Patent Application
20210224932
Embodiments described herein generally relate to computing systems and, for example and without limitation, to software systems and methods for automatic management of estate assets.
As computer technology progresses, many consumer devices that were once isolated, stand-alone devices are becoming “connected devices,” leading to what is now referred to as an “Internet of Things” (IoT). For example, many household appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers, and thermostats, or other household systems such as lighting and security systems, are now being network connected such that they may communicate with each other, or such that they may be remotely controlled. This IoT shift in consumer devices provides fundamentally new tools that may provide ways to automatically manage tasks that may previously have been managed by a human, or that may not have been feasible at all.
In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views. Like numerals having different letter suffixes may represent different instances of similar components. Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:
In some life situations, a person may experience life events in which third party involvement in managing their estate may be invoked. For example, when a person dies, an estate executor may be responsible (e.g., legally, contractually, by obligation) for managing the estate and assets of the decedent, thereby securing the assets while the estate of the decedent is settled. Typically, the estate executor may need to travel to the decedent's property to perform various tasks that traditionally have required a physical presence at the property, such as changing the locks, assessing whether there are pets present, inventorying assets, securing automobiles, managing perishables such as food, and controlling utilities. Some automatic actions engaged remotely may save time and labor for estate executors. Further, certain automatic actions leveraging connected devices associated with the decedent's estate may help enhance security of the estate and estate assets, such as from prospective heirs that may not be aware that they should not remove estate assets before the estate is settled.
The systems and methods described herein describe technical solutions for automatically managing a person's estate and associated assets using various connected devices. More specifically, in an example embodiment, an estate management engine is configured to be activated upon an “activation event”, such as the incapacitation or death of a person (“focal subject”). Many of the examples provided herein are given in the context of the death of the focal subject, where the estate management engine is acting to, for example, monitor and control the estate and estate assets of the focal subject. As such, and though the term “decedent” may be used to refer to the focal subject, it should be understood that the activation event may include events other than the death of the focal subject in which management of the estate of the focal subject may be desired (e.g., illness, hospitalization, travel, absence).
In an example embodiment, upon activation, the estate management engine communicates with various connected devices of the decedent's estate (referred to herein as “estate devices”). The estate may include various types of connected devices which may be accessed by the estate management engine, such as home security devices (e.g., door access devices, security cameras, intrusion detection devices), automobile devices (e.g., remote tracking, shutdown, disabling), property management devices (e.g., thermostat, grounds management systems, pet management), computing devices (e.g., computers, smart televisions, networking devices, smartphones, tablets), and utility devices (e.g., refrigerator, lighting).
Each of these estate devices may be used, directly or indirectly, to manage some aspect of control of the focal subject's estate. For example, upon the death of the focal subject, the estate management engine may secure estate assets by engaging certain types of access devices to limit who can access the property, or engaging security cameras or intrusion detection devices to capture video when motion is detected, or disabling or securing automobiles associated with the estate. The estate management engine may perform aspects of property management by, for example, changing thermostat settings or sprinkler settings of a grounds maintenance system to preserve estate value, or engaging security cameras to detect the presence of pets that need to be managed, or engaging security cameras for purposes of inventorying certain estate assets, or managing lighting systems or utility usage for purposes of property security or value conservation. The estate management engine may automatically initiate the listing of an estate property for sale, or may automate an estate sale for various assets of the estate. The various remote estate management functionalities may serve to better secure the estate and estate assets, thereby protecting value for the heirs.
The estate 120, in an example embodiment, includes real estate and personal property of the focal subject 102, generally represented in
In an effort to preserve the estate 120, the estate management system 100 employs the various connected estate devices 122 of the estate 120. In an example embodiment, the estate devices 122 include connected property management devices such as a thermostat device 122A, a lighting system 122B, and various appliances 122C. The thermostat device 122A typically controls aspects of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) for a building such as the primary residence of the focal subject 102. Management of a property's HVAC via the thermostat device 122A can help preserve value of the estate 120 by, for example, limiting the use of heating and air conditioning during periods when the property is uninhabited while avoiding conditions that may damage the property (e.g., avoiding damage caused by freezing pipes or heat exposure). The lighting system 122B typically controls when lights are illuminated. Management of a property's lighting can help limit electricity usage while maintaining security and an external appearance that someone is still occupying the residence. The connected appliances 122C may include, for example, refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers, dish washers, microwaves, and ovens. Some connected appliances may provide various features that allow the estate management system 100 to, for example, provide an inventory of refrigerators or freezers, or detect when an appliance has been manually activated, or allow remote activation or deactivation of the appliances.
