Abstract: In various embodiments, a smart home device is presented. The smart home device may include at least one sensor. The smart home device may include a speaker, a light, and a motion detection sensor that detects motion in an ambient environment of the smart home device. A processing system of the smart home device may be configured to select an illumination state based on a determined status. The processing system may cause the light to illuminate based on the selected illumination state. The processing system may determine a gesture has been performed in the ambient environment of the smart home device following the light being illuminated based on the selected illumination state. The processing system may output a detail of the status via the speaker corresponding to the illumination state in response to determining the gesture has been performed.

Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by a thermostat are provided. Input can be received from a user via a thermostat, the input being indicative of an adjustment of an HVAC-related setting. On a real-time basis, the HVAC-related setting that is being adjusted can be compared against a feedback criterion designed to indicate a circumstance under which feedback is to be presented to the user. The circumstance can be indicative of an achievement of a HVAC-related setting of a predetermined responsibility level with respect to an energy usage of the HVAC system. Upon a real-time determination that the feedback criterion is satisfied, visual feedback can be caused to be presented to the user in real-time. The real-time feedback can include a visual icon having a visual appeal corresponding to a desirability of the satisfaction of the feedback criterion.

Abstract: Various methods and systems for smart home devices are presented. Such smart home devices may include one or more environmental sensors that are configured to detect the presence of one or more environmental conditions. Such smart home devices may include a light comprising a plurality of lighting elements. Such a light may be configured to illuminate using a plurality of colors and, possibly, a plurality of animation patterns. Such smart home devices may include a processing system configured to cause the light to illuminate using the plurality of colors and the plurality of animation patterns in response to a plurality of states of the smart home device.

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein relate to: suggesting, automatically implementing, or both suggesting and automatically implementing, one or more household policies to be implemented within a household environment. The household policies include one or more input criteria that is derivable from at least one smart device within the household environment, the one or more input criteria relating to a characteristic of the household environment, a characteristic of one or more occupants of the household, or both. The household policies also include one or more outputs to be provided based upon the one or more input criteria.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a processor and a network interface that may include a first radio and a second radio. The processor may be configured to perform wireless communication jamming attack detection by occasionally performing clear channel verification utilizing the network interface to determine whether a threshold number of devices' channels are incapacitated in a wireless network within a threshold amount of time and/or by sending a heartbeat signal from the first radio and determining whether the second radio received the heartbeat signal.

Abstract: This application is directed to a home monitoring and control system including a doorbell installed at a door of a home, an application executable by a monitoring device, and a remote server. The doorbell has a button configured to, upon being touched, depressed or activated, wirelessly cause an audio speaker of an electronic device to sound an audible notification or a message to be sent to the monitoring device to indicate presence of a person at the door. The doorbell also has a camera configured to capture video data within a field of view. The remote server is configured to receive from the doorbell the video data and the message, and relay them to the monitoring device. The application is configured to receive and display at least a portion of the video data captured by the camera of the doorbell.

Abstract: This application is directed to a method of home monitoring and control implemented by a doorbell installed at a door of a home, an application executable by a monitoring device, and a remote server. The doorbell has a button that, upon being touched, depressed or activated, wirelessly causes an audio speaker of an electronic device to sound an audible notification and/or a message to be sent to a monitoring device associated with an occupant of the home to indicate presence of a person at the door. The doorbell also has a camera that captures video data within a field of view. The remote server receives the video data from the doorbell and relays them to the monitoring device. The application receives and displays at least a portion of the video data captured by the camera.

Abstract: A power adapter for a peripheral device such as portable electronics device is disclosed. The power adapter includes a housing that contains electrical components associated with the power adapter. The power adapter also includes a data port provided at a surface of the housing. The data port is configured to provide external power to the peripheral device.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an electronic device with an embedded authentication system for restricting access to device resources. The authentication system may include one or more sensors operative to detect biometric information of a user. The sensors may be positioned in the device such that the sensors may detect appropriate biometric information as the user operates the device, without requiring the user to perform a step for providing the biometric information (e.g., embedding a fingerprint sensor in an input mechanism instead of providing a fingerprint sensor in a separate part of the device housing). In some embodiments, the authentication system may be operative to detect a visual or temporal pattern of inputs to authenticate a user. In response to authenticating, a user may access restricted files, applications (e.g., applications purchased by the user), or settings (e.g., application settings such as contacts or saved game profile).

Abstract: A power adapter for a peripheral device such as portable electronics device is disclosed. The power adapter includes a housing that contains electrical components associated with the power adapter. The power adapter also includes a data port provided at a surface of the housing. The data port is configured to provide external power to the peripheral device.

