Abstract: A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can present accessory state information. For example, the computing device can receive accessory state information from various accessories and present status items representing the current state of the accessories. The status items can be prioritized according to classifications assigned to accessories and/or accessory state information. The status items can be filtered based on a role assigned to the user of the computing device. Additional implementations and details are described in the paragraphs that follow.

Abstract: A computer system is used to initiate a process to configure an external accessory for use with at least a first device management application. The computer system displays a prompt that includes an option to initiate a process to configure the external accessory for use with at least a first device management application. While displaying the prompt, the computer system optionally receives a selection and/or an input corresponding to a selection of an option to initiate a process to configure the external accessory for use with at least a first device management application.

Abstract: A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can present accessory state information. For example, the computing device can receive accessory state information from various accessories and present status items representing the current state of the accessories. The status items can be prioritized according to classifications assigned to accessories and/or accessory state information. The status items can be filtered based on a role assigned to the user of the computing device. Additional implementations and details are described in the paragraphs that follow.

Abstract: A computer system is used to initiate a process to configure an external accessory for use with at least a first device management application. The computer system displays a prompt that includes an option to initiate a process to configure the external accessory for use with at least a first device management application. While displaying the prompt, the computer system optionally receives a selection and/or an input corresponding to a selection of an option to initiate a process to configure the external accessory for use with at least a first device management application.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can present accessory state information. For example, the computing device can receive accessory state information from various accessories and present status items representing the current state of the accessories. The status items can be prioritized according to classifications assigned to accessories and/or accessory state information. The status items can be filtered based on a role assigned to the user of the computing device. Additional implementations and details are described in the paragraphs that follow.

Abstract: A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a resident controller at a specified location performs a method including registering a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of users and a device profile for a resident device to be controlled based on a location of the plurality of users, and establishing a user state for each of the plurality of users corresponding to their location. In some embodiments, the mobile devices can provide boundary-crossing signals when their location cross a boundary corresponding to the specified location causing the resident controller to update the user states based on the boundary-crossing signals and update a presence state of the specified location based on changes to the user states, where the device profile specifies a first action to be performed when the presence state transitions to a first presence value.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can automatically generate a service group. For example, accessories can be automatically grouped together based on various criteria (such as historical usage patterns). The accessories in the service group can be managed and/or controlled as if the accessories were a single accessory or entity. In some implementations, a computing device can intelligently select service group controls for presentation to the user so that the user can control the service group. For example, the computing device can select which service group controls to present and the order in which to present the controls based on features that are common among different accessories in the service group.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a resident controller at a specified location performs a method including registering a plurality of mobile devices of a plurality of users and a device profile for a resident device to be controlled based on a location of the plurality of users, and establishing a user state for each of the plurality of users corresponding to their location. In some embodiments, the mobile devices can provide boundary-crossing signals when their location cross a boundary corresponding to the specified location causing the resident controller to update the user states based on the boundary-crossing signals and update a presence state of the specified location based on changes to the user states, where the device profile specifies a first action to be performed when the presence state transitions to a first presence value.

Abstract: In some implementations, a user device (or resident device) can notify the user of anomalous accessory states. For example, the user device can determine which accessory states and contexts represent normal accessory states in the respective contexts. Similarly to scene suggestions, the user device can analyze historical accessory state data and context data to determine an accessory state pattern that indicates a normal state of an accessory for a given context. The user device can compare the current state and/or context of an accessory to historical accessory state data to determine when the current state of the accessory is abnormal for the current context. If the current accessory state is abnormal for the current context, the user device can present a notification to the user informing the user of the anomalous accessory state.

Abstract: In some implementations, a user device can automatically generate scene suggestions and/or trigger suggestions. For example, a scene can be a collection of accessories and corresponding accessory states. When the scene is invoked, the user device can cause the accessories associated with the scene to assume the corresponding accessory states. The user device can automatically determine the accessories and/or corresponding accessory states for a scene based on historical patterns of use represented in historical accessory state data. The user device can automatically determine triggers for automatically invoking scenes based on historical patterns of use. For example, the user device can analyze historical context (e.g., location, time, accessory state, etc.) data associated with accessory state transitions to determine triggers for automatically invoking a scene. The user device can present suggest scenes and/or triggers to the user of the user device.

Abstract: In some implementations, a user device can automatically generate scene suggestions and/or trigger suggestions. For example, a scene can be a collection of accessories and corresponding accessory states. When the scene is invoked, the user device can cause the accessories associated with the scene to assume the corresponding accessory states. The user device can automatically determine the accessories and/or corresponding accessory states for a scene based on historical patterns of use represented in historical accessory state data. The user device can automatically determine triggers for automatically invoking scenes based on historical patterns of use. For example, the user device can analyze historical context (e.g., location, time, accessory state, etc.) data associated with accessory state transitions to determine triggers for automatically invoking a scene. The user device can present suggest scenes and/or triggers to the user of the user device.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can present accessory state information. For example, the computing device can receive accessory state information from various accessories and present status items representing the current state of the accessories. The status items can be prioritized according to classifications assigned to accessories and/or accessory state information. The status items can be filtered based on a role assigned to the user of the computing device. Additional implementations and details are described in the paragraphs that follow.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can automatically generate a service group. For example, accessories can be automatically grouped together based on various criteria (such as historical usage patterns). The accessories in the service group can be managed and/or controlled as if the accessories were a single accessory or entity. In some implementations, a computing device can intelligently select service group controls for presentation to the user so that the user can control the service group. For example, the computing device can select which service group controls to present and the order in which to present the controls based on features that are common among different accessories in the service group.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can present accessory state information. For example, the computing device can receive accessory state information from various accessories and present status items representing the current state of the accessories. The status items can be prioritized according to classifications assigned to accessories and/or accessory state information. The status items can be filtered based on a role assigned to the user of the computing device. Additional implementations and details are described in the paragraphs that follow.

Abstract: In some implementations, a resident device can automatically generate scene suggestions and/or trigger suggestions based on historical data aggregated from multiple user devices. For example, a resident device can be a user device that is (e.g., mostly) kept in the home environment. Therefore, the resident device is able to collect accessory state and/or context data when another user device may not be connected to the accessories in the home environment. Moreover, the resident device can collect and/or aggregate accessory state data, context data, and user device state data from across multiple user devices. The resident device can automatically determine the accessories and/or corresponding accessory states for a scene and/or scene triggers based on historical patterns of use represented in the aggregated historical accessory state data. The user device can present suggest scenes and/or triggers to the user of the user device.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computing device can automatically generate a scene. For example, a scene can be a collection of accessories and corresponding accessory states. When the scene is invoked, the computing device can cause the accessories associated with the scene to assume the corresponding accessory states. The computing device can automatically determine the accessories and/or corresponding accessory states for a scene based on historical patterns of use represented in historical accessory state data. The computing device can generate a scene based on a snapshot of current accessory states for the accessories associated with the scene.

Abstract: A uniform protocol can facilitate secure, authenticated communication between a controller device and an accessory device that is controlled by the controller. An accessory and a controller can establish a pairing, the existence of which can be verified at a later time and used to create a secure communication session. The accessory can provide an accessory definition record that defines the accessory as a collection of services, each service having one or more characteristics. Within a secure communication session, the controller can interrogate the characteristics to determine accessory state and/or modify the characteristics to instruct the accessory to change its state.