In an example embodiment, the estate devices 122 include premise security devices such as camera devices (or just “cameras”) 122D, motion sensors 122E, intrusion sensors 122F, and access control devices 122G. Cameras 122D may be digital cameras configured to capture digital video of various views on the property, such as interior spaces of a house, garage, or exterior spaces such as doorways, driveways, and pools. In some embodiments, video from the cameras 122D may be transmitted to the estate management engine 110 for various uses described herein, such as collecting inventory data of personal property of the estate 120 and monitoring who comes and goes on the property. The motion sensors 122E and intrusion sensors 122F may be used to protect the security of the estate 120, such as detecting movement within interior spaces during times when access is not authorized, or detecting break-ins on the property. The access control devices 122G may be installed on doors or other entryways on the property, allowing coded electronic access to the interior spaces of the property (e.g., via keycard our touchpad access to doors, garage door, gate, and so forth). In some embodiments, any of the cameras 122D, the motion sensors 122E, intrusion sensors 122F, and access control devices 122G may be part of a security system provided by a third-party security provider 132, which may be configured to communicate with the estate management engine 110 to facilitate any of the functionality described herein.
The estate devices 122, in some embodiments, may include computer control devices embedded in vehicles 122H (e.g., automobiles, farm equipment) of the estate 120. For example, some vehicles 122H may include security systems that enable owners such as the focal subject 102 to remotely disable the vehicle 122H, or detect the location of the vehicle 122H, or determine who is currently operating the vehicle 122H. As such, the estate management engine 110 may utilize such remote functionality to protect the vehicles 122H of the estate 120.
In some embodiments, the focal subject 102 may maintain storage spaces 122J in off-premise locations where the focal subject 102 may store personal property. Many of the same estate devices 122 may be utilized to secure or monitor those storage spaces 122J and, as such, may similarly be used by the estate management engine 110 to manage the storage spaces 122J.
In some embodiments, the estate devices 122 may include one or more utility management devices 122K that control aspects of utility usage of a property. Properties typically use several metered utilities from utility providers 130, such as electricity, gas, water, phone networks, or Internet access. As such, the estate management engine 110 may interact with the utility management devices 122K during management of the estate 120 (e.g., shutting off utility usage for a property, or providing usage values associated with the property). In some embodiments, the utility management devices 122K may be local to a property (e.g., managed by the focal subject 102, or managed by a utility provider 130). In other embodiments, the utility management devices 122K may be remote from the property (e.g., managed by the utility provider 130).
In some embodiments, the estate 120 may include a distributed electricity generation system 122L. For example, the primary residence of the focal subject 102 may include solar panels or wind generators used to generate electricity. These distributed electricity generation systems 122L typically connect to the local electric grid such that unused electricity may be sold back to the electric utility provider 130. As such, the estate management engine 110 may be configured to, for example, ensure that the electricity generation system 122L is operational and providing power to the property or back to the grid.
In some embodiments, the estate 120 may include animals 126 (e.g., house pets, farm animals) owned by the focal subject 102. Detecting the presence of such animals 126 may be important to managing the estate 120. As such, the estate management engine 110 may use some of the estate devices 122 to detect (e.g., using object recognition) the presence of or otherwise monitor the animals 126 through, for example, detecting motion in the house when not anticipated, or capturing images of an animal 126 on the property.
