Abstract: Various systems and method related to home automation systems are presented. A service robot system may be present that includes a service robot that autonomously moves within a structure to perform a household task. The service robot system may include a wireless communication interface, wherein the service robot system is configured to transmit, via the wireless communication interface, an indication of robot activity indicative of the service robot moving within the structure. Such a home automation system may also include a home security system that includes one or more motion sensors that detect motion within a structure. The home security system may be configured to distinguish intrusion activity (e.g., a burglar) from robot activity based at least in part on the indication of robot activity.

Abstract: A method includes a system that operates according to a control schedule; detects events that indicate occupancy; stores a record of the events that indicate occupancy in one or more memory devices; and enters an auto-away state. A determination to enter the auto-away state may be based at least in part on a length of a time interval during which no events that indicate occupancy were detected and the stored record of the events that indicate occupancy. The system may also detect a pattern of instances where the auto-away state is entered over a plurality of days and adjusts the control schedule based at least in part on the pattern of instances where the auto-away state is entered.

Abstract: This application is directed to a home monitoring and control system including a doorbell installed at a door of a home. The doorbell has a button configured to, upon being touched, depressed or activated, wirelessly initiate a first communication 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, and a processor configured to cause a communication component to enable the first communication and wirelessly stream via a remote server the video data captured by the camera to a monitoring device associated with an occupant of the home. A rechargeable battery is coupled to a housing wire and configured to be charged via the housing wire, and the doorbell is configured to charge and discharge the rechargeable battery based on power usage of the doorbell.

Abstract: A control system includes an energy management system in operation with intelligent, network-connected thermostats located in structures. The thermostats are operable to control heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Control during a demand response (DR) event period may be performed based on an optimal control trajectory of the HVAC system, where the control trajectory is optimal in that it minimizes a cost function.

Abstract: Systems and methods for using multi-criteria state machines to manage alarming states and pre-alarming states of a hazard detection system are described herein. The multi-criteria state machines can include one or more sensor state machines that can control the alarming states and one or more system state machines that can control the pre-alarming states. Each state machine can transition among any one of its states based on sensor data values, hush events, and transition conditions. The transition conditions can define how a state machine transitions from one state to another. The hazard detection system can use a dual processor arrangement to execute the multi-criteria state machines according to various embodiments. The dual processor arrangement can enable the hazard detection system to manage the alarming and pre-alarming states in a manner that promotes minimal power usage while simultaneously promoting reliability in hazard detection and alarming functionality.

Abstract: The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that use sensor output and electronically stored information to determine whether or not one or more types of entities are present within an area, volume, or environment monitored by the intelligent controllers. The intelligent controllers select operational modes and/or modify control schedules with respect to the presence and absence of the one or more entities. The intelligent controllers selectively carry out scheduled control operations during periods of time when one or more types of entities are determined not to be in a controlled environment.

Abstract: This patent specification relates to a wall switch that comprises a docking station and a user-removable wall-switch head unit. In some embodiments, the docking station is configured to receive the user-removable wall-switch head unit, and configured to be permanently connected to a wall and coupled to high-power voltage wires. In some embodiments, the user-removable wall-switch head unit is configured to be user-insertable into said docking station and user-removable therefrom such that the user is not exposed to high-voltage connections when inserting or removing. In some embodiments, the wall switch controller further comprises inputs and outputs and circuitry for switchably controlling household line current power to a household electrical fixture. In some embodiments, the wall switch controller further comprises an occupancy sensor, a temperature sensor, or a processor.

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 control system includes an energy management system in operation with intelligent, network-connected thermostats located in structures. The thermostats are operable to control heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Control during a demand response (DR) event period may be performed based on an optimal control trajectory of the HVAC system, where the control trajectory is optimal in that it minimizes a cost function.

Abstract: A method of optimizing sleep of a subject using smart-home devices may include operating a smart-home system that is configured to operate in a normal mode and a sleep mode. The method may also include determining that the smart-home system should transition into the sleep mode. The smart-home devices may use a set of default parameters when operating in the sleep mode. The method may additionally include monitoring, while in the sleep mode, a sleep cycle of the subject using the smart-home devices. The method may further include detecting behavior of the subject that indicates that the sleep cycle of the subject is being interrupted or about to be interrupted, determining an environmental control that corresponds with the behavior of the subject, and adjusting the environmental control using the smart-home devices to prevent or stop the sleep cycle of the subject from being interrupted.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, methods, for optimizing a schedule of setpoint temperatures used in the control of an HVAC system are presented herein. A schedule of setpoint temperatures may be adjusted by small, incremental amounts so that the schedule migrates from the original schedule to a more energy-efficient schedule.

