Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 2967257 2017-05-15
METHODS, SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR MONITORING AND MANAGING
NETWORK-CONNECTED DEVICE USAGE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The following relates generally to methods and devices for
monitoring and
managing usage of network-connected devices. More specifically, the following
relates to
methods and devices for monitoring and managing usage of network-connected
devices in
accordance with allocations.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Increasingly, devices, machines, and the like, such as
automobiles, light fixtures,
and refrigerators, are becoming network-connected devices to allow for their
management (such
as by, e.g., turning a device on or off, adjusting power output, updating
firmware or software,
etc.). Such network-connected devices may be connected to any wired or
wireless network of
any type or size, including the Internet. The recent emergence of network-
connected devices has
resulted in a networked "web" of devices knowh as the "Internet of Things"
(loT). In order to
among other things help manage household budgets, there is a need for a real-
time ability to
monitor and manage the usage of one or more household network-connected
devices.
SUMMARY
[0003] In an aspect of the present application there is provided a
computing device for
monitoring and managing usage of one or more network-connected devices over a
network. The
computing device comprises: a memory storing computer-executable instructions;
a
communication module for communication with the one or more network-connected
devices via
the network; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and the
communication module.
The instructions when executed by the at least one processor cause the at
least one processor to:
receive via the communication module over the network usage data associated
with at least one
of the one or more network-connected devices; obtain rate data associated with
the at least one of
the one or more network-connected devices; determine, for the at least one of
the one or more
network-connected devices, device expenditure data based on the rate data and
the usage data;
obtain allocation information pertaining to a time period, the allocation
information being in
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respect of at least the at least one of the one or more network-connected
devices; receive via the
communication module over the network from a server information, the
information including
data associated with one or more data files; upcl,ate the information with the
device expenditure
data for the at least one of the one or more network-connected devices, to
obtain updated
information; compare the updated information to the allocation information;
and determine,
based on the comparison of the updated information to the allocation
information, whether an
allocation indicated by the allocation information for the time period is
feasible.
[0004] In another aspect of the present application there is provided a
method of
monitoring and managing usage of one or more network-connected devices over a
network by a
computing device. The computing device comprises at least one processor
coupled to a memory
and a communication module. The method comprises: receiving via the
communication module
over the network usage data associated with at least one of the one or more
network-connected
devices; obtaining rate data associated with the at least one of the one or
more network-
connected devices; determining, for the at least one of the one or more
network-connected
devices, device expenditure data based on the rate data and the usage data;
obtaining allocation
information pertaining to a time period, the allocation information being in
respect of at least the
at least one of the one or more network-connected devices; receiving via the
communication
module over the network from a server information, the information including
data associated
with one or more data files; updating the information with the device
expenditure data for the at
least one of the one or more network-connected devices, to obtain updated
information;
comparing the updated information to the allocation information; and
determining, based on the
comparison of the updated information to the allocation information, whether
an allocation
indicated by the allocation information for the time period is feasible.
[00051 In yet another aspect of the present application there is
provided a non-transitory
computer-readable medium for monitoring and managing usage of one or more
network-
connected devices over a network. The computer-readable medium comprises
computer-
executable instructions for: receiving over the network usage data associated
with at least one of
the one or more network-connected devices; obtaining rate data associated with
the at least one
of the one or more network-connected devices; determining, for the at least
one of the one or
more network-connected devices, device expenditure data based on the rate data
and the usage
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data; obtaining allocation information pertaining to a time period, the
allocation information
being in respect of at least the at least one of the one or more network-
connected devices;
receiving over the network from a server information, the information
including data associated
with one or more data files; updating the information with the device
expenditure data for the at
least one of the one or more network-connected devices, to obtain updated
information;
comparing the updated information to the allocation information; and
determining, based on the
comparison of the updated information to the allocation information, whether
an allocation
indicated by the allocation information for the time period is feasible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Aspects of the application will now be described by way of example
only with
reference to the appended drawings in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary aspect of a
system described
herein;
[0008] FIG. 2 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary aspect of a
computing device
described herein;
[0009] FIG. 3 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary aspect of a
smart sensor
described here;
[0010] FIG. 4 depicts a schematic diagram of another exemplary aspect
of a system
described herein;
[0011] FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary aspect of computer-
executable
instructions described herein;
[0012] FIG. 6 depicts a schematic diagram of an exemplary aspect of a
server described
herein; and
[0013] FIG. 7 depicts a flow diagram of another exemplary aspect of
computer-executable
instructions described herein.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of
illustration, where considered
appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate
corresponding or
analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in
order to provide a
thorough understanding of the exemplary aspects of the present application
described herein.