During setup and configuration of the estate management system 100 with the estate 120, the focal subject 102 and the estate manager 104 may define the scope of coverage of the estate management system 100 with respect to the estate 120, such as which real estate is covered and which personal property is covered, including which estate devices 122 that are to be used for managing that estate 120. The focal subject 102 may work with the estate manager 104 to configure and permission the estate management engine 110 to communicate with and control aspects of the various estate devices 122 available to the estate 120. For example, a personal or a third-party security provider 132 may be configured to communicate with the estate management engine 110, giving access, alert, or control functionality to the estate management engine 110 for monitoring or securing the property upon activation. The focal subject 102 may configure various vehicles 122H to communicate with the estate management engine 110, allowing the estate management engine 110 to monitor or secure the vehicles 122H as needed.
The estate management engine 110 may be configured in advance with various pre-defined estate management protocols 112 to be engaged at the time of an activation event, such as the death of the focal subject 102. For example, the focal subject 102 or the estate manager 104 may wish to lock down access to the property of the estate 120 when first informed of the death of the focal subject 102. For another example, the focal subject 102 or the estate manager 104 may wish to engage security monitoring of the property, perhaps even to a greater extent than may have been active prior to the activation event (e.g., capturing security footage of the interior spaces to document or prevent prospective heirs from accessing the property of the estate 120). The estate management protocols 112 for the focal subject 102 represent the pre-configured actions to be taken upon occurrence of the activation event. Accordingly, different actions may occur upon detection of a death of the focal subject compared to the incapacitation or an extended absence of the focal subject. In some embodiments, the focal subject 102 may assist in defining those estate management protocols 112 (e.g., based on their wishes). In some embodiments, the estate manager 104 may define such estate management protocols 112 (e.g., based on obligations to manage the estate 120).
In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may perform various operations with regard to personal computing devices 122M of the estate 120. Such personal computing devices 122M may include, for example, desktop computers, storage arrays, network devices (e.g., wireless routers, modems), tablets, and smartphones. In some embodiments, the location of certain devices such as smartphones and tablets of the focal subject 102 may be tracked and located (e.g., via GPS). In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may disable access to various devices, such as by changing account passwords or Wi-Fi passwords (e.g., to secure access to those devices or networks), or by powering down certain devices. In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may initiate local or remote backups of the electronic files on the computing devices 122M (e.g., to preserve important files from a desktop computer, or to preserve contact information from a smartphone).
During operation, the estate management engine 110 and associated protocols 112 are engaged after a pre-determined activation event occurs. In an example embodiment, the estate manager 104 may be informed of or otherwise detect the occurrence of an activation event, such as hearing of the death of the focal subject 102, or may be informed by the focal subject 102 that they plan to travel abroad for an extended period of time and wish to engage estate management. In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may automatically determine that estate management should commence. The estate management engine 110 may passively monitor activity on the estate to determine a level of inactivity (e.g., where the activation event is a length of inactivity associated with some monitored aspect of the estate). For example, the estate management engine 110 may initiate estate management after determining that a primary refrigerator on the estate had not been opened in several days, or after determining that items have spoiled, or that frequently used lights had not been turned on or off during normal usage times, or that there was no appliance usage (e.g., use sensors in showers, doors), or that no movement was detected within the primary residence, or some combination thereof (e.g., for event correlation), or based on limited utility usage (e.g., low water usage), or after a period of inactivity on a frequented social media site.
The communication module 210, in an example embodiment, provides network communication functionality between the estate management engine 110 and other computing devices, such as the estate devices 122, the utility providers 130, and the third-party security providers 132. In some embodiments, the communication module 210 facilitates communication over the Internet (e.g., the network 108) or other Internet Protocol (IP) based networks (e.g., IEEE 802 standards). In some embodiments, the communication module 210 facilitates communication to devices over cellular networks (e.g., to smartphone or tablet devices over a 3G/4G network). In other embodiments, the communication module 210 allows the estate management engine 110 to communicate over both IEEE 802 standard-based network and a cellular network at the same time.
In an example embodiment, the estate security module 220 provides functionality associated with security of the estate 120. The security module 220 may, for example, engage security cameras 122D, capture and analyze digital video, receive sensor data from the motion sensors 122E or the intrusion sensors 122F, configure or control access to the various premises or internal areas of the estate 120 via the access control devices 122G, and other such security features described herein. Via the communication module 210, the estate security module 220 may receive camera and sensor data for analysis, communicate with the various estate devices 222, and transmit commands to those estate devices 222.
