Abstract: In one embodiment, a virtual room-based user interface suited for use on a “small screen” is provided that organizes representations of devices in a virtual room into a sequence, allows a user to cycle through the representations of devices in the sequence so only a single one is selected at any given time, and individually control the device corresponding to a selected representation using a designated control region separate from the representation of the selected device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique is provided managing a plurality of home automation systems in different residential structures. The plurality of home automation systems are bound to a cloud-based residential management system (RMS). The RMS periodically receives status and diagnostics information from home automation systems, and displays, on a web-enabled device, a plurality of RMS user interface (UI) screens. The RMS UI screens provide an all systems view which lists each the plurality of home automation systems, a system details view which shows a summary of status information for a selected one of the plurality of home automation systems, and an equipment level view which shows status information for individual devices of the selected home automation system. At least some of the individual devices are non-network available devices that lack a direct connection to an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a tiled video display is shown on a screen of a display device. The tiled video display includes a plurality of video tiles that each show video content of a different video stream. The video tiles are arranged on the screen according to a tiling layout. A user interface (UI) is shown on a touch sensitive screen of a wireless mobile device separate from the display device. The UI includes a plurality of UI tiles that each correspond to a respective video tile of the tiled video display. The UI tiles are arranged on the virtual display screen according to the tiling layout of the video tiles. In response to a gesture over at least a portion of a particular one of the UI tiles on the touch sensitive screen, a modification is made to both the particular UI tile and a correspond video tile.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for power optimization of home automation system devices (e.g., battery-powered devices). In one example embodiment, the power optimization is based on service states for a room associated with the device. A service state is determined for each of one or more services available in the room. The device is maintained in a low-power inactive state while there are no active services in the room. In response to at least one service being activated, the device transitions from the inactive state to a full-power in-use state. Such transition is performed preemptively, absent any current attempt to use the device by a user or another device. In response to expiration of a timer since a last use of the device or the transition to the in-use state was made and no actual use occurred, the device exits the in-use state and may eventually return to the inactive state.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a general-purpose wireless mobile device having a touch-sensitive screen and executing a remote control application is used to remotely control a vehicle (e.g., a marine vessel). The general-purpose wireless mobile device communicates via a wireless network with an interface (e.g., a server) that is coupled to an electronic control system of the vehicle (e.g., the vessel). In operation, environmental information and/or system status information is collected through the electronic control system, propagated to the interface (e.g., server), and then sent over the wireless network to the wireless mobile device. Similarly, control input is sent over the wireless network to the interface (e.g., server), which passes the information to the electronic control system, which in turn issues appropriate control signals to the vehicle subsystems (e.g., marine subsystems) to control the motion of the vehicle (e.g., the vessel).

Abstract: In one embodiment, graphical programming is used to configure a system of audio, video, lighting, HVAC and/or security components. Representations of audio, video, lighting, heating, HVAC and/or security components are displayed in a graphical user interface. Each representation corresponds to a physical component that is available for inclusion in the system. A zone map that represents one or more zones is displayed in the graphical user interface. A selected representation of an audio, video, lighting, heating, HVAC or security component is dragged and dropping to a selected zone of the zone map to indicate installation of a selected physical component in the corresponding room. One or more realized services that the system is capable of providing are determined based at least in part on the selected zone of the zone map. Thereafter, an output is provided based on the one or more realized services.

Abstract: In one embodiment, two or more programmable multimedia controllers are provided a multimedia system that includes a plurality of audio/video (A/V) devices that source or output digital media streams. Each of the programmable multimedia controllers has at least a processing subsystem and a switch capable of switching the digital media streams. Arbitration is conducted among the programmable multimedia controllers to select one of the programmable multimedia controllers as winning the arbitration. Master status is assigned to the one of the programmable multimedia controllers that won the arbitration. Subordinate status is assigned to at least one other programmable multimedia controller that did not win the arbitration. It is periodically verified whether the programmable multimedia controller assigned master status is operating.

Abstract: An architecture that provides ubiquitous access to a home automation system utilizes both a home database and a configuration database maintained by remote cloud services. In one example embodiment, a system configuration of the home automation system is generated and maintained in a home database accessible on an in-home LAN. The home database is synchronized with a configuration database of cloud services over the Internet. User input is received in a home automation control UI indicating a change to one or more services or scenes provided by hardware elements of the home automation system. When there is connectivity between a device providing the home automation control UI and the in-home LAN, the system configuration in the home database is utilized to effect the indicated change. When there is no connectivity between the device providing the home automation control UI and the in-home LAN, the system configuration in the configuration database of cloud services is utilized to effect the indicated change.