However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the
exemplary aspects
described herein may be practised without these specific details. In other
instances, well-known
methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not
to obscure the
exemplary aspects described herein. Also, the description is not to be
considered as limiting the
scope of the exemplary aspects described herein. Any systems, method steps,
components, parts
of components, and the like described herein in the singular are to be
interpreted as also
including a description of such systems, method steps, components, parts of
components, and the
like in the plural, and vice versa.
[00151 Network-connected objects, devices, machines, things, etc.,
connected to a network
such as the Internet, are typically capable of collecting and sharing data
with other connected
devices or servers using any of the communication protocols that have been
developed for or that
are suitable for use or usable with IoT devices, such as more traditional web
protocols like
TCP/IP, and newer protocols catered to IoT deN;ice communication, such as
Constrained
Application Protocol (CoAP) or Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT).
[0016] In order to help manage household budgets, there is a need for a
real-time ability to
monitor and manage the usage of one or more household network-connected
devices, including,
for example, appliances such as clothes washers and dryers, dishwashing
machines, slow-
cookers, and the like, and other household devices such as furnaces,
fireplaces, refrigerators,
light fixtures, water tanks, thermostats, and any other electricity-, water-
or gas- (collectively,
"utility") consuming device.
[0017] It can be difficult to manage household budgets and in
particular, the costs
associated with the use of devices that consume such utilities. Part of the
difficulty in managing
these costs is that utilities are typically billed in arrears, and as such,
budgetary adjustments for a
household budget tend to be reactionary, based on the prior billing cycle and
the usage demands
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of that prior billing cycle's timeframe. For example, while the month of March
may incur a high
electricity or gas bill due to increased heating of a home, the month of April
may require less
heating in order to maintain the same home temperature, due to rising
environmental
temperatures. It can be difficult to work towards a budget in a reactionary
manner as the coming
period may impose different conditions and thus necessitate different device
usage patterns, and
further, waiting until the completion of a billing cycle to determine
budgetary adjustments means
that the excess device use has already taken place, and the related costs
already incurred.
Furthermore, while some people may prefer to cut costs by reducing, for
example, their use of
lighting, others may prefer to reduce water or gas use, so there is no "one
size fits all" solution
for reducing the costs associated with the use of such household devices.
[0018] A user of such devices may have or have access to (e.g., through
a web portal) a
software application from a financial institution, such as a bank, which
monitors monetary debit
and credit transactions in accounts of the user, aggregates and sorts the
monitored account data,
and provides to the user a report of the user's financial transactions for a
certain time period. For
example, such reports may show income and expenditures on a monthly basis,
aggregated by
industry or type (e.g., amount spent on food, gasoline, clothing, etc.). Such
applications may
also provide a mechanism for establishing a budget for a certain time period,
in which case the
reports may include information on whether a budget has been met, including
information on the
extent of variance from a budget. However, these applications do not account
for real-time
expenditures related to the use of network-connected devices, nor do they
provide real-time
budget tracking accounting for such usage of network-connected devices.
[0019] The present description generally relates to methods, systems
and devices for
monitoring and managing network-connected device usage in accordance with
allocations. An
allocation may be any manually or automatically pre-determined threshold for a
parameter that
affects the usage of one or more network-connected devices. As a non-limiting
example, an
allocation may include a maximum or minimum amount of gasoline consumption or
distance of
travel per day for a network-connected automobile. Other non-limiting examples
of an
allocation may include an amount of electricity usage, an amount of water
usage, an amount of
natural gas usage, or any combination thereof for, for example, household
appliances, devices,
apparatuses, and the like. As a further non-limiting example, an allocation
may include an
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amount of money spent as a result of usage of household appliances. An
allocation may be
applied as a minimum or a maximum threshold, depending on the circumstances.
For example,
an automobile testing company may require that test vehicles on the IoT be
road-tested for a
certain minimum distance per unit of time, such as at least 100 miles/day. It
will be appreciated
by the person skilled in the art that there may be many other examples of
allocations that may
serve to affect the usage of one or more network-connected devices.
[0020] As used herein, the term "device" includes any device, machine,
object, thing, or
the like. As also used herein, the term "network-connected device" includes
any device
configured for, or capable of being adapted for, connection to a network, such
as network-
connected devices on the Internet of Things (IoT). It will be appreciated by
the person skilled in
the art that while certain network-connected devices presently exist, others
may emerge in the
future, and that the present disclosure includes all such network-connected
devices and is in no
way limited by the types of devices presently known by the skilled person to
be connectable to a
network. Furthermore, the person of skill in the art will appreciate that
there are delays inherent
to any form of communication, including wired or wireless digital
communication, including
over a digital network, and as such, as used herein, the term "real-time"
includes real-time and
substantially real-time communication.