The property management module 230, in an example embodiment, provides functionality associated with managing aspects of the property of the estate 120. The property management module 230 may, for example, control the thermostat device 122A of the property to manage internal environments, or manage the lighting system 122B, or access refrigeration inventories of the appliances 122C, or detect the presence of animals 126 within the estate 120, or other such property management features described herein. In some embodiments, the property management module 230 may capture digital video of personal property of the estate 120, create a partial inventory of personal property located within the estate 120 (e.g., via object recognition), and may compare the inventory or earlier video to later video to detect property removal.
In an example embodiment, the utility management module 240 provides functionality associated with managing aspects of utility usage of the estate 120. The utility management module 240 may, for example, track and report electric, gas, or water usage, or issue an alert when certain utility usage is over a pre-determined threshold, or disable certain utilities. In some embodiments, the utility management module 240 may communicate, via the communication module 210, with utility providers (e.g., utility providers 130) such as electric companies, gas companies, or water companies to effect changes to the utilities provided to the estate 120. In some embodiments, the utility management module 240 may manage local distributed generation systems 122L.
The configuration module 250, in an example embodiment, manages aspects of setup and configuration of the estate 120 and estate devices 122 to work with the estate management engine 110 per the wishes of the focal subject 102 or the obligations of the estate manager 104. Via the configuration module 250 and the communication module 210, the estate management system 100 is configured to communicate with the estate devices 122, and allow the subject 102 or the estate manager 104 to define and engage the various estate management protocols 112 and activation events for the estate 120.
In an example embodiment, the activation module 260 is used to initiate estate management functionality of the estate management system 100 with respect to the estate 120 of the focal subject 102. In some embodiments, though the estate management engine 110 may be pre-configured to communicate with the various estate devices 122, the estate management engine 110 may not be performing any management activities other than, for example, regular monitoring of continued connectivity and access to the estate devices 122 (e.g., for purposes of confirming readiness for eventual estate management). In other words, prior to the activation event, the estate management engine 110 may be largely “idle” with respect to the estate 120 (e.g., not collecting video, or monitoring security, or managing the property). Upon occurrence of the pre-defined activation event(s), such as the death of the focal subject 102, the activation module 260 causes the estate management protocols 112 for the estate 120 to be activated, thereby causing the estate security module 220 to begin managing various aspects of security, the property management module 230 to begin managing various aspects of the property, and the utility management module 240 to begin managing various aspects of utility usage of the estate 120. In some embodiments, the estate manager 104 acknowledges the occurrence of the activation events via the activation module 260. In some embodiments, the activation module 260 may be configured to monitor and automatically detect occurrence of the activation events.
In an example embodiment, and as shown in
The setup phase, in an example embodiment, includes establishing network connectivity and access permission between some or all of the security devices 122 and the estate management engine 110. In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 communicates directly with the devices 122 themselves (“direct communication”). For example, the estate management engine 110 may be configured to communicate directly with the camera devices 122D, along with a login and password, such that the estate management engine 110 is then capable of performing operational commands native to the camera devices 122D (e.g., initiating digital video capture, downloading captured video, rotating the camera devices 122D, and so forth). In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate with other third-party systems to effect functionalities. For example, the estate management engine 110 may be configured and permissioned to communicate (e.g., via an application programming interface (API)) with the third-party security provider 132 associated with the estate 120 who controls or otherwise has access to the security devices 310. It should be understood that each security device 122 or third-party system may have different communication and access control methods. After the setup phase is complete, the estate management engine 110 has access to the security devices 122 or third-party systems sufficient to allow performance of the operations described herein.
The setup phase, in an example embodiment, also includes establishing the protocols 112 that define how the estate 120 will be managed by the estate management engine 110. As mentioned above, the protocols 112 may be pre-defined by any combination of the focal subject 102 and the estate manager 104. Defining the protocols 112 include defining one or more activation events 340 (e.g., when the estate management engine 110 is to begin actively managing aspects of the estate) and defining one or more management activities 342 (e.g., once activated, what activities will be performed by the estate management engine 110). Example activation events 340 include, for example, the death of the focal subject 102, the incapacity of the focal subject 102, or an absence of the focal subject 102 from one or more of their properties (e.g., extended travel, working away from the property). Many management activities 342 are described herein, and are outlined in greater detail below.
