Abstract: A control unit for controlling the operation of at least one smart-home system may include at least one occupancy sensor and a processing system. The processing system may be configured to receive readings from the at least one occupancy sensor during a time interval; compare information derived from the readings to at least one threshold criterion to establish whether the one or more occupancy sensors reliably determined occupancy of an enclosure in which the control unit is installed during the time interval; and enable an away-state feature of the control unit if it is determined that the one or more occupancy sensors reliably determined occupancy of an enclosure during the time interval.

Abstract: Various arrangements are presented for monitoring a resident of a residence. A confidence assessment may be performed based on a plurality of smart home devices in the residence. The residence may be identified as eligible for monitoring of the resident based on the confidence assessment. A learning process may be performed to create an ordinary behavior model. Data that is received from the plurality of smart home devices may be monitored to identify data indicative of behavior considered unusual based on the ordinary behavior model. An alert may be created that identifies the behavior and identifies how the behavior contrasts with the ordinary behavior model.

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: The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that continuously, periodically, or intermittently calculate and display the time remaining until a control task is projected to be completed by the intelligent controller. In general, the intelligent controller employs multiple different models for the time behavior of one or more parameters or characteristics within a region or volume affected by one or more devices, systems, or other entities controlled by the intelligent controller. The intelligent controller collects data, over time, from which the models are constructed and uses the models to predict the time remaining until one or more characteristics or parameters of the region or volume reaches one or more specified values as a result of intelligent controller control of one or more devices, systems, or other entities.

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: 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: Computational methods and systems for generating virtual smart-meter data from operational data collected by intelligent controllers in buildings that do not have smart meters are disclosed. Methods and systems include collecting operational data from a number of intelligent controllers and collecting smart-meter data from a number of smart meters associated with the intelligent controllers. The collected operational data and associated smart-meter data are used to generate a mathematical model relating operational data to smart-meter data. The mathematical model can be used to calculate virtual smart-meter data from operational data collected by an intelligent controller located in a building that does not have a smart meter.

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: Hazard detection systems and methods according to embodiments described herein are operative to enable a user to interface with the hazard detection system by performing a touchless gesture. The touchless gesture can be performed in a vicinity of the hazard detection system without requiring physical access to the hazard detection system. This enables the user to interact with the hazard detection system even if it is out of reach. The hazard detection system can detect gestures and perform an appropriate action responsive to the detected gesture. In one embodiment, the hazard detection system can silence its audible alarm or pre-emptively turn off its audible alarm in response to a detected gesture. Gestures can be detected by processing sensor data to determine whether periodic shapes are detected.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for efficiently controlling energy-consuming systems, such as heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example, an electronic device used to control an HVAC system may encourage a user to select energy-efficient temperature setpoints. Based on the selected temperature setpoints, the electronic device may generate or modify a schedule of temperature setpoints to control the HVAC system.

Abstract: The current application is directed to intelligent controllers that initially aggressively learn, and then continue, in a steady-state mode, to monitor, learn, and modify one or more control schedules that specify a desired operational behavior of a device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller. An intelligent controller generally acquires one or more initial control schedules through schedule-creation and schedule-modification interfaces or by accessing a default control schedule stored locally or remotely in a memory or mass-storage device. The intelligent controller then proceeds to learn, over time, a desired operational behavior for the device, machine, system, or organization controlled by the intelligent controller based on immediate-control inputs, schedule-modification inputs, and previous and current control schedules, encoding the desired operational behavior in one or more control schedules and/or sub-schedules.

Abstract: An intelligent control system includes intelligent thermostats and controls an environment, such as a residential living space, commercial building, or another environment. The intelligent control system obtains information related to the controlled environment by collecting sensor data, obtaining data from users during interactive information-exchange sessions, and by directing information queries to users on one or more user devices.

Abstract: A thermostat includes a control unit, a plurality of connection ports, and a user interface operatively coupled to the control unit an having an electronic display. The control unit may be configured and programmed to operate the wire insertion sensing circuits to identify a set of the plurality of connection ports into which corresponding ones of the plurality of HVAC wires have been inserted; cause the electronic display to display a photograph of the plurality of connection ports as they actually appear to a user; and cause the electronic display to visually highlight the set of the plurality of connection ports into which the corresponding ones of the plurality of HVAC wires have been inserted.

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.

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: Various systems and methods related to smart-home networking are presented. A low-power smart home device may be exclusively battery powered. The low-power smart home device may transmit data via a low-power communication protocol to a spokesman smart home device. The spokesman smart home device may receive the data transmitted via the low-power communication protocol. The spokesman smart home device may be a doorbell, a thermostat, a hazard detector, or a wall switch. The spokesman smart home device may connected to household wiring that provides power. The spokesman smart home device may translate the data from the low-power communication protocol to a relatively high-power communication protocol. The spokesman smart home device may transmit the data, via the relatively high-power communication protocol, to a cloud-based server system.

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: 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: Security keypad device for detecting tampering includes a keypad, a high power wireless module for communicating data via a local area network, a low power wireless module communicating data via a personal area network, and a cellular module for communicating data via a wide area network. The device further includes an active infrared position sensor comprising of a light source for emitting infrared light and an infrared sensor for detecting reflected infrared light. The active infrared position sensor is configured to sense the position of the device based on detecting the reflected infrared light. The device further includes an accelerometer configured to measure acceleration forces and a processor. The processor is configured to determine that the position of the device changed based on positional data from the active infrared position sensor or acceleration data from the accelerometer.

Abstract: A thermostat is described for controlling air temperature in a building. The time associated with causing the controlled air temperature to reach a target temperature is estimated and displayed to a user. Input from a user indicating the target temperature can be received and the estimating and displaying can be carried out in real time. The thermostat can be wall-mounted or the user input can be received and estimated time can be displayed using a remote device, for example that communicates wirelessly with other components of the HVAC system.