Abstract: In one embodiment, device addition to an expandable multimedia control system is performed without creating or modifying source code. A configuration bundle is stored on a first device of the expandable multimedia control system, the configuration bundle including a list of unique identifiers (UIDs) representing devices that are eligible to become a part of the expandable multimedia control system. The first device monitors a local area network (LAN), and determines a UID of a second device. The first device compares the UID of the second device with the list of UIDs in the configuration bundle. In response to a match of the UID of the second device with a UID of the list of UIDs in the configuration bundle, the second device is added to the expandable multimedia control system, and at least a portion of the configuration bundle is shared with it.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a virtual room-based user interface includes one or more virtual rooms. Each virtual room is rendered from one or more images captured of a corresponding physical room of a structure, and includes depictions of one or more light fixtures within the physical room, one or more furnishings within the physical room and one or more boundaries of the physical room. A user selects a particular depiction of a particular light fixture within a particular virtual room. In response, a state of the particular light fixture within the corresponding physical room is changed. Also, appearance of the particular virtual room is updated such that the depiction of the particular light fixture shows the particular light fixture with the changed state and the depictions of the one or more boundaries or the one or more furnishings show lighting effects resulting from the changed state.

Abstract: An architecture for a home automation system is provided that utilizes a home database stored in an in-home host controller that is synchronized with a configuration database maintained by remote cloud services. In one example embodiment, the home database of the host controller is synchronized over the Internet with the configuration database of cloud services. When there is connectivity between a mobile app used to configure and/or control the home automation system and the host controller via an in-home LAN, data interactions related to the home automation system are performed between the mobile app and the home database over the in-home LAN. When there is not this connectivity, data interactions related to the home automation system are performed between the mobile app and the configuration database over the Internet. If the host controller is reset or replaced, the home database may be restored by synchronization with the configuration database of cloud services.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for defining and activating scenes in a home automation system. In one embodiment, a user-defined scene is automatically captured based on current states in a home automation system and a last media query. Current states in the home automation system are automatically captured for services to build a set of states, the set of states including states of services provided by multiple different types of devices, the multiple different types including two or more of audio/video (A/V) devices, lighting devices, heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) devices, security devices, shade control devices, energy conservation devices, or communications devices. A last media query performed by the home automation system is also captured. A user-defined scene is generated from both. The user-defined scene is stored, and when it is determined it should be activated, service requests are sent.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a wireless lighting application (app) is executed on a mobile device to configure a wireless lighting control system including a plurality of wireless lighting control devices. A connection is established between the mobile device and a wireless lighting control device. In response to user input in a graphical user interface (GUI) of the wireless lighting app, the wireless lighting app configures at least one of a lighting controller, keypads or lamp modules by at least associating an attached lighting load with a load name. Further, the wireless lighting app defines a lighting scene that uses the lighting load having the load name. Still further, the wireless lighting app assigns the lighting scene to a programmable button of one of the wireless lighting control devices such that, in response to a press of the programmable button, the wireless lighting control system produces the predefined lighting effect.

Abstract: In one embodiment, history-based key phrase suggestions are provided for voice control of a home automation system. A host controller builds a history database that maintains a history of events, each event indicating one or more services activated, one or more scenes activated or one or more types of media content presented by the home automation system. A predictions process on the host controller selects a subset of the events of the history database based on a present condition of the home automation system to produce a predication dataset. A grammar process on a remote control or mobile device selects one or more intentions from a list used by a voice recognition engine, based on the prediction dataset. Each intention includes a key phrase paired with an action. A voice user interface (UI) process suggests key phrases from the one or more selected intentions in a voice control UI on the remote control or mobile device.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a technique is provided for automatically generating a custom user interface (UI) of a control device usable to control a home automation system. A configuration database is maintained, for example, on a host controller, of the home automation system. The configuration database stores logical representations that describe a configuration. The configuration database is transferred (e.g., downloaded) to a control device. The control device accesses the configuration database for one or more of the logical representations, and translates returned information related to the one or more of the logical representations to UI element, using predefined mappings. The controll device then displays the UI elements as a custom UI.

Abstract: An automation system includes a lighting controller having a WiFi interface through which wireless communication may be established with one or more mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets and the like. Using a mobile device, an installer may rapidly and reliably configure the lighting controller including creating or modifying bindings and settings for keypads which are associated with the lighting controller. The lighting controller includes a dynamic snubber circuit which automatically adjusts itself to operate with different types of loads.

Abstract: In various embodiments, techniques are provided for utilizing a WPAN (e.g., BLE) and an in-home LAN (e.g., Wi-Fi network) together to provision and/or configure hardware elements of a home automation system. In one embodiment, a first WPAN-discoverable hardware element (e.g., a host controller) of the home automation system advertises its presence on a WPAN. The first WPAN-discoverable hardware element receives user-provided network credentials from a mobile app, which are used to configure the first WPAN-discoverable hardware element on the in-home LAN, and which are stored in a storage device of the first WPAN-discoverable hardware element. To provision a second WPAN-discoverable hardware element (e.g., a device) of the home automation system on the in-home LAN, the first WPAN-discoverable hardware element transfers the network credentials back to the mobile app via the in-home LAN, and causes the mobile app to forward the network credentials via the WPAN to the second hardware element.