[0021] As an non-limiting example, in order to help manage a household
budget, there is a
need for a real-time ability to monitor and manage the usage of one or more
household network-
connected devices, including, for example, appliances such as clothes washers
and dryers,
dishwashing machines, slow-cookers, and the like, and other household devices
such as furnaces,
fireplaces, refrigerators, light fixtures, water tanks, thermostats, and any
other electricity-, water-
or gas- (collectively, "utility") consuming device. With reference to FIG. 1
and FIG. 2, system
100 includes one or more computing device(s) 110 for monitoring and managing
the usage of
one or more network-connected device(s) 130 over a network 120. Device(s) 130
may
communicate directly with computing device(s) 110 or smart sensor(s) 300 (as
described further
below) or over network 120 via any of the network types and communication
protocols described
herein.
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[0022] Computing device 110 may comprise memory 200, communication
module 210, a
display 220, one or more input devices 230, one or more sensors 240, and at
least one processor
250 coupled to the memory 200, communication module 210, display 220, input
device(s) 230,
and sensor(s) 240. Communication module 210 enables computing device 110 to
communicate
with one or more other components of system 100, such as one or more network-
connected
devices 130, via a wired or wireless communication network, such as network
120. Network 120
may comprise a direct link between communicating components of system 100, or
an indirect
one, including but not limited to communication by EthernetTM, BluetoothTM,
WiFiTM, ZigBeeTM,
ZWaveTM, 6L0wPANTM, ThreadTm, NFC (near-field communication), SIgF0xTM,
infrared,
WiMAXTm (fixed or mobile), RFID (radio-frequency identification), NCuITM,
LoRaWANTM,
CoAP (Constrained Application Protocol), MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry
Transport), and
any suitable cellular communications protocols including, but not limited to,
up to 5G protocols,
such as GSM, GPRS, EDGE, CDMA, UMTS, LTE, LTE-A, IMS, for example, and any
other
communications protocols suitable for the method(s), system(s) and device(s)
described herein,
including any proprietary protocols. Network 120 may comprise a single network
or more than
one interconnected network, of any type suitable for the method(s), system(s)
and device(s)
described herein, including but not limited to wired or wireless PANs
(personal area networks),
LANs (local area networks), WANs (wide area networks), MANs (metropolitan area
networks),
mesh or ad hoc networks, VPNs (virtual private networks), the Internet, and
any other suitable
network type, in any suitable network configuration or topology (e.g., mesh,
token ring, tree,
star, etc.). Although not shown in FIG. 1, system 100 may further include any
components
necessary to effect the communication and/or network type(s) used, and may
also include
components for increased network security, for example, access points,
routers, and firewalls.
[0023] Memory 200 may comprise a tangible and non-transitory computer-
readable
medium (i.e., a medium which does not comprise only a transitory propagating
signal per se)
comprising or storing computer-executable instructions, such as computer
programs, sets of
instructions, code, software, or data for execution by any processor(s) and/or
microcontroller(s)
described herein, including processor(s) 250, server processor(s) 620 and/or
microcontroller(s)
340 (described further below). As used herein, the terms "processor",
"processors" or
"processor(s)" may refer to any combination of processor(s) 250, server
processor(s) 620 and/or
microcontroller(s) 340 suitable for carrying out method step(s) described
herein. Memory 200
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may comprise one or more of a local and/or remote hard disk or hard drive, of
any type, ROM
(read-only memory) and/or RAM (random-access memory), buffer(s), cache(s),
flash memory,
optical memory (e.g., CD(s) and DVD(s)), and any other form of volatile or non-
volatile storage
medium in or on which information may be stored for any duration. Such
computer-executable
instructions, when executed by the processor(s) of computing device(s) 110,
server 140 and/or
smart sensor(s) 300 (described further below) cause the processor(s) to
perform any of the
methods described herein, such as methods for monitoring and managing usage of
network-
connected device(s) over network 120. It will be appreciated that the method
steps described
herein may be implemented in a variety of prog'ramming languages.
[0024] Input device(s) 230 provide a mechanism for a user of system 100,
and of
computing device 110, to provide input(s) to computing device 110, such as
during the execution
of computer programs stored in memory 200. Input device(s) 230 may include a
touch-sensitive
display, physical or virtual keyboard, keypad, mouse, microphone, trackpad,
scroll wheel or ball,
or other suitable device capable of receiving or detecting an input. Display
220 may comprise
any suitable touch-sensitive display, such as a capacitive, resistive,
infrared, surface acoustic
wave (SAW) touch-sensitive display, strain gauge, optical imaging, dispersive
signal technology,
acoustic pulse recognition, and so forth, as is known in the art. In such
cases display 220 may
also serve as an input device 230 of computing device 110.
[0025] Sensor(s) 240 may include an array of redundant sensors, and may
comprise smart
sensor(s) having onboard signal and data-processing capabilities, such as a
microprocessor and
other components, including band pass filters, amplifiers, and any other
components which may
be used to improve the quality of a received signal (such as by filtering out
noise) before relaying
information from the signals received to processor(s) for additional
processing or interpretation.