For purposes of illustration, many management activities 342 are discussed in greater detail below with respect to
The setup phase, in some embodiments, includes testing various access and operational controls with each of the devices 122 identified by the particular management activities 342 identified for the estate 120. For example, one management activity 342 may involve limiting access to a primary residence of the focal subject 102. As such, the setup process may include testing connectivity and access between the estate management engine 110 and the access control devices 122G, or initiating the management activity 342 as a test to confirm operational success.
In an example embodiment, occurrence of the activation event 340 causes the estate management engine 110 to initiate the pre-defined management activities 342 for the estate 120. For purposes of illustration, the management activities 342 are categorized as related to securing property, managing property, and managing utilities.
In an example embodiment, some of the security management activities 402 include access management activities 402A. In some situations, the access management activities 402A may include restricting access to the various premises of the estate 120 (e.g., residences, storage areas, particular rooms of buildings, garage doors, gates, and so forth). As such, in the example embodiment, the access management activities 402A may include an activity associated with changing the access permissions for the various premises or areas within those premises by automatically altering the permission controls within the access control system 122G. For example, in some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may transmit an access configuration update 410 to the access control system 122G, thereby changing access permissions for access to the properties. The access configuration update 410 may, for example, remove permissions that previously may have existed (e.g., restricting other relatives of the focal subject 102 from the premises), or may permission the estate manager 104 to access the premises (e.g., to allow access for manual tasks).
In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may request or otherwise receive access logs and alerts 412 from the access control system 122G. For example, the access management activities 402A may include enabling alerts to be sent with the various premises of the estate 120 are accessed. As such, the estate manager 104 may be able to audit access records, identifying who entered the various premises and when.
In an example embodiment, some of the security management activities 402 include intrusion detection activities 402B. In some situations, the intrusion detection activities 402B may include enabling intrusion detection on the estate 120, enabling motion sensors 122E to detect unauthorized persons on the premises, or routing intrusion alerts to the estate management engine 110 (e.g., from the third party security provider 132). As such, in some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate activation commands or routing commands to the motion sensors 122E (e.g., activating a particular motion detection protocol) or the intrusion sensors 122F (e.g., routing break-in alerts to the estate management engine 110). In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate with the third-party security provider 132 to activate alerting to the estate management engine 110.
In an example embodiment, some of the security management activities 402 include video surveillance activities 402C. In some situations, the video surveillance activities 402C may include capturing video 416 when someone is at the premises (e.g., in conjunction with detected motion from the motion sensors 122E, or via motion detection through video analysis). One common problem with estate management is prospective heirs coming to the estate 120 and removing property before the will can be executed. As such, the estate manager 104 may not only detect that someone accessed the premises of the estate 120, but may also capture video 416 for use in analyzing what those people did while at the estate 120. In some embodiments, the motion sensors 122E may trigger automatic video activation 414 of the camera devices 122D. In some embodiments, storage spaces 122J may also be subject to the various security management activities 402 described herein.
In an example embodiment, some of the property management activities 404 include HVAC activities 404A. Management of internal temperatures can be important in protecting the integrity and value of the estate 120 and its property. For example, excessively high internal temperatures can cause deterioration of belongings within the premises, or excessively low internal temperatures can cause pipes to freeze and rupture in certain geographies. In some situations, the property management activities 404 may include altering heating, air conditioning, or ventilation parameters (e.g., raising or lowering temperature, programming temperature profiles), receiving HVAC alerts (e.g., if air conditioner, furnace, or fans fail), or receiving HVAC data from the thermostat 122A (e.g., tracking internal or external temperatures, usage data). As such, in some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate HVAC control parameters 420 to the thermostat device 122A. In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may collect or otherwise receive sensor readings 422 from the thermostat device 122A. The estate management engine 110 may generate alerts to the estate manager 104 for threshold or error conditions.
