Patent Issued for Systems and methods for managing smart devices based upon electrical usage data (USPTO 11656585): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

2023 JUN 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Alexandria, Virginia, NewsRx journalists report that a patent by the inventors Carlson, Gail L. (Bloomington, IL, US), Donovan, John (Bloomington, IL, US), Harr, Joseph P. (Bloomington, IL, US), Harris, Jr., Michael (Tempe, AZ, US), Jordan, II, Jackie O. (Bloomington, IL, US), Markwardt, Kerstin (Phoenix, AZ, US), Nussbaum, Bryan R. (Bloomington, IL, US), Schiebel, Kyle C. (Bloomington, IL, US), Stockweather, Deanna (Normal, IL, US), Stoiber, Jeffrey W. (Atlanta, GA, US), Sun, Jennylind (Bloomington, IL, US), Turrentine, David (Normal, IL, US), Wagner, Ellakate (Bloomington, IL, US), Winslow, Troy (Bloomington, IL, US), Wollenschlager, Torri (Bloomington, IL, US), filed on September 2, 2020, was published online on May 23, 2023.

The patent’s assignee for patent number 11656585 is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “With the proliferation of the “internet of things,” more household devices and items are gaining communication and network connectivity capabilities. The new capabilities are enabling easier data detection and more accurate information and metrics. However, the channels to control and maintain devices and items as a response to certain conditions are limited. Additionally, current insurance policy processing systems associated with homeowner and personal property insurance may not account for the connected devices and/or generally improve more accurate information.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The present embodiments may, inter alia, manage operation of connected devices and items in response to certain conditions and commands. Further, the present embodiments may effectively and efficiently communicate relevant information associated with connected devices and items. Additionally, the present embodiments may facilitate insurance processing associated with the connected devices and items based upon data received from the connected devices and items, among other functionalities. One particular functionality relates to monitoring electrical usage of the connected devices and facilitating device operation based upon electrical usage data.

“Generally, the present embodiments may relate to (1) home control and/or automation, as well as (2) loss prevention, reduction, and/or mitigation through proactively managing device operation based upon electrical usage data, and/or notifying an individual of device operation and electrical usage data. The foregoing functionality may also be used by an insurance provider to generate, update, or adjust insurance policies, premiums, rates, discounts, points, and/or rewards, and/or make recommendations to an insured individual.

“According to one embodiment, a computer-implemented method of monitoring device electrical usage within a property may be provided. The property may be populated with a hardware controller in communication with a plurality of devices. The computer-implemented method may include, with customer permission or consent, (1) retrieving, by the hardware controller, electrical usage data from a device disposed within the property, (2) analyzing, by one or more processors, the electrical usage data to determine that a parameter of the electrical usage data exceeds a threshold value, (3) generating, by the one or more processors, a command to modify operation of the device to address the electrical usage data, and/or (4) sending the command to the device, wherein the device executes the command to modify the operation of the device. The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including that discussed elsewhere herein, and/or may be implemented via (i) one or more local or remote processors (such via mobile devices, smart home controllers, and/or insurance provider remote servers), and/or (ii) computer-executable instructions stored on non-transitory computer-readable medium or media.

