interface may be capable of connecting the wireless device to a wireless network. The configuration interface may be coupled to both the electrical conductor and the wireless communication interface and communicate with a configuration device directly attached to the electrical conductor. The configuration device may communicate configuration instructions to the wireless device over the electrical conductor by modulating power on the electrical conductor. The configuration interface may configure the wireless interface to connect the wireless device to the wireless network based on the configuration instructions.

Abstract: An approximately planar wideband antenna can include a first conductive portion coupled to a dielectric portion and mechanically supported by the dielectric portion, the first conductive portion including at least one edge corresponding to a planar conic section, such as including one or more of an elliptic, a parabolic, or a hyperbolic shape. Such an antenna can be electrically coupled to a matching circuit, the matching circuit configured provide a specified input impedance corresponding to a specified range of frequencies. Such a range of frequencies can span at least an octave, or more.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a smart energy gateway. The smart energy gateway includes a housing and a power plug integrated into the housing. The smart energy gateway can be mounted to an electrical outlet via the power plug. The smart energy gateway also includes a controller configured to accept transmissions from a smart energy network and communicate a subset of the transmissions to an external network. Other devices and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: The physical position of an unknown node in a network is determined by sending a first sent WiFi signal from one of an unknown node and a first reference node having a known location, and repeating the sent WiFi signal in the other of the unknown node and first reference node with a first reply WiFi signal. A distance is derived between the unknown node and the first reference node from the time of flight of the first sent and first reply WiFi signals. A second WiFi signal is sent from one of the unknown node and a second fixed node having a known location, and repeating the sent second WiFi signal in the other of the unknown node and second reference node with a second reply WiFi signal, and A distance is derived between the unknown node and the second reference node from the time of flight of the second sent and second reply WiFi signals. A physical location of the unknown node is determined based on the derived distances between the unknown node and the first and second reference nodes.

Abstract: In an example, a method includes aligning a pin of a surface mount module with a corresponding first pin of a header pin assembly of a socket assembly of a circuit board. The first pin includes a first portion configured to electrically couple to the circuit board. A second portion includes a retention feature configured to selectively retain the second portion in engagement with the pin of the surface mount module. The surface mount module is moved in a first direction toward the circuit board, wherein the pin of the surface mount module pushes against the second portion to move the second portion to a second position to allow the pin of the surface mount module to pass by the retention feature. The second portion is configured to move back toward a first position once the pin is moved past the retention feature to engage the pin.

Abstract: A set sleep period is coordinated among a plurality of mesh network nodes to conserve power, and a temporarily reduced sleep period is coordinated among the plurality of nodes to facilitate mesh network node service or installation activity. The reduced sleep period comprises scheduling a period of time during which the sleep period is reduced, or reverting from the temporarily reduced sleep period to the original set sleep period after predetermined period of time. Temporarily reducing the sleep period includes distributing a message throughout the mesh network when the mesh network nodes are awake.

Abstract: Various system and techniques for spatially aware smart device provisioning are described herein. Location data indicating a physical location of the configuration device can be received from the configuration device. A subset of one or more smart devices can be received from a device management module. The subset of one or more smart devices can be based on stored physical locations of each smart device of one or more smart devices and a predetermined area. The subset of smart devices can be presented to the configuration device. The configuration device can present the subset of smart devices to a user and accept a user selection of a smart device from the subset of smart devices to provision. The user selection of the smart device can be received. The smart device can be provisioned based on the user selection.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a wireless network having a plurality of nodes. Each node determines whether to replace the beacon node. When a node determines that the beacon node is to be replaced, the node determines whether it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node. The decision whether to nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node is a function of a nomination probability associated with the node. If the node determines that it should nominate itself as a potential replacement beacon node, the node sends out one or more beacon signals. Each node then adaptively modifies the probability of nominating itself as a function of the number of beacon signals received from other nodes. Beacon signals are received by potential replacement nodes and, if the potential replacement beacon node has received a beacon signal from a higher ranking potential replacement beacon node, the node removes itself as a candidate for the replacement beacon node.