Abstract: A smart light switch includes a housing, a light actuator, and a processor and memory. The processor is adapted to selectively turn an electrical load on and off in accordance with a programmed set of light activation rules stored in memory. The processor is operable to determine whether the smart light switch is in an On or Off state and create a historical record of the On or Off state of the smart light switch over time. A user is selectively able to place the smart light switch in a vacation mode. The processor suspends the programmed set of light activation rules, determines a probability that the smart light switch would have been turned on based upon the historical record, and probabilistically activates and deactivates the smart light switch for a period of time based upon the historical record while the smart light switch was not in vacation mode.

Abstract: A control device, such as a smart thermostat, employs solid state relays as switches to activate and deactivate systems controlled by the device. By measuring the current flow through the power buses to one or more of the solid state relays of the control device, potentially damaging over current conditions can be distinguished from permissible transient over-current conditions and the control device can deactivate any solid state relays which would be damaged while allowing solid state relays which are experiencing allowable transients to remain operating. In the case of a severe over current condition, a current monitoring device can issue a fault signal, triggering an interrupt condition which will cause a processor in the controller to shut down the affected solid state relays very quickly.

Abstract: A control device for an HVAC fan control unit includes at least one sensor to provide a signal to the control device to determine the temperature of the working fluid supplied to a coil in the fan control unit. In a first configuration, the sensor determines if the working fluid is above or below a preselected temperature and the control device employs the signal from the sensor to determine if the fan control unit is in a heating or cooling mode. In a second configuration, the sensor measures the temperature of the working fluid and the control device employs the signal from the sensor to determine the heating, or cooling, ability of the fan control unit when utilizing the supplied working fluid. With two-pipe fan control units, a single sensor is employed on the working fluid supply pipe and a single signal representing the working fluid temperature is supplied to the control device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for dynamically controlling an appliance based on information received from a wearable device, to regulate the user's health. A wearable device is identified and configured to monitor at least one physiological aspect of the user. A controllable appliance with at least one sensor and at least one controllable setting is also identified. Health information of the user is received and utilized in generating, a user profile which comprises parameters related to the health of the user. Data from the wearable device and date from the controllable appliance is analyzed and it is determined whether the data matches the parameters related to the health of the user. If the data does not match the parameters related to the health of the user, then at least one controllable setting of the at least one controllable appliance is adjusted.

Abstract: A method and system for providing HVAC signaling over a two-wire circuit is disclosed which also provides operating power for a thermostat. The system is relatively inexpensive to implement and produces only low levels of heat at the sender unit to avoid adversely affecting the ability of the thermostat to monitor the temperature of its surroundings.

Abstract: A smart light switch includes a housing, a light actuator located within the housing, and a processor and memory. The processor and memory are operably connected and located within the housing. The processor is adapted to selectively turn an electrical load on and off in accordance with a program schedule stored in memory. The smart light switch further includes a data communications module operable to provide data communication across a wireless network to a remote device. The program schedule includes time periods and a set of light activation rules for each time period. The smart light switch is operable to receive the time periods from a remote device having a different set of rules than the set of light activation rules for the smart light switch.

Abstract: A leak sensing cable for a leak detector having an impedance sensor operable to measure changes in impedance along a sensing circuit. The leak sensing cable comprises: an inner core, having a first conductive thread electrically connected to the sensing circuit; an inner sheath, coaxially located around the inner core, the inner core being comprised of a permeable, non-conductive material; an outer sheath, coaxially located around the inner sheath, the outer sheath comprising a permeable braided material and having a second conductive thread woven into the permeable braided material, the second conductive thread being electrically connected to the sensing circuit. The first conductive thread is substantially electrically isolated from the second conductive thread when the leak sensing cable is dry and less electrically isolated from the second conductive thread when the leak sensing cable becomes wet.

Abstract: A smart light switch includes a control block and heat generating components such as a light actuator, a processor and memory, a data communications module, and an environmental sensor. The processor is operable to receive as an input a measured temperature value from the environmental sensor and a power consumption value from the of heat generating components. The processor is operable to select a temperature offset value from a dataset of temperature offset values that is stored in memory. Each temperature offset value stored in the dataset of temperature offset values is associated with a potential combination of power consumption inputs. The processor is further operable to determine a calibrated temperature value from the measured temperature value adjusted by the temperature offset values selected from the dataset of temperature offset values.

Abstract: A system including at least one computerized device with voice command capability processed remotely includes a low power processor, executing a loose algorithmic model to recognize a wake word prefix in a voice command, the loose model having a low false rejection rate but suffering a high false acceptance rate, and a second processor which can operate in at least a low power/low clock rate mode and a high power/high clock rate mode. When the first processor determines the presence of the wake word, it causes the second processor to switch to the high power/high clock rate mode and to execute a tight algorithmic model to verify the presence of the wake word. By using the two processors in this manner, the average overall power required by the computerized device is reduced, as is the amount of waste heat generated by the system.

Abstract: A smart light switch includes a housing, a light actuator, and a processor and memory. The processor is adapted to selectively turn an electrical load on and off in accordance with a programmed set of light activation rules stored in memory. The processor is operable to determine whether the smart light switch is in an On or Off state and create a historical record of the On or Off state of the smart light switch over time. A user is selectively able to place the smart light switch in a vacation mode. The processor suspends the programmed set of light activation rules, determines a probability that the smart light switch would have been turned on based upon the historical record, and probabilistically activates and deactivates the smart light switch for a period of time based upon the historical record while the smart light switch was not in vacation mode.

Abstract: A control device, such as a smart thermostat, employs solid state relays as switches to activate and deactivate systems controlled by the device. Current flows through at least some of the solid state relays are monitored to determine the bulk heating produced in the solid state relays, and their associated circuitry and printed circuit board traces, and this determined amount of bulk heat is added to other determined amounts of bulk heat and is used to compensate the reading provided by temperature sensors within the control device which have been affected by the bulk heat. Further, by measuring the current flow through the power buses to one or more of the solid state relays of the control device, potentially damaging over current conditions can be distinguished from permissible transient over-current conditions and the control device can deactivate any solid state relays which would be damaged while allowing solid state relays which are experiencing allowable transients to remain operating.

Abstract: A computerized device with voice command capability processed remotely includes a low power processor, executing a loose algorithmic model to recognize a wake word prefix in a voice command, the loose model having a low false rejection rate but suffering a high false acceptance rate, and a second processor which can operate in at least a low power/low clock rate mode and a high power/high clock rate mode. When the first processor determines the presence of the wake word, it causes the second processor to switch to the high power/high clock rate mode and to execute a tight algorithmic model to verify the presence of the wake word. By using the two processors in this manner, the average overall power required by the computerized device is reduced, as is the amount of waste heat generated by the system.

Abstract: Managing an entryway for a building includes a computer system accessing identity data providing unique biometric identifications and associated names for respective people. Roles are stored and associated with people. Rules are stored and configured to define roles or people and define conditions and actions. A certain rule includes presence of a person at an entryway and a person in at a different location than the entryway as a condition. A named person is identified by the computer system comparing identity data to biometric data received for a person at the entryway. The computer system performs a defined action for the certain rule responsive to determining that the certain rule defines a role associated with the identified, named person at the entryway and responsive to detecting by a sensor in the building that a person is present in the building at a different location than the entryway.