AU2019208161A1

AU2019208161A1 - A system for configuring a control application of a mesh network of connected devices

Info

Publication number: AU2019208161A1
Application number: AU2019208161A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jai Bentley; Simon Gerard; Jordan Tentori
Original assignee: Zimi Innovations Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Zimi Innovations Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2018-07-25
Filing date: 2019-07-23
Publication date: 2020-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 2039-07-23
Also published as: AU2019208161B2

Abstract

Abstract A system for configuring a control application implemented on a control device of a mesh network of connected devices, the system including: one or more of the connected devices in the mesh network including a power monitoring module 5 configured to monitor power usage over time; a server, in data communication with at least one of the one or more connected devices of the mesh network and the control device, configured to: receive power data indicative of the power usage over time of each of the one or more connected devices; analyse the power data to identify signatures of power usage over time; classify the signatures, using a classifier, into 10 electrical appliance categories; generate labels corresponding to the electrical appliance categories based on the signatures; and provide the labels to the control application, wherein the control application is configured to control the one or more of the connected devices that are selected via the labels by sending commands to addresses of the one or more of the connected devices over the mesh network.

Description

A system for configuring a control application of a mesh network of connected devices

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for configuring a control application of a mesh network of connected devices. In particular, but not exclusively, the system configures a control application implemented on a control device of a Bluetooth mesh network of connected devices having power monitoring modules configured to monitor power usage over time, and the control application is configured to control the connected devices that are selected via labels corresponding to electrical appliance categories that were generated based on classified signatures of power usage over time.

Background of Invention [0002] Wireless communications systems configured in a mesh network topology are typically installed to provide network coverage to connected nodes over a large area, such as a floor of a commercial building. Further, a mesh network topology provides improved resilience to the network of nodes due to the lack of dependency on each one of the nodes.

[0003] One example of a mesh network is Bluetooth mesh network of connected nodes. Bluetooth is a Near Field Communication technology standard that enables nodes to be wirelessly connected to each other to communicate data. The Bluetooth communication standard may be Bluetooth Classic, which is typically used between paired devices to communicate data, such as audio data, between the devices. Alternatively, the Bluetooth communication standard may be Bluetooth Low Energy (LE), which is typically used to communicate low volumes of data at low power consumption. Typical Bluetooth LE devices include sensors, switches and home automation devices that may not have a display or user interface. Further, the Bluetooth LE transmission distance may be limited due to the reduced power requirements, and thus the Bluetooth LE devices are suited to being connected in a mesh network topology.

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 [0004] In a typical Bluetooth LE mesh network of wirelessly connected nodes, the nodes which are part ofthe mesh network can communicate with each other by relaying messages to extend the individual range of each of the nodes. Electronic devices that have been configured to be part of a Bluetooth LE mesh network are called nodes and electronic devices that are yet to be configured to be part of a Bluetooth LE mesh network are called un-provisioned devices. To configure unprovisioned devices into nodes, the provisioning procedure involves exchanging security keys between an administrator device (also known as a provisioner device) typically a smartphone or tablet implementing a provisioning application - and the un10 provisioned device. This procedure is time consuming and prone to errors as, for instance, configuration information ofthe mesh network may be stored on many provisioner devices in various copies and iterations.

[0005] Further, in say an existing home automation example of a mesh network of Bluetooth LE devices, after provisioning, the devices may then manually labelled by the provisioner device to be controlled by the home user. This procedure is also time consuming and prone to errors especially over time.

Summary of Invention [0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for configuring a control application implemented on a control device of a mesh network of connected devices, the system including: one or more of the connected devices in the mesh network including a power monitoring module configured to monitor power usage over time; a server, in data communication with at least one of the one or more connected devices of the mesh network and the control device, configured to: receive power data indicative of the power usage over time of each of the one or more connected devices; analyse the power data to identify signatures of power usage over time; classify the signatures, using a classifier, into electrical appliance categories; generate labels corresponding to the electrical appliance categories based on the signatures; and provide the labels to the control application, wherein the control application is configured to control the one or more of the connected devices that are selected via the labels by sending commands to addresses of the one or more of the connected devices over the mesh network.