In some aspects, and with reference to FIG. 3, computing device 110 may
include a smart sensor
300 having a transceiver 310 (or a separate transmitter and receiver), sensor
320, memory 330,
and a microcontroller 340 coupled to the transceiver (or transmitter and
receiver), sensor, and
memory, and the memory may comprise or have stored thereon or therein computer-
executable
instructions that when executed carry out method step(s) described herein. In
such aspects of the
present application, method steps described herein requiring user input may be
carried out
through a client interface, such as a web portal, on any networked device,
such as a tablet or
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desktop computer. Furthermore, while in certain aspects a software application
running on
computing device(s) 110 and/or smart sensor(s) 300 may interact with a
separate software
application running on server 140 in order to carry out method step(s)
described herein, in other
aspects, the software application running on computing device(s) 110 and/or
smart sensor(s) 300
may be a client instance of a software application running on server 140.
[0026] Referring to FIG. 6, server 140 has a server memory 610
comprising instructions
that when executed by server processor(s) 620 cause the server processor(s)
(and/or, in a
distributed processing system, any of processor(s) 250 and microcontroller(s)
340) to carry out
method step(s) described herein. Server 140 may further comprise other
standard components as
would be known by the skilled person in the art, such as server communication
module 630 for
communication with other connected devices or system components over network
120 by any
known communication mechanisms, including those described herein.
[0027] With reference to FIG. 4, system 100 may further comprise smart
sensor(s) 300,
which may be communicatively coupled to computing device(s) 110, server(s) 140
and/or
network-connected device(s) 130. It will be appreciated that both computing
device(s) 110 and
smart sensor(s) 300 may comprise sensors, or computing device 110 may comprise
no sensors,
with only smart sensor(s) 300 comprising sensor(s), and further, that the
method steps described
herein may be carried out by any suitable combination of computing device(s)
110, smart
sensor(s) 300 and/or server 140. It will further be appreciated that the
computer-executable
instructions described herein may reside within or on memory 200 of computing
device(s) 110,
memory 330 of smart sensor(s) 300, or memory 610 of server 140, or may be
distributed
amongst memory 200, memory 330 and/or mewory 610. Furthermore, it will be
appreciated that
smart sensor(s) 300 may communicate with computing device(s) 110 only and/or
with other
smart sensor(s) 300 and/or server 140.
[0028] Sensor(s) 240, 300 may comprise presence or proximity sensors,
detection and
ranging (DAR) sensors, speed measurement sensors, volumetric sensors,
electrical usage sensors,
gas usage sensors, water usage sensors, and any other sensor type suitable for
use with the
method(s) described herein. It will be appreciated that network-connected
device(s) 130 may
comprise the instructions or logic necessary to monitor their own usage (of,
e.g., electricity, gas
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or water) and convey this information to computing device(s) 110 and/or server
140, and that
such information may be pushed from device(s) 130 or pulled therefrom by
computing device(s)
110 and/or server 140. In such cases, it may not be necessary for computing
device(s) 110 to
include sensor(s) 240, or for system 100 to comprise smart sensor(s) 300.
[0029] Server 140 of system 100 may represent a system of known components,
including
additional servers, databases, I/O devices, access terminals, communications
pathways, and any
other components necessary in order for server 140 to effect method step(s)
described herein, as
would be known to the person of skill in the art. System 100 may also comprise
additional
servers 140 for redundancy. As a non-limiting example, server 140 may comprise
and
communicate to computing device(s) 110 and/crr smart sensor(s) 300 (by pushing
or having
pulled therefrom) allocation information of any kind suitable for the
method(s) described herein.
As a non-limiting example, server 140 may be a financial server hosting a
financial software
application of a financial institution, such as a bank, and a user of system
100, including of
computing device(s) 110 and/or sensor(s) 300, may have or have access to
(e.g., through a client
web portal or an "app" on computing device 110 or on another device (e.g., a
mobile device) of
the user) the financial application hosted by server 140. Such financial
application may monitor
monetary debit and credit transactions in accounts of the user, aggregate and
sort the monitored
account data, and provide to the user a report of the user's financial
transactions for a certain
time period. For example, such reports may show income and expenditures on a
monthly basis,
aggregated and sorted by industry or type (e.g., amount spent on food,
gasoline, clothing, etc.).
Such applications may also provide a mechanism for establishing a budget for a
certain time
period, in which case the reports may include information on whether a budget
has been met,
including information on the extent of variance from a budget. In such cases,
allocation
,
information may include an allocation that is a budget established by the user
for a certain time
period (e.g., monthly) using the financial application of server 140. As
another example, the
allocation may be an average or otherwise determined expenditure amount for a
time period
(e.g., average monthly expenditures) automatically determined by the financial
application. As
such, the allocation information, financial information and the one or more
accounts may each be
associated with a user of the computing device(s) 110 and/or smart sensor(s)
300, and the
financial information may thus include credit and/or debit information for the
account(s) of the
user.