In an example embodiment, some of the property management activities 404 include lighting activities 404B. Operating a lighting system throughout the day can enhance security for unoccupied properties, causing the external perception that someone is still living on the premises. In some situations, the property management activities 404 may include altering which lights within the premises are on and off at various times during the day. As such, in some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate lighting commands 424 to the lighting system 122B. In some embodiments, the lighting system 122B may include motion- or sound-activated lighting (represented in
In an example embodiment, some of the property management activities 404 include appliance activities. Some appliances such as smart refrigerators or freezers may provide inventory data such as an inventory list of contents or expiration dates of items. In some situations, the property management activities 404 may include collecting inventory data from the appliances. As such, in some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate inventory requests 428 to the appliances 122C and receive inventory data 430 from the appliances 122C. Such data may be used by the estate manager 104 to prevent spoilage and associated odors. In some embodiments, an IoT water heater may be remotely controlled, and may be used to reduce or eliminate utility usage by the device (e.g., reducing the amount of hot water generated and maintained, or disabling the device such that no hot water is generated or maintained). In some embodiments, certain utility-using appliances such as stoves, ovens, or furnaces may be disabled such as to eliminate gas usage. In some embodiments, the property management activities 404 may include automatically initiating payments to utility providers or other service providers associated with the estate. In some embodiments, the property management activities 404 may include automatically dispensing pet food or water for the animals 126.
In some situations, the property management activities 404 may include video inventory activities 404D. Video inventory activities 404D may include capturing and analyzing video or images from the camera devices 122D to perform a partial inventory of the estate 120. For example, the estate management engine 110 may transmit video activation 432 commands to the various camera devices 122D and receive digital video 434 from the camera devices 122D. That video 434 content may be analyzed automatically (e.g., using object recognition software) to detect items of property on the premises. For example, through video analysis, the estate management engine 110 may be able to automatically detect the presence of pieces of furniture, appliances, electronics, art, books, and so forth. Alternatively, or in addition, the estate manager 104 may manually review the video 434 to generate the partial inventory. In some embodiments, the video 434 or sensor readings from the motion sensors 122E may be used to detect the presence of animals 126 on the premises (e.g., via object recognition, motion detection, manual video review).
In some embodiments, the property management activities 404 may include vehicle control activities (not separately shown). Some vehicles 122H, such as personal automobiles, may be configured to allow certain security features to protect the vehicles 122H from theft or other unauthorized use. Some vehicles 122H may provide location services such that the vehicles 122H may be located. As such, the vehicle control activities may include transmitting commands to remotely deactivate the vehicles 122H, lock the vehicles 122H, command the vehicles 122H to return home or to a pre-determined location, or collect usage and location information from the vehicles 122H.
In an example embodiment, some of the utility management activities 406 include utility control activities 406A. Management of utility usage, such as electricity, water, gas, waste and recycling collection, sewer, cable television, and Internet access can help minimize expenses and retain the value of the estate 120. In some situations, the utility control activities 406A may include automatically suspending certain services, such as waste and recycling collection or water usage. As such, in some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate suspension commands 440 to the utility providers 130 or to local utility management devices 122K on the premises of the estate 120. In some embodiments, the utility control activities 406A may include requesting or otherwise receiving utility usage data 442 for the utility 122K (e.g., from the utility provider 130).
In an example embodiment, some of the utility management activities 406 include local generation activities 406B associated with the distributed generation systems 122L. Management of local electric generation, such as solar or wind, can help mitigate other electric expense and retain the value of the estate 120. In some situations, the local generation activities 406B may include collecting performance data associated with the local distributed generation systems 122L, alerting in response to performance-related problems, or activating or deactivating the local distributed generation systems 122L. In some embodiments, the estate management engine 110 may communicate management commands 444 to the local distributed generation systems 122L.
In an example embodiment, some of the utility management activities 406 include computer management activities 406C associated with the computer devices 122M on the premises. Some focal subjects 102 may have various computer devices 122M that may be managed by the estate management engine 110 for various purposes. Computer management activities 406C may include, for example, resetting account passwords on computer devices 122M or associated accounts (e.g., to prevent unauthorized use, or to obtain control of the accounts by the estate management engine 110), initiating backups of locally or remotely stored file systems (e.g., to protect retention of data as an asset of the estate 120), disabling some devices from network access (e.g., removing Wi-Fi access for devices not essential to the estate management system 100), or tracking location or usage of the computer devices 122M (e.g., determining location of smartphones, tablets).