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 [0007] In an embodiment, the classifier is a learning algorithm that has been trained using training data including signatures of power usage over time annotated with a designated one ofthe electrical appliances categories.

[0008] Preferably, the mesh network is a home automation mesh network. The connected devices here include, but are not limited to: general power socket outlets; light switches; fan controls; sensors (e.g. light or motion sensor); and lighting power socket outlets. And the electrical appliances categories include, but are not limited to: fridge, fan, lights, lamp, oven, stove, airconditioner, and television.

[0009] In this embodiment, electrical appliances, such as the fridges, fans, lights, etc. are electrically connected to the sockets, switches, etc. and are thus controlled by the control application. In another embodiment, the electrical appliances themselves, such as the fridges, fans, lights etc., have Bluetooth LE connectivity and a power monitoring module and are thus controlled by the control application in the above manner.

[0010] Preferably, the mesh network is a Bluetooth mesh network of connected devices which communicate data via the Bluetooth LE communication standard. For example, the devices communicate data via Bluetooth 4.2 or 5.0 and are called nodes once they are configured to be part of a Bluetooth LE mesh network as mentioned above. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other wireless communication standards may also be used to provide the mesh network of connected devices, and that reference to devices may describe nodes in a Bluetooth LE mesh network and un-provisioned devices.

[0011] Preferably, before provisioning the connected devices, they are initially unprovisioned devices and are configured to be provisioned to be part ofthe mesh network by exchanging security keys between the administrator device, which is typically a smartphone or tablet implementing a provisioning application, and the unprovisioned devices. Also, the control device may be a smartphone or tablet that has a processor configured to communicate data with a memory to implement the control application. One of these security keys is the network key, and all the connected devices in the mesh network receive and store the network key. Also, all the connected devices have addresses so that the control application can control each of

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 the connected devices by sending commands to the addresses of the connected devices over the mesh network.

[0012] The Bluetooth LE communication standard defines different types of addresses such as a unicast address and a group address. A connected device may have multiple components called elements that can be independently controlled by their respective unicast addresses. For example, a device may be a lighting node having three LED lighting elements. Each of the elements has a unique unicast address so that it can be independently controlled by the control device sending commands over the mesh network. In an example, the unicast addresses are first stored, in association with the network key, in one or more configuration files on the memory of the administrator device and then on the memory of the server for later retrieval by the control device. The labels provided to the control application are associated with the addresses in the one or more configuration files so that the connected devices - and their electrical appliances connected thereto - can be controlled by the control application by sending commands to the devices over the mesh network.

[0013] Further details of configuring the control device of the mesh network are described in the co-pending provisional patent application to the same Applicant and with the same filing date titled “A system for configuring a control device of a mesh network of connected devices”, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.

[0014] Also, the connected devices have a control protocol. Elements can exist in various states including ON and OFF, and have certain properties, such as a temperature value. For example, an oven connected to a general power outlet can be ON or OFF and have a selected temperature.

[0015] In respect of the example of an oven, a general power outlet connected to the oven has a power monitoring module that sends power data indicative of the power usage over time of the outlet with the connected oven to the server. The server receives the power data and analyses it to identify signatures of power usage over time. It will be appreciated by those persons skilled in the art that categories of electrical appliances have distinctive signatures of power usage over time. The server here classifies the signature as an oven connected to the device and

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 generates an oven label to be provided to the control application. A user of the control application can then select the oven to be controlled (e.g. turned ON) via say a graphical indication of the oven label, and the control application then sends the appropriate command to the address of the device connected to the oven over the mesh network.

[0016] In this way, the connected devices and the electrical appliances connected thereto are classified according to electrical appliance categories and labelled accordingly. These labels are used by the control application for control of the electrical appliances which removes the need for the provisioner device to manually 10 label the connected devices in the control application. Further, in the event that a user of the home automation mesh network moves an electrical appliance to say a different general power outlet, the control application is updated and sends commands to the new address of the different general power outlet.