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[0030] Referring to FIG. 5, in accordance with an exemplary aspect of
the present
application, the instructions when executed by the processor(s) 250, server
processor(s) 620
and/or microcontroller(s) 340 cause the processor(s) to carry out steps of
method 500, including
receiving 510, via the communication module 210 (and/or communication module
630) over the
network 120, usage data associated with at least one of network-connected
device(s) 130;
obtaining 520 rate data associated with the at least one of the network-
connected device(s) 130,
which may represent, as an example, a monetary amount per unit time for use of
the at least one
of the network-connected device(s), although the rate may comprise non-
monetary information;
determining 530, for the at least one of the network-connected device(s) 130,
device expenditure
data based on the rate data and the usage data; obtaining 540 allocation
information, which may
pertain to a time period and which may be in respect of at least the at least
one of the network-
connected device(s) 130; receiving 550, via the communication module 210 over
network 120
from server 140, information, which may include data associated with one or
more data files,
including, as an example only, receiving information from a server 140 of a
financial institution,
such as a financial server of a bank, in which case the information may
comprise financial
information, such as budget information, and the one or more data files may
include one or more
accounts; updating 560 the information, for example, financial information,
with the device
expenditure data for the at least one network-connected device(s) 130, to
obtain updated
information, such as updated financial information; comparing 570 the updated
information (e.g.,
updated financial information) to the allocation information; and determining
580, based on the
comparison of the updated information (e.g., updated financial information) to
the allocation
information whether an allocation (such as a budget) indicated by the
allocation information for
the time period is feasible.
[0031] It will be appreciated that in aspects of the present
application not having
,
computing device(s) 110 (such as where network-connected device(s) 130 and/or
smart sensor(s)
300 communicate directly with server(s) 140), the steps of method 500 (and
method 700,
described below) may be accordingly altered to account for the system not
having computing
device(s) 110. For example, step 550, comprising receiving information, such
as financial
information, from server 140 over network 120 via communication module 210,
may not require
the receiving of the information to take place over the network 120, nor via
communication
module 210. In such a scenario, the step 550 may comprise the step of
obtaining information, for
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example financial information, including data associated with one or more
accounts (e.g., budget
information).
[0032] Still with reference to FIG. 5, where sensor(s) 240 and/or smart
sensor(s) 300 are
employed and are configured for sensing the at least one network-connected
device(s) 130,
method 500 may further include the step of detecting 501, via sensor(s) 240
and/or smart
sensor(s) 300, the at least one of the network-connected device(s) 130. The
instructions when
executed by processor(s) 240, server processor(s) 620 and/or
microcontroller(s) 340 may further
cause the processor(s) and/or microcontroller(s) to display on display 220 of
computing device
110 (or on a display of another device (e.g., a mobile device, computer,
tablet, etc.) by which a
graphical user interface of an application hosted by server 140, such as the
financial application
described above, is accessed) a prompt in order to prompt 502 for a
confirmation of the detected
network-connected device(s). Manual confirmAtion of detected or otherwise
identified network-
connected device(s) 130 is expected to reduce the rate of errors in
identifying network-connected
device(s) 130. At step 503, where the identification of a network-connected
device is not
confirmed, the instructions may further comprise instructions that when
executed cause the
respective processor(s) to re-detect 501 or otherwise re-identify the network-
connected device,
and where the identification is confirmed, the method may proceed to step 504.
[0033] Computing device(s) 110, smart sensor(s) 300 and/or server(s)
140 may include
instructions on their respective memories 200, 330, 610 which enable
processor(s) 240,
microcontroller(s) 340 and/or server processor(s) 620 to interpret any
communication protocol(s)
being used by the network-connected device(s) to obtain 504 and store in
memory 200, memory
330 and/or memory 610 device data associated with the network-connected
device(s) 130. Such
communication protocols may include, for example, any communication protocols
designed or
suitable for, or capable of use with, the Internet of Things (IoT) and network-
connected device(s)
130 connected to the IoT, including but not limited to those communication
types and protocols
described herein. Device data may include, for example, usage data and/or rate
data for the
network-connected device(s) 130.