Abstract: A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described, the thermostat having a user interface that is visually pleasing, approachable, and easy to use while also providing ready access to, and intuitive navigation within, a menuing system capable of receiving a variety of different types of user settings and/or control parameters. For some embodiments, the thermostat comprises a housing, a ring-shaped user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user, a processing system configured to identify a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion, and an electronic display coupled to the processing system. An interactive thermostat menuing system is accessible to the user by an inward pressing of the ring-shaped user interface component. User navigation within the interactive thermostat menuing system is achievable by virtue of respective rotational input motions and inward pressings of the ring-shaped user interface component.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an electronic device with an embedded authentication system for restricting access to device resources. The authentication system may include one or more sensors operative to detect biometric information of a user. The sensors may be positioned in the device such that the sensors may detect appropriate biometric information as the user operates the device, without requiring the user to perform a step for providing the biometric information (e.g., embedding a fingerprint sensor in an input mechanism instead of providing a fingerprint sensor in a separate part of the device housing). In some embodiments, the authentication system may be operative to detect a visual or temporal pattern of inputs to authenticate a user. In response to authenticating, a user may access restricted files, applications (e.g., applications purchased by the user), or settings (e.g., application settings such as contacts or saved game profile).

Abstract: Various arrangements of smart devices and systems are presented. Such smart devices and systems may include a wireless interface, a light sensor that detects an ambient brightness level of an ambient environment of the smart device, a motion sensor that detects motion of a user in the ambient environment of the smart device, a light that is capable of outputting light into the ambient environment of the smart device, and a processing system. The processing system may cause the light to illuminate based on: the message indicating that the lighting feature has been activated; the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device or system.

Abstract: A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described, the thermostat having a user interface that is visually pleasing, approachable, and easy to use while also providing ready access to, and intuitive navigation within, a menuing system capable of receiving a variety of different types of user settings and/or control parameters. For some embodiments, the thermostat comprises a housing, a ring-shaped user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user, a processing system configured to identify a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion, and an electronic display coupled to the processing system. An interactive thermostat menuing system is accessible to the user by an inward pressing of the ring-shaped user interface component. User navigation within the interactive thermostat menuing system is achievable by virtue of respective rotational input motions and inward pressings of the ring-shaped user interface component.

Abstract: A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described, the thermostat having a user interface that is visually pleasing, approachable, and easy to use while also providing intuitive navigation within a menuing system. In a first mode of operation, an electronic display of the thermostat displays a population of tick marks arranged in an arcuate arrangement including a plurality of background tick marks, a setpoint tick mark representing a setpoint temperature, and an ambient temperature tick mark representing an ambient temperature, the setpoint temperature being dynamically changeable according to a tracked rotational input motion of a ring-shaped user interface component of the thermostat. In a second mode, the a plurality of user-selectable menu options is displayed in an arcuate arrangement along a menu option range area, and respective ones of the user-selectable menu options are selectively highlighted according to the tracked rotational input motion of the ring-shaped user interface component.

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein relate to: suggesting, automatically implementing, or both suggesting and automatically implementing, one or more household policies to be implemented within a household environment. The household policies include one or more input criteria that is derivable from at least one smart device within the household environment, the one or more input criteria relating to a characteristic of the household environment, a characteristic of one or more occupants of the household, or both. The household policies also include one or more outputs to be provided based upon the one or more input criteria.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a smart home device is presented. The smart home device may include at least one sensor. The smart home device may include a speaker, a light, and a motion detection sensor that detects motion in an ambient environment of the smart home device. A processing system of the smart home device may be configured to select an illumination state based on a determined status. The processing system may cause the light to illuminate based on the selected illumination state. The processing system may determine a gesture has been performed in the ambient environment of the smart home device following the light being illuminated based on the selected illumination state. The processing system may output a detail of the status via the speaker corresponding to the illumination state in response to determining the gesture has been performed.

Abstract: A system configured to control a HVAC system may include an electronic device having a user input interface configured to receive a guest input from a guest user, the guest input including identifying information relating to the guest user. The electronic device may also include a processor configured to determine a level of access of the guest user based on the identifying information and on an input from a primary user. The level of access of the guest user may determine the guest user's ability to adjust a setting of the HVAC system via the electronic device. The processor is also configured to initiate a guest mode of operation where the guest user is able to make a setting adjustment to the HVAC system via the electronic device in place of an established setting adjustment schedule of the primary user in accordance with the determined level of access.

Abstract: An improved portable media device and methods for operating a media device are disclosed. According to one aspect, the portable media device can also function as a solid-state drive for data storage. The form factor of the portable media device can be hand-held or smaller, such that it is highly portable. The portable media device can use one or more status indicators. The portable media device can also include a peripheral bus connector, a rechargeable battery, and one or more input devices. According to another aspect, the portable media device has the capability to store media device status information in persistent memory before powering down. Thereafter, when the portable media device is again powered up, the stored media player status information can be retrieved and utilized. According to still another aspect, the portable media device can form and/or traverse a media asset playlist in an efficient manner.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a hazard detector may be presented. The hazard detector may include at least one hazard detection sensor that detects a presence of at least one type of hazard. The hazard detector may include a speaker, a light, and a motion detection sensor that detects motion in an ambient environment of the hazard detector. A processing system of the hazard detector may be configured to select an illumination state based on a determined status. The processing system may cause the light to illuminate based on the selected illumination state. The processing system may determine a gesture has been performed in the ambient environment of the hazard detector following the light being illuminated based on the selected illumination state. The processing system may output a detail of the status via the speaker corresponding to the illumination state in response to determining the gesture has been performed.