[0017] In an embodiment, the control application is further configured to generate 15 an operation schedule for each of the connected devices and groups of ones of the connected devices selected via the labels. For example, the user can set the oven to turn ON at 6:00pm each day using the control application.

[0018] In an embodiment, the server is further configured to receive geographical data indicative of a geographical location of the mesh network and environmental data indicative of environmental properties of the mesh network. The control application is then further configured to control the one or more of the connected devices selected via the labels based on the geographical data and or the environmental data. For example, the server receives environmental data indicating that the interior of the home is above a threshold value of 25°C, and turns ON a fan connected to a fan switch in the home network.

[0019] In an embodiment, the server is further configured to further analyse the power data to determine characteristics of power usage over time associated with each of the electrical appliances categories. The control application is then further configured to control the one or more of the connected devices selected via the labels 30 based on the characteristics.

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 [0020] In an embodiment, the control application is further configured to alert a user to an anomaly of power usage over time associated with each of the electrical appliances categories. For example, the control application alerts a user to an anomaly in the form of the fridge connected to a general power outlet suddenly turning OFF whilst the rest of the connected devices in the home network remain ON.

[0021] That is, the control application may implement automatic actions based on the labels (alternatively the server may also implement these automatic actions). For example, if a user labels a power outlet a fridge or the server identifies the power signature as a fridge, the system automatically implements the action of applying a 10 lock to control of the fridge to stop the user from accidentally turning the fridge OFF using the control application. Further, if a user labels an iron or the server identifies the power signature as an iron, and the server determines that it is left on by the determined power usage characteristics, the iron can be turned OFF by the control application and an alert can be sent to the user.

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of configuring a control application of a mesh network of connected devices, whereby one or more of the connected devices in the mesh network include a power monitoring module configured to monitor power usage over time, the method including: receiving power data indicative of the power usage over time of each of the 20 one or more connected devices; analysing the power data to identify signatures of power usage over time; classifying the signatures, using a classifier, into electrical appliance categories; generating labels corresponding to the electrical appliance categories based on the signatures; and providing the labels to the control application and thereby controlling the one or more of the connected devices that are selected via 25 the labels by sending commands to addresses of the one or more of the connected devices over the mesh network.

Brief Description of Drawings [0023] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 [0024] Figure 1 shows a system for configuring a control application implemented in a control device of a mesh network of connected devices according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 shows a mesh network of connected devices according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 shows a control application implemented on a control device of a mesh network of connected devices according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 shows a control application implemented on a control device of a mesh network of connected devices according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 shows a control application implemented on a control device of a mesh network of connected devices according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 shows a graph of typical signatures of power usage over time for different electrical appliances categories;

[0030] Figure 7 shows another graph of typical signatures of power usage over time for different electrical appliances categories; and [0031] Figure 8 shows a flow chart of a method of configuring a control application of a mesh network of connected devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description [0032] Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a system 10 for configuring a control application implemented on a control device 1 of a mesh network 11 of connected devices 12 14 16. In the embodiment, the mesh network 11 is a home automation Bluetooth LE mesh network of the type described above. The connected devices in the embodiment include a double general power outlet socket 12, a sensor 14 and a double switch 16. The double general power outlet socket 12, in addition to having Bluetooth LE connectivity, has ON/OFF push buttons, a power ON indicator, a colour changing user indicator, a power monitoring module 13, and is rated at 10A per socket. The power monitoring module 13 is configured to monitor power usage over time of each of the socket and therefore the power usage of the electrical appliances connected to the sockets. It will nonetheless be appreciated by those persons skilled in the art that other properties of a general power outlet socket could be used with the mesh network 11.

[0033] The sensor 14 of the mesh network 11 also has Bluetooth LE connectivity, and has one or more of temperature, humidity and movement sensors therein, as well as a colour changing user indicator. The double switch 16 shown in Figure 1, in addition to having Bluetooth LE connectivity, has ON/OFF push buttons, dimming controls for lighting (e.g. LED lighting), a colour changing user indicator, and is rated up to 400W. Further, the double switch 16 also includes a power monitoring module 13 configured to monitor power usage over time of electrical appliances such as lights connected to each of the switches.