[0034] The instructions when executed by processor(s) 240, server
processor(s) 620 and/or
microcontroller(s) 340 may also cause the processor(s) and/or
microcontroller(s) to display on
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= a
display 220 of computing device 110 (or on a display of another device (e.g.,
a mobile device,
computer, tablet, etc.) by which a graphical user interface of an application
hosted by server 140,
such as the financial application described above, is accessed, as would be
the case, for example,
where the instructions are executed by microcontroller(s) 340 of smart
sensor(s) 300) a prompt
for entry of additional device data associated with the network-connected
device(s) 130, to
thereby obtain 505 the additional device data. Whether additional device data
is entered or not,
method 500 may thereafter proceed to step 530. Additional device data may
comprise, for
example, one or more of a name, a location and the rate data associated with
the network-
connected device(s), such as where the rate data does not comprise part of the
device data. As an
example, where IoT-connected light fixtures are detected by a computing device
110 (or
alternatively, their information is pushed to computing device 110 or, e.g.,
subscribed to by
computing device 110 using a communication protocol such as MQTTTm), a user
may be
prompted to enter a name or alias to help the user correctly and more easily
identify each such
detected light fixture and may, for example, name each detected light fixture
"Kitchen Light"
and "Family Room Light". In an alternative aspect of the present application,
additional device
data may include an optional entry for rate data even where the device data
includes rate data, in
which case manually entered rate data may override the rate data provided as
part of the device
data. This is expected to be useful for forecasting expenditures associated
with anticipated rate
increases, or in situations where it is known that the rate data provided as
part of the device data
is outdated. In yet a further example aspect of the present application, and
with reference to FIG.
1, the rate data associated with the network-connected device(s) 130 may be
obtained by
computing device 110 and/or server 140 over network 120 from a third party
server 150 hosting
rate information for the network-connected device(s) 130. Computing device(s)
110 and/or
server 140 may access server 150 using private or public APIs (application
programming
interfaces).
[0035] Referring to the step 540 of obtaining allocation information,
the instructions when
executed may cause processor(s) 240, server processor(s) 620 and/or
microcontroller(s) 340 to
display on a display 220 of computing device 110 (or on a display of another
device (e.g., a
mobile device, computer, tablet, etc.) by which a graphical user interface of
an application hosted
by server 140, such as the financial application described above, is accessed)
a prompt for the
allocation information, which may be for a time period. As described above,
this may include, as
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=
a non-limiting example, a monthly budget. Alternatively, the allocation
information for the time
period may be obtained over network 120 from server 140. In another aspect,
the instructions
when executed may prompt for allocation information even where allocation
information has
been provided by server 140, in which case the manually entered allocation
information may
override the allocation information obtained from server 140.
[0036] The instructions when executed may further cause processor(s)
240, server
processor(s) 620 and/or microcontroller(s) 340 to determine one or more
savings options for
meeting the allocation, each of the savings option(s) comprising one or more
altered usage
pattern(s) for the network-connected device(s) 130. In the example scenario
described above,
where the allocation is a budget manually entered or obtained or received from
a financial server
140, an altered usage pattern of a savings option may comprise a reduced usage
pattern for a
lighting fixture and/or a washing machine, for example, in order to help
maintain the allocation
or budget for the relevant time period (e.g., a month).
[0037] A savings option may mean a savings with respect to usage that
alone or in
combination with other factors (e.g., other account data, such as monthly
expenditures, not
related to the usage of the network-connected device(s) 130) exceeds an
allocation, or it may
mean a savings with respect to usage that alone or in combination with other
factors is under a
minimum allocation. With respect to the latter, using the vehicle testing
example described
above, a network-connected device or vehicle 130 requiring as an allocation a
certain minimum
number of miles driven per day as part of road-testing, and which comes under
or is on track to
come under that minimum allocation or number of miles/day, may result in a
savings option
comprising an altered usage pattern having an increased usage of the vehicle
per day.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 7, the instructions when executed cause the
processor(s) 240,
server processor(s) 620 and/or microcontroller(s) 340 to determine 710 each of
the savings
option(s) by carrying out steps of method 700, including: determining 702, for
the network-
connected device(s) 130, an updated device,expenditure amount based on the
rate data and the
altered usage pattern(s); revising 704 the updated information (e.g., updated
financial
information) with the updated device expenditure amount for the network-
connected device(s),
to obtain revised information (e.g., revised financial information); comparing
706 the revised
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information (e.g., revised financial information) to the allocation
information; and determining
708, based on the comparison of the revised information (e.g., revised
financial information) to
the allocation information, if the allocation for the time period is feasible.
Where it is
determined that the allocation for the time period would not be feasible,
method 700 may return
to step 702 to begin method 700 again based on one or more other altered usage
pattern(s). Each
of the savings options comprises one or more of the altered usage pattern(s)
for which it is
determined that the allocation for the time period is feasible. An allocation
determined to be
feasible for a time period is an allocation that can be met or achieved for
that time period.