In the example embodiment, the method 500 also includes determining that the activation event has occurred (see operation 520). The method 500 further includes, based on the determining, initiating the plurality of estate management activities to manage aspects of the estate of the focal subject using one or more connected devices of the estate (see operation 530). The method 500 also includes transmitting management commands to the one or more connected devices to complete the plurality of management activities (see operation 540).
In some embodiments, the plurality of estate management activities includes an access management activity configured to alter access control within an access control system at a first premise of the estate, and transmitting management commands to the one or more connected devices includes transmitting an access configuration update to the access control system. In some embodiments, the plurality of estate management activities includes a video surveillance activity configured to capture digital video from one or more camera devices at a first premise of the estate, and transmitting management commands to the one or more connected devices includes transmitting a video activation command to the one or more camera devices.
In some embodiments, the method 500 also includes receiving digital video from the one or more camera devices, performing object recognition on the digital video to generate a plurality of recognized objects, and constructing an estate inventory including the plurality of recognized objects.
In some embodiments, transmitting a video activation command to the one or more camera devices includes transmitting the video activation command based on detecting, by a motion sensor on the premise, motion on the premise. In some embodiments, the plurality of estate management activities includes a vehicle security activity configured to disable a vehicle of the estate, and transmitting management commands to the one or more connected devices includes transmitting a disable command to the vehicle. In some embodiments, the plurality of estate management activities includes a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) activity configured to manage the HVAC within a first premise of the estate, and transmitting management commands to the one or more connected devices includes transmitting HVAC control parameters to a thermostat device.
The example computer system 600 includes at least one processor 602 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) or both, processor cores, compute nodes, etc.), a main memory 604 and a static memory 606, which communicate with each other via a link 608 (e.g., bus). The computer system 600 can further include a video display unit 610, an alphanumeric input device 612 (e.g., a keyboard), and a user interface (UI) navigation device 614 (e.g., a mouse). In one embodiment, the video display unit 610, alphanumeric input device 612, and UI navigation device 614 are incorporated into a touch-screen display. The computer system 600 can additionally include a storage device 616 (e.g., a drive unit), a signal generation device 618 (e.g., a speaker), a network interface device 620, and one or more sensors (not shown), such as a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, compass, accelerometer, or other sensor.
The storage device 616 includes a machine-readable medium 622 on which is stored one or more sets of data structures and instructions 624 (e.g., software) embodying or utilized by any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 624 can also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 604, within the static memory 606, and/or within the processor 602 during execution thereof by the computer system 600, with the main memory 604, static memory 606, and the processor 602 also constituting machine-readable media 622.
While the machine-readable medium 622 is illustrated in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” can include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more instructions 624. The term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any tangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions (e.g., instructions 624) for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present disclosure or that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying data structures utilized by or associated with such instructions 624. The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media. Specific examples of machine-readable media 622 include non-volatile memory, including, but not limited to, by way of example, semiconductor memory devices (e.g., electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM)) and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks.
The instructions 624 can further be transmitted or received over a communications network 626 using a transmission medium via the network interface device 620 utilizing any one of a number of well-known transfer protocols (e.g., Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)). Examples of communication networks include a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, mobile telephone networks, plain old telephone service (POTS) networks, and wireless data networks (e.g., Wi-Fi, 3G, and 6G LTE/LTE-A or WiMAX networks). The term “transmission medium” shall be taken to include any intangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by the machine, and includes digital or analog communications signals or other intangible media to facilitate communication of such software.
The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described examples (or one or more aspects thereof) can be used in combination with others. Other embodiments can be used, such as by one of ordinary skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The Abstract is to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure, for example, to comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b) in the United States of America. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
Also, in the above Detailed Description, various features may be grouped together to streamline the disclosure. However, the claims may not set forth every feature disclosed herein as embodiments can feature a subset of said features. Further, embodiments can include fewer features than those disclosed in a particular example. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. The scope of the embodiments disclosed herein is to be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