[0034] It will also be appreciated that other devices with other capabilities could be connected to the mesh network 11. For example, a fan control device, with Bluetooth LE connectivity and multiple speed fan control, timer and night modes, ON/OFF light control, and rated at 500W for a fan or a light could be connected to the mesh network 11. And some of these devices may have power monitoring modules. Other devices include a dimmer power socket, also with ON/OFF push button and dimming controls for lighting, and a colour changing user indicator, and indeed other types of devices such as electrical appliances mentioned above.

[0035] Also, in the embodiment, the general power outlet 12 connects to a wireless router 15 so as to provide Internet connectivity to the mesh network 11. Such a wireless router can increase the mesh network 11 functionality and provide additional user interaction and tracking information to the control device 1.

[0036] In respect of the exemplary embodiment of Figure 1, the mesh network 11 is formed by the connected devices 12 14 16 to form a home automation installation, and the electrical appliances are electrically connected to the sockets 12, sensor 14 and switches 16 to be controlled by the control application implemented on the control device 1. For example, in a typical home automation installation, a fridge is

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 connected to the socket 12, a television is connected to the socket 12, and lighting for a room is connected to the switch 16. The sensor 14 may also be connected to the lighting so the lighting can turn ON when say movement is detected. Figure 2 shows another exemplary embodiment of a mesh network 11 of connected devices installed 5 on a floor of a workplace.

[0037] In both exemplary embodiments, to form the mesh network 11 the system 10 includes an administrator device (not shown) configured to provision each of the connected devices in the mesh network 11. With reference to Figure 1, the administrator device is configured to send a network key to each of the connected devices 12 14 16 in the mesh network 11 via the Bluetooth LE communication standard. As mentioned, the administrator device is typically a smartphone or tablet or other computing device configured to run an application to provision the connected devices 12 14 16 in the mesh network 11.

[0038] The administrator device may also be configured to generate a network key. The administrator device receives and stores the addresses of each of the connected devices 12 14 16 in association with the network key in one or more configuration files on a memory of the administrator device. For simplicity, the one or more configuration files will hereinafter simply be referred to as one configuration file.

[0039] The control device 1 is typically a smartphone or tablet or other computing device that is configured to implement the control application to control the connected devices 12 14 16 in the mesh network 11. The system 10 automatically generates labels corresponding to electrical appliance categories that are connected to the connected devices 12 14 16 in the mesh network 11. These labels are provided to the control application so that the control application can be configured to control the electrical appliances connected to ones of the connected devices 12 14 16 if they are selected for control by a user via the labels. The electrical appliances are controlled by sending commands to the addresses of the connected devices 12 14 16 over the mesh network 11 that are obtained from the configuration file.

[0040] To automatically generate the labels for the control application, the system

10 includes a server 20 in data communication with at least one of connected devices of the mesh network 11 as well as the control device 1 over another network 18,

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 such as the Internet. It will be appreciated by those persons skilled in the art that the server 20 is a computing device with a memory and processor. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the server 20 is configured to receive power data from the power monitoring modules 13 that is indicative of power usage over time of the connected devices 12

16 via the double general power outlet 12 that is connected to the Internet 18. The server 20 is then configured to analyse this power data to identify signatures of power usage over time and then to classify these signatures, using a classifier, into electrical appliance categories. As mentioned, electrical appliances have distinctive signatures of power usage over time so that the server can identify these power usage signatures and classifies them into electrical appliance categories using a classifier algorithm that has been trained on training data of power usage signatures annotated with designated electrical appliances categories. Figures 6 and 7 show typical signatures of power usage over time for different electrical appliances categories. Both these Figures show power usage signatures of electrical appliances in a home with a single power usage monitoring module monitoring all the power usage of a home.