[0039] For example, one savings option may include a reduced usage
pattern for a light
fixture, another savings option may include a reduced usage pattern for a
dishwasher, and yet
another savings option may include a reduced usage pattern for both the light
fixture and the
dishwasher. The combined reduced usage pattern may represent the sum of the
individual
reduced usage patterns comprising the individual savings options for those
devices, or some
other reduction in usage. For example, an altered usage pattern comprising a
combined reduced
usage for a plurality of devices may represent a total reduction in usage that
is the same or
similar in amount to a savings option having only a single altered (e.g.,
reduced) usage pattern, to
distribute the burden of reducing usage amongst the network-connected devices
130 covered by
the combined savings option to thereby lessen the extent of reduced usage for
each device
individually. A variance from the allocation may also be determined and
displayed in real-time
upon the selection of one or more of the savings option(s) (e.g., an expected
total monthly
expenditure amount based on the selected savings option(s) and possibly other
factors (e.g., other
account data, such as monthly expenditures, not related to the usage of the
network-connected
device(s) 130).
[0040] The instructions when executed may further cause the processor(s)
240, server
processor(s) 620 and/or microcontroller(s) 340 to display 712 on display 220
of computing
device 110 (or on a display of another device (e.g., a mobile device,
computer, tablet, etc.) by
which a graphical user interface of an application hosted by server 140, such
as the financial
application described above, is accessed) the one or more savings options as
selectable options,
and optionally, may further cause to be displayed 714 an option for manually
setting one or more
custom usage patterns for at least one of the network-connected device(s) 130.
At step 715, it is
CA 2967257 2017-05-15
determined if a custom usage pattern(s) is manually entered, and if not,
method 700 may proceed
to step 718. Where one or more custom usage vattern(s) are entered, the
instructions, when
executed, may further cause the processor(s) 240, server processor(s) 620
and/or
microcontroller(s) 340, for each of the network-connected device(s) 130 for
which a respective
custom usage pattern is manually set, to determine 716 substantially in real-
time upon the
manual setting of the respective custom usage pattern, if the allocation for
the time period is
feasible by use of the respective custom usage pattern. A variance from the
allocation may also
be determined and displayed in real-time upon the setting of one or more
custom usage
pattern(s), as described above with respect to the selection of savings
option(s). If it is
determined that the allocation is not feasible using a custom usage pattern,
method 700 may
return to step 714, and where it is determined that the allocation is feasible
using the custom
usage pattern, the instructions when executed may further cause to be
displayed a prompt
requesting 717 if the custom usage pattern is to be applied. Where the custom
usage pattern is to
be applied, method 700 may proceed to step 718, and where the custom usage
pattern is not to be
applied, method 700 may return to step 714.
[00411 Further, the instructions when executed may also cause to be
displayed 718 options
for applying each of the selectable options and, where applicable, manually
set custom usage
pattern(s). Such options may include, for example, applying the selected
savings option(s)
and/or custom usage pattern(s) for a single time period (e.g., the current
month only, the next
month only, the current week only, etc.), or on a recurring basis, with or
without an end date (e.g.
monthly and indefinitely, or monthly until a specific date, or monthly with a
number of months
specified, etc.). Such options may also include applying multiple savings
options in a default
order or prioritized list that is displayed, or alternatively, according to
another order representing
a prioritized list manually set by a user, as would be applicable where the
user wishes to apply a
plurality of savings options but not in parallel, such that only one savings
option is applied at any
one time so as to not reduce usage of multiple network-connected devices
simultaneously. As
not all network-connected devices run in an "always on" state (as further
described below), the
instructions when executed may apply the selected savings option(s) and/or
custom usage
pattern(s) to a prioritized device 130 when it is on, and when it is off,
apply any applicable
savings option(s) and/or custom usage pattern(s) to a device 130 that is on
(whether running in
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an "always on" state, or manually turned on for a time period) and that is
next in priority in the
default or manually set prioritized list.
[0042] When a selection of any of the savings option(s) and/or the
custom usage pattern(s)
is received, the instructions when executed may further cause the processor(s)
240, server
processor(s) 620 and/or microcontroller(s) 340 to send 720 via the
communication module 210
(and/or communication module 630) over network 120 a signal to each of the
network-connected
device(s) 130 affected by the selected savings option(s) and/or custom usage
pattern(s). Each of
the signals causes each of the affected network-connected devices to operate
in accordance with
the respective altered usage pattern or custom usage pattern, as applicable,
that has been selected,
as well as in accordance with any selected options for applying the savings
option(s) and/or
custom usage pattern(s), as described above. For example, upon the selection
of a savings option
to reduce a network-connected thermostat temperature by 1 F for a month, a
signal carrying
instructions for the altered usage pattern would be formed in a language
understandable by a
processor or microcontroller of the thermostat, and transmitted to the
thermostat, which would
then process the instructions and accordingly alter its temperature setting
for a month.