“According to another embodiment, a hardware controller for monitoring device electrical usage within a property may be provided. The hardware controller may be in communication with a plurality of devices. The hardware controller may include a communication module adapted to retrieve electrical usage data from a device disposed within the property, a memory adapted to store non-transitory computer executable instructions, and a processor adapted to interface with the communication module and the memory. The processor may be configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the processor to analyze the electrical usage data to determine that a parameter of the electrical usage data exceeds a threshold value, generate a command to modify operation of the device to address the electrical usage data, and/or send, via the communication module, the command to the device, wherein the device executes the command to modify the operation of the device. The hardware controller may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“Advantages will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the present embodiments may be capable of other and different embodiments, and their details are capable of modification in various respects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring device electrical usage within a property, the property populated with a hardware controller in communication with a plurality of devices, the method comprising: analyzing, by one or more processors of the hardware controller, (i) electrical usage data from a device disposed within the property, (ii) motion data indicating whether any individual is within the property, (iii) a set of operating parameters for the device indicating at least a recommended electrical usage level for the device, and (iv) data corresponding to weather conditions in a vicinity of the property, to determine that the device is not receiving any power from a first power supply; in response to determining that the device is not receiving any power from the first power supply, generating, by the one or more processors, a command to re-route a supply of power for the device from the first power supply to a second power supply; and sending the command to the hardware controller, wherein the hardware controller causes the supply of power for the device to be re-routed from the first power supply to the second power supply.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a notification indicating at least the command to re-route the supply of power.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: communicating the notification to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from a server, the data corresponding to the weather conditions in the vicinity of the property.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the electrical usage data comprises: analyzing the electrical usage data to determine that the electrical output exceeds a threshold output limit; and wherein generating the command comprises: generating a shutdown command to cause the device to power down.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the electrical usage data comprises: analyzing the electrical usage data to determine that the electrical output exceeds a recommended aggregate output amount; and wherein generating the command comprises: generating the command to cause the device to indicate that the recommended aggregate output amount has been reached.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising: identifying a replacement device for the device; and communicating an indication of the replacement device to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.

“8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the electrical usage data comprises: analyzing the electrical usage data to determine that the electrical output exceeds a threshold output limit consistent with impending failure of the device; and wherein generating the command comprises: generating a shutdown command to cause the device to power down; and wherein the method further comprises: communicating an indication of the impending failure of the device to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.

“9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, based upon the electrical usage data, a recommendation to adjust operation of the device to reduce energy usage; and communicating the recommendation to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.

“10. A hardware controller for monitoring device electrical usage within a property, the hardware controller in communication with a plurality of devices, comprising: a memory storing non-transitory computer executable instructions; and a processor interfacing with the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the processor to: analyze (i) electrical usage data from a device disposed within the property, (ii) motion data indicating whether any individual is within the property, (iii) a set of operating parameters for the device indicating at least a recommended electrical usage level for the device, and (iv) data corresponding to weather conditions in a vicinity of the property, to determine that the device is not receiving any power from a first power supply, in response to determining that the device is not receiving any power, generate a command to re-route a supply of power for the device from a first power supply to a second power supply, and cause the supply of power for the device to be re-routed from the first power supply to the second power supply.

“11. The hardware controller of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: generate a notification indicating at least the command to re-route the supply of power.

“12. The hardware controller of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: communicate, via a transceiver, the notification to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.

“13. The hardware controller of claim 10, wherein a communication module is configured to: receive, from a server, the data corresponding to the weather conditions in the vicinity of the property.

“14. The hardware controller of claim 10, wherein to analyze the electrical usage data, the processor is configured to: analyze the electrical usage data to determine that the electrical output exceeds a threshold output limit, wherein to generate the command, the processor is configured to: generate a shutdown command to cause the device to power down.

“15. The hardware controller of claim 10, wherein to analyze the electrical usage data, the processor is configured to: analyze the electrical usage data to determine that the electrical output exceeds a recommended aggregate output amount, wherein to generate the command, the processor is configured to: generate the command to cause the device to indicate that the recommended aggregate output amount has been reached.

“16. The hardware controller of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to: identify a replacement device for the device, and communicate, via the communication module, an indication of the replacement device to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.

“17. The hardware controller of claim 10, wherein to analyze the electrical usage data, the processor is configured to: analyze the electrical usage data to determine that the electrical output exceeds a threshold output limit consistent with impending failure of the device, wherein to generate the command, the processor is configured to: generate a shutdown command to cause the device to power down, and wherein the processor is further configured to: communicate, via the communication module, an indication of the impending failure of the device to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.

“18. The hardware controller of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to: generate, based upon the electrical usage data, a recommendation to adjust operation of the device to reduce energy usage, and communicate, via the communication module, the recommendation to an electronic device of an individual associated with the property.”

For additional information on this patent, see: Carlson, Gail L. Systems and methods for managing smart devices based upon electrical usage data. U.S. Patent Number 11656585, filed September 2, 2020, and published online on May 23, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11656585)&db=USPAT&type=ids

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)