[0041] The server 20 is then configured to generate labels corresponding to the classified electrical appliance categories based on the signatures and provide the labels to the control device 1 implementing the control application. The control application is then configured to control the ones of the connected devices 12 16 that are selected via the labels by sending commands to the addresses of these connected devices 12 16 over the mesh network 11. For example, the server 20 identifies a signature of power usage from the power monitoring module 13 of the general power outlet 12 and classifies it in the category of a fridge. The server then generates a label of a fridge associated with the general power outlet 12 and provides it to the control device 1. The control application is then configured to control the general power outlet 12 that is selected via the fridge label by sending a command to the address of the general power outlet 12 over the mesh network 11.

[0042] In the home automation network example, a user of the control application can view a graphical indication of the labelled categories of electrical appliances control these appliances via the electrically connected devices 12 16 of the mesh network 11 by sending commands to the respective addresses of these connected devices 12 16 over the mesh network 11. Figure 3 shows an example of a control

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 application implemented on the control device 1 of the mesh network 11 showing the labelled categories of electrical appliances.

[0043] Specifically, Figure 3 shows an example of labelled electrical appliances in the form of lights, a television, a pool pump, a fridge, and a dishwasher that are connected to ones of the connected devices 12 14 16 in the mesh network 11 being controlled. For example, a user of the control device 1 can use this control application to turn ON and OFF lights connected to the switches 16 via the toggle switch adjacent the graphical indication of the label “Lights”, as well as to adjust their brightness. The user can also use this application to turn ON and OFF the other appliances via the toggle switch adjacent the graphical indication of the labels corresponding to: “TV”; Pool Pump”; “Fridge”; and “Dishwasher”, that are connected to ones of the power outlet sockets 12.

[0044] As mentioned, the server 20 is further configured to receive other forms of data to control the connected devices 12 14 16. For example, geographical data indicative of a geographical location of the mesh network 11 and environmental data indicative of environmental properties of the mesh network 11 is sent to the server 20 via the Internet 18. In this example, the control application is further configured to control the connected devices 12 14 16 selected via the labels based on this geographical data and or environmental data. In another example, the server 20 is further configured to further analyse the power data received from the power monitoring modules 13 to determine characteristics of power usage over time associated with each of the electrical appliances categories. Here, the control application is further configured to control the connected devices 12 16 selected via the labels based on these characteristics.

[0045] Figure 4 shows another example of a control application implemented on the control device 1 of the mesh network 11. This control application displays the determined characteristics of power consumption and power cost of all the electrical appliances connected to the power outlets 12 and or switches 16 of the mesh network 11. The control application could then be configured, for example, to control some of the connected devices 12 16 during peak and off peak power costs.

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 [0046] Figure 5 shows another example of a control application implemented on the control device 1 of the mesh network 11 where labels corresponding to lighting appliances of a lounge room are displayed to a user. This application includes an operation schedule for the lighting appliances in a lounge room of the home mesh network 11. Here, a security system is provided for the lounge room with sensors 14 and holiday lights connected to switches 16 of the mesh network 11. For example, the lights located in the lounge room can be configured using the application to be turned on at 12:15pm each day while the occupants of the home are on holidays using the control application implemented on the control device 1.

[0047] Further, the server 20 and the control application could be configured to alert a user to an anomaly of power usage over time associated with one of the electrical appliances categories. In respect of the example of Figure 5, as the occupants of the home are on holidays, an anomaly of power usage associated with the lights would be if power data was suddenly received by the server 20. In this case, the server 20 would classify the power data as lights and alert the user to the unauthorised use of the lights.

[0048] Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown a summary of a method 28 of configuring a control application of a mesh network of connected devices, whereby one or more of the connected devices in the mesh network include a power monitoring module configured to monitor power usage over time. The method 28 includes: receiving 30 power data indicative of the power usage over time of each of the one or more connected devices; analysing 32 the power data to identify signatures of power usage over time; classifying 34 the signatures, using a classifier, into electrical appliance categories; generating 36 labels corresponding to the electrical appliance categories based on the signatures; and providing 38 the labels to the control application and thereby controlling the one or more of the connected devices that are selected via the labels by sending commands to addresses of the one or more of the connected devices over the mesh network.

