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: A thermostat user interface for a network-connected thermostat is described. The thermostat includes a frustum-shaped shell body having a circular cross-section and a sidewall extending between first and second ends, the second end being user-facing when the thermostat is wall-mounted; a circular rotatable ring being user rotatable for adjusting a setting of the thermostat; and a circular cover including a clear circular center portion surrounded by a painted outer portion. The clear circular center portion permits a corresponding circular portion of a non-circular dot-matrix color display element to be visible through the circular cover and the painted outer portion masks a remaining portion of the non-circular dot-matrix color display element so as to create a circular graphical user interface.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and related computer program products for using a distributed arrangement of wirelessly connected sensing microsystems are described. A plurality of wirelessly communicating sensing microsystems is provided, each sensing microsystem including a temperature sensor and a processor. The plurality of sensing microsystems is configured to jointly carry out at least one shared computational task. Each sensing microsystem may include a power management circuit configured to determine an amount of electrical power available for dedication to the at least one shared computational task or a heating effect generated in performing the shared computational task. The at least one shared computational task is apportioned among respective ones of the plurality of sensing microsystems according to the amount of electrical power determined to be available for dedication thereto at each respective sensing microsystem or the determined heating effect.

Abstract: This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.

Abstract: A method for using a first device to pair a second device to a user account may include receiving first wireless communications using a first wireless protocol, where the first device has previously been paired with the user account. The method may also include receiving a transmission that instructs the first device to establish second wireless communications with the second device, and then establishing the second wireless communications between the first device and the second device using a second wireless protocol. The method may additionally include receiving, using the first wireless protocol, information allowing the second device to use the first wireless protocol, and sending the information to the second device using the second wireless protocol, where a new pairing between the second device and the user account is established using the first wireless protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods for initiating a drill by receiving an indication to start a drill. The indication to start the drill is received via a first network interface having a first network interface type. The drill is propagated to other devices in a network via a second network interface having a second network interface type.

Abstract: Ambient amount of a hazardous condition may be monitored. A mode may be set to a state indicative of the hazardous condition being present in the ambient environment. It may then be determined that the amount of the hazard in the ambient environment has dropped below an alarm criterion. A time period may then be tracked during which the amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector has remained below the alarm criterion. It may be determined that the time period has reached at least a threshold duration, during such time period the amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector having remained below the alarm criterion. An indication of the hazardous condition easing may be output in response to the time period being at least the threshold duration.

Abstract: Various arrangements for assessing an installation of a smart home device are presented. A video camera device may capture video indicative of a location of the smart home device. The video indicative of the location of the smart home device may be analyzed to determine whether the location of the smart home device prevents the smart home device from operating within specification. An indication may then be output indicative of whether the location of the smart home device prevents the smart home device from operating within specification.

Abstract: Various arrangements of smart devices are presented. Such a smart device may include a case, 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.

Abstract: A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system and related systems, methods, and computer program products for facilitating user-friendly installation of the thermostat are described. For one embodiment, automated installation verification is performed by the thermostat by automatically sensing which wires have been inserted, selecting a candidate HVAC operating function (e.g., heating or cooling) that is consistent with a subset of HVAC signal types indicated by the inserted wires, applying control signals to the HVAC system to invoke that HVAC operating function, and processing a time sequence of acquired temperature readings to determine whether that HVAC operating function was successfully carried out. For one embodiment, the initial automated testing of the heating and cooling functions are only carried out at times for which such heating or cooling function would normally be invoked during normal operation of the thermostat. Automated determination of a heat pump call convention is also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing spoken messages that reflect event status of one or more hazard detection systems within a smart-home environment are described herein. The messages can inform occupants in concise manner that does not overload cognitive recognition of those occupants. For example, the messages may be prioritized to limit the amount of information that is spoken and intelligently condense information in as concise a manner as possible. This may be accomplished by using one or more speaking paradigms to compile audible messages to be played back through a speaker of the hazard detection system.

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: Systems and methods for initiating a drill by receiving an indication to start a drill. Initiating the drill also includes verifying that a remote device used to initiate the drill is within proximity of a device used to propagate the drill. Once proximity is verified, the drill is conducted.

Abstract: The current application is directed to an intelligent-thermostat-controlled environmental-conditioning system in which computational tasks and subcomponents with associated intelligent-thermostat functionalities are distributed to one or more of concealed and visible portions of one or more intelligent thermostats and, in certain implementations, to one or more intermediate boxes. The intelligent thermostats are interconnected to intermediate boxes by wired and/or wireless interfaces and intelligent thermostats intercommunicate with one another by wireless communications. wireless communications include communications through a local router and an ISP, 3G and 4G wireless communications through a mobile service provider. Components of the intelligent-thermostat-controlled environmental-conditioning system may also be connected by wireless communications to remote computing facilities.

Abstract: Various arrangements for installing or configuring an electronic device are presented. The device may determine which wire connectors of a set of one or more wire connectors have a wire attached. A user inquiry may be output based on the electronic device identifying the wire connector with which the wire has been connected. The electronic device may be operated based on the response to the user inquiry and the electronic device identifying the wire connector with which the wire has been connected.

Abstract: System for displaying hazard events and adjusting hazard detector settings on a mobile device includes a user interface executed on the mobile device, a hazard detector, and a computer server system communicatively coupled to the mobile device and hazard detector. The hazard detector generates hazard events indicating detection of smoke or carbon monoxide. The hazard events are transmitted to the computer server system and then to the mobile device. User interface displays the hazard events in an event group. User interface receives an adjusted value for a setting of the hazard detector and transmits the adjusted value to the computer server system. The computer server system determines that the adjusted value corresponds to the hazard detector, receives a check-in event from the hazard detector, and transmits the adjusted value to the hazard detector in response to receiving the check-in event. The hazard detector applies the adjusted value to the setting.

Abstract: This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.

Abstract: Various embodiments of hazard detectors are presented. A hazard sensor may be present that detects the presence of a hazardous condition. A light sensor may be present that detects an ambient brightness level. A motion sensor may be present that detects motion of a user. A light may be present that is capable of outputting light. A processing system may receive an indication of the ambient brightness level in the ambient environment of the hazard detector from the light sensor. The processing system may determine that the ambient brightness level is less than a threshold brightness. The processing system may receive information indicative of the user moving in the ambient environment of the hazard detector. The processing system may cause the light to illuminate based on the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness and the user moving in the ambient environment of the hazard detector.

Abstract: This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.

Abstract: This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.