CN106657207B

CN106657207B - Method and system for managing internet of things users and devices

Info

Publication number: CN106657207B
Application number: CN201610514760.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 谷群山
Original assignee: Suzhou Zushitong Information Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Suzhou Zushitong Information Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2015-12-29
Filing date: 2016-06-30
Publication date: 2020-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 2036-06-30
Also published as: CN106657207A

Abstract

The invention discloses a method and a device for managing the Internet of things, which comprises the following steps: authenticating, with a server associated with the internet of things, a first device associated with a first account name and a second device associated with a second account name; connecting said authenticated first device and said authenticated second device via a communication system; communicating data between the first device and the second device connected to the communication system by: generating, with the first device, data representing a data type with a component of one of the first device and the second device; transmitting, with the communication system, the data to the second device. The communicated data may be video data, image data, audio data, alarm data, or location data generated with a component associated with the first device.

Description

Method and system for managing internet of things users and devices

Technical Field

The present invention relates to management of users and devices of the internet of things, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for managing users and devices of the internet of things.

Background

The Internet of things (IoT) is a network of connected devices that provides advanced connectivity for devices, systems, and services. The connected devices may be used to detect, receive, and transmit information, and may communicate with other devices, networks, or computers.

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above, an object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for managing users and devices of the internet of things.

In order to achieve the above object, in one aspect, the present invention discloses a method for communicating data with associated devices connected to the internet of things, including:

authenticating, with a server associated with the internet of things, a first device associated with a first account name and a second device associated with a second account name;

connecting said authenticated first device and said authenticated second device via a communication system;

communicating data between the first device and the second device connected to the communication system by:

generating, with the first device, data representing a data type with a component of one of the first device and the second device;

transmitting, with the communication system, the data to the second device.

In another aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for communicating data with associated devices connected to an internet of things, including:

at least one memory;

at least one processor that executes instructions stored within the memory to:

authenticating a first device associated with a first account name and a second device associated with a second account name;

transmitting, with the communication system, the data to the second device.

The above and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying drawing figures. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity of explanation. In the drawings:

fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a device attempting to initiate authentication with a server associated with the internet of things provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an internet of things in which the device shown in fig. 1 is connected to another networked device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 3 is a flowchart of a method for connecting devices in an internet of things according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an individual attempting to initiate authentication with a server connected to the Internet of things provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the Internet of things provided in FIG. 1 in which an individual is connected to another networked device;

fig. 6 is a flowchart of a method for connecting devices and individuals in the internet of things according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of an Internet of things in which data is communicated between two networked devices, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a module for generating and communicating data between networked devices according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The Internet (Internet) is a global system in which computer networks and computers communicate via standard Internet Protocol suites, such as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) protocols. The internet of things (IoT) includes devices that can detect, receive, or transmit information and can communicate with other devices, networks, or computers. Each device in the internet of things may be uniquely specified by an identifier, such as a radio frequency identification code or address. Devices in the internet of things may include devices such as sensors, actuators, cell phones, appliances, and other connectable devices.

The internet of things, due to its large number of connected devices, often lacks the security of the central server login mechanism, which is typically used to manage the interconnection of media systems, such as video, audio and instant messaging; the internet of things is also often isolated from social networks. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods and apparatus for authenticating devices that allow communication between devices through a server with an account name. The same account name may be associated with any number of device identifiers and may also be used in a social networking application, thereby providing a network that can include both social networking and internet of things connectivity functions. Multiple devices associated with the same account may log onto the server regardless of how many devices are associated with the same account name.

Furthermore, devices and their interconnections (i.e., connections to other devices) may be managed through different policies assigned based on their account names. For example, devices may automatically connect when they share the same account name or belong to a group. Thus, the remote device may act as a monitoring or tracking device without server or human intervention. For example, a video or audio communication connection may be automatically established between two devices associated with the same account. In some embodiments, different devices may be assigned different policies for their interconnectivity.

Further, one internet of things may be used to transmit data generated by a first networked device to