[0049] Further aspects of the method 28 will be apparent from the above description of the system 10. A person skilled in the art will also appreciate that at least parts of the method 28 could be embodied in program code for implementation on a microprocessor of the control device 1 and the server 20. The program code

2019208161 23 Jul 2019 could be supplied in a number of ways, such as on a memory of the server 20 and the control device 1, or transmitted via the Internet 18.

[0050] It will be understood that there may be other variations and modifications to the configurations described herein that are also within the scope of the present invention.

[0051] The discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles and the like is included in this specification solely for the purpose of providing context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any of these matters formed part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge as it existed before the 10 priority date of each claim of this application.

Claims

Claims:

1. A system for configuring a control application implemented on a control device of a mesh network of connected devices, the system including:

one or more of the connected devices in the mesh network including a power monitoring module configured to monitor power usage over time;

a server, in data communication with at least one of the one or more connected devices of the mesh network and the control device, configured to:

receive power data indicative of the power usage over time of each of the one or more connected devices;

analyse the power data to identify signatures of power usage over time; classify the signatures, using a classifier, into electrical appliance categories;

generate labels corresponding to the electrical appliance categories based on the signatures; and provide the labels to the control application, wherein the control application is configured to control the one or more of the connected devices that are selected via the labels by sending commands to addresses of the one or more of the connected devices over the mesh network.
2. A system of claim 1, wherein the classifier is a learning algorithm that has been trained using training data including signatures of power usage over time annotated with a designated one of the electrical appliances categories.
3. A system of claims 1 or 2, wherein the server is further configured to receive geographical data indicative of a geographical location of the mesh network and environmental data indicative of environmental properties of the mesh network.
4. A system of claim 3, wherein the control application is further configured to control the one or more of the connected devices selected via the labels based on the geographical data and or the environmental data.
5. A system of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the server is further configured to further analyse the power data to determine characteristics of power usage over time associated with each of the electrical appliances categories.
6. A system of claim 5, wherein the control application is further configured to control the one or more of the connected devices selected via the labels based on the characteristics.
7. A system of claim 5 or 6, wherein the control application is further configured to alert a user to an anomaly of power usage over time associated with each of the electrical appliances categories.
8. A system of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control application is further configured to generate an operation schedule for each of the connected devices and groups of ones of the connected devices selected via the labels.
9. A system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the connected devices include one or more of: general power socket outlets; light switches; fan controls; sensors; and lighting power socket outlets.
10. A method of configuring a control application of a mesh network of connected devices, whereby one or more of the connected devices in the mesh network include a power monitoring module configured to monitor power usage over time, the method including:

receiving power data indicative of the power usage over time of each of the one or more connected devices;

analysing the power data to identify signatures of power usage over time; classifying the signatures, using a classifier, into electrical appliance categories;

generating labels corresponding to the electrical appliance categories based on the signatures; and providing the labels to the control application and thereby controlling the one or more of the connected devices that are selected via the labels by sending commands to addresses of the one or more of the connected devices over the mesh network.
11. A method of claim 10, wherein the classifier is a learning algorithm that has been trained using training data including signatures of power usage over time annotated with a designated one of the electrical appliances categories.
12. A method of claim 10 or 11, further including receiving geographical data indicative of a geographical location of the mesh network and environmental data indicative of environmental properties of the mesh network.
13. A method of claim 12, further including the control application controlling the one or more of the connected devices selected via the labels based on the geographical data and or the environmental data.
14. A method of any one of claims 10 to 13, including further analysing the power data to determine characteristics of power usage over time associated with each of the electrical appliances categories.
15. A method of claim 14, further including the control application controlling the one or more of the connected devices selected via the labels based on the characteristics.
16. A method of claim 14 or 15, further including the control application alerting a user to an anomaly of power usage over time associated with each of the electrical appliances categories.
17. A method of any one of claims 10 to 16, further including generating an operation schedule for each of the connected devices and groups of ones of the connected devices selected via the labels.
18. A method of any one of claims 10 to 17, wherein the connected devices include one or more of: general power socket outlets; light switches; fan controls; sensors; and lighting power socket outlets.