Abstract: A method includes generating a utility portal interface in response to a request from a utility computer system that receives parameters that specify a demand response event; providing a display of groups of energy-consuming locations that are available to be selected to participate in the demand response event; providing a display of an energy demand profile for the utility during the demand response event; receiving a selection of a subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations to participate in the demand response event; causing the display of the energy demand profile for the utility during the demand response event to be dynamically updated as the subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations are selected or deselected by the utility computer system to participate; and sending transmissions to thermostats associated with the subset of the groups of energy-consuming locations to execute the demand response event.

Abstract: A method includes operating a controller according to a control schedule; detecting events that indicate occupancy; storing a record of the events that indicate occupancy in one or more memory devices; and causing the controller to enter an auto-away state. A determination that the controller should enter the auto-away state may be based at least in part on a length of a time interval during which no events that indicate occupancy were detected; and the stored record of the events that indicate occupancy. The method also includes detecting a pattern of instances where the controller enters the auto-away state over a plurality of days; and adjusting the control schedule based at least in part on the pattern of instances where the controller enters the auto-away state.

Abstract: Methods for controlling temperature in a conditioned enclosure such as a dwelling are described that include an “auto-away” and/or “auto-arrival” feature for detecting unexpected absences which provide opportunities for significant energy savings through automatic adjustment of the setpoint temperature. According to some preferred embodiments, when no occupancy has been detected for a minimum time interval, an “auto-away” feature triggers a changes of the state of the enclosure, and the actual operating setpoint temperature is changed to a predetermined energy-saving away-state temperature, regardless of the setpoint temperature indicated by the normal thermostat schedule. The purpose of the “auto away” feature is to avoid unnecessary heating or cooling when there are no occupants present to actually experience or enjoy the comfort settings of the schedule, thereby saving energy.

Abstract: A method of using a server to update stored control schedules for environmental controllers includes communicating with an environmental controller that controls, during a monitoring period, an environmental system in an enclosure according to a stored control schedule; receiving a first immediate-control input provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period; receiving a first control-schedule change provided through the environmental controller during the monitoring period; receiving a second immediate-control input provided through a user device during the monitoring period; receiving a second control-schedule change provided through the user device during the monitoring period; processing at least the first immediate-control input, the first control-schedule change, the second immediate-control input, and the second control-schedule change together to generate an updated control schedule; and causing the environmental controller to control the environmental system according to th

Abstract: A control system may be configured to learn a heating schedule at a first location according to an automated schedule learning algorithm that processes inputs including user inputs and occupancy sensing inputs and derives schedule-affecting parameters therefrom that are processed to compute the control schedule. The control system may also be configured to determine whether a thermostat has been moved to a new location, and if it is determined that the thermostat has been moved to the new location, then determine one or more parameters associated with the new location and establish a new control schedule for the new location, where zero or more of the schedule-affecting parameters are re-used based on the one or more parameters associated with the new location.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for intelligent identification and provisioning of devices and services for a smart home. A user can identify an issue or a question with respect to how to solve a problem within their home. The system can use advanced intelligence to interact with the user to obtain information that can allow the system to identify relevant information for solving the user's problem or answering the user's question by identifying correlated information about the user, such as demographic or behavioral information, and using that information in conjunction with past purchasing information, information specific to the user's home, and the like to generate a recommendation and installation plan for one or more smart home devices for the user. Once implemented, the system can also provide confirmation that the installation was completed properly.

Abstract: Various arrangements for assessing an installation of a smart home device are presented. An orientation of the smart home device may be analyzed to determine whether the orientation of the smart home device is unsuitable for one or more features of the smart home device to function properly. An indication of whether the orientation of the smart home device is unsuitable may be output, such as by the smart home device using voice or lighting.

Abstract: This patent specification relates to a wall switch that comprises a docking station and a user-removable wall-switch head unit. In some embodiments, the docking station is configured to receive the user-removable wall-switch head unit, and configured to be permanently connected to a wall and coupled to high-power voltage wires. In some embodiments, the user-removable wall-switch head unit is configured to be user-insertable into said docking station and user-removable therefrom such that the user is not exposed to high-voltage connections when inserting or removing. In some embodiments, the wall switch controller further comprises inputs and outputs and circuitry for switchably controlling household line current power to a household electrical fixture. In some embodiments, the wall switch controller further comprises an occupancy sensor, a temperature sensor, or a processor.

Abstract: Systems and Methods disclosed herein relate to providing a message to an application programming interface (API). The message includes a request for data from a data model, a submission of data to the data model, or both; and a host selection between: a representational state transfer (REST) host and a subscription-based application programming interface (API) host, wherein the REST host receives REST-based messages and the subscription-based API host receives messages in accordance with a standard of the subscription-based API host; wherein the request for data, the submission of data, or both are configured to create, delete, modify, or any combination thereof data related to a smart-device environment structure, a thermostat, a hazard detector, or any combination thereof stored in a data model accessible by the API.