[0043] Alternatively, or additionally, the savings option(s) and/or
custom usage pattern(s),
when selected, may result in the instructions, when executed by the
processor(s), causing usage
of the affected device(s) 130 to be tracked 722 against the selected altered
or custom usage
pattern(s). Where it is determined 724 that usage of the tracked device(s)
strays from the altered
or custom usage pattern(s) selected, the instructions when executed may
further trigger an alert
726 which indicates that usage is above (or below, if applicable) a target
usage (i.e., the altered
or custom usage pattern). The alert may comprise, for example, an audible
and/or visual alert
displayed on a display 220 (or on a display of another device (e.g., a mobile
device, computer,
tablet, etc.) by which a graphical user interface of an application hosted by
server 140, such as
the financial application described above, is accessed) or a message sent via
communication
module 210 or communication module 630 to a digital address of a user of
computing device(s)
110, smart sensor(s) 300 and/or server 140 (e.g., SMS, MMS, instant message,
email, a
proprietary message type, etc.). It will be appreciated by the person skilled
in the art that any
suitable type of alert or alert message may be used.
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[0044] The instructions when executed may further cause the processor(s)
240, server
processor(s) 620 and/or microcontroller(s) 340 to track and maintain 728 a
record, in memory
200 and/or memory 610, of savings resulting from the selection of any of the
savings option(s)
and/or the custom usage pattern(s). As such, it is expected that a user may
request from
computing device 110 and/or server 140 real-time savings data relating to the
usage of one or
more network-connected device(s) 130 in accordance with one or more altered
and/or custom
usage pattern(s). Where it is determined 730 that a request for real-time
savings data has been
made, the instructions when executed may cause the savings to be provided 732
in real-time,
upon request 730, such as by being displayed on display 220 of computing
device 110 (or on a
display of another device (e.g., a mobile device, computer, tablet, etc.) by
which a graphical user
interface of an application hosted by server 140, such as the financial
application described
above, is accessed). It will be appreciated that where it is described herein
that information is
displayed on display 220 or some other display, the present application is not
to be limited by the
described mode of presentation, and that other means for presenting
information, such as by text
or audio messaging, may be used. Furthermore, input(s) need not be via touch-
sensitive display, '
but may alternatively, or additionally, comprise input by text entry,
messaging, audio (e.g., voice
command), and any other suitable means for carrying out method step(s)
described herein.
[0045] The instructions when executed by the processor(s) may further
cause the
processor(s) 240, server processor(s) 620 and/or microcontroller(s) 340 to
provide 734, such as
by displaying on display 220 (or on a display of another device (e.g., a
mobile device, computer,
tablet, etc.) by which a graphical user interface of an application hosted by
server 140, such as
the financial application described above, is accessed), one or more
selectable actions for the
savings resulting from the selection of any of the savings option(s) and/or
custom usage
pattern(s). The selectable action(s) may include, for example, depositing the
savings into one or
more of the account(s) via server 140 (e.g., financial server 140). For
example, a user may select
an action comprising the deposit of savings into a savings account, a chequing
account, an
education savings fund, an investment instrument, and so on.
[0046] The instructions when executed by the processor(s) may cause
processor(s) 620 to
update the information (e.g., financial information) to account for the
altered and/or custom
usage pattern(s) selected. As such, expenditureµamounts associated with the
altered and/or
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custom usage pattern(s) may be reflected in any future report(s), chart(s) or
other format for data
presentation produced by an application (e.g., a financial application) hosted
by server(s) 140.
[0047] It is expected that the described system(s), computing device(s)
and method(s) may
allow for real-time or substantially real-time monitoring of the usage of
network-connected
device(s) and to track such usage in real-time against an allocation. An
expected advantage of
the ability to acquire such usage information in real-time is that variances
from an allocation
(e.g. excessive usage of a washing machine in view of a monthly budget) may be
adjusted in
accordance with the allocation in an attempt to avoid, for example, spending
more than the set
budget. This is preferable to the approach of adjusting usage patterns only
after having been
invoiced for the device usage, by which time the excess device use has already
taken place, and
the related costs have already been incurred. The aspects of the present
application described
and claimed herein are expected to provide information, from which it may be
determined that
adjustments in device usage may be required in order for an allocation to be
feasible or to
facilitate the feasibility of an allocation, sooner than would otherwise be
possible.
[0048] As used herein, including in the claims appended hereto, the terms
"computing
device", "computing devices" or "computing device(s)" may include any
combination of the
described computing device(s) 110, smart sensor(s) 300 and/or server(s) 140
that may be used to
carry out method step(s) described herein.
[0049] While the foregoing has been described in some detail for
purposes of clarity and
understanding, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant arts,
once they have been
made familiar with this disclosure, that various changes in form and detail
can be made without
departing from the true scope of the appended claims. The present application
is therefore not to
be limited to the exact components or details of methodology or construction
set forth above.
Except to the extent necessary or inherent in the processes themselves, no
particular order to
steps or stages of methods or processes described in this disclosure,
including in the Figures, is
intended or implied. In many cases the order of process or method steps may be
varied, and or
made sequential or parallel, without changing the purpose, effect, or import
of the method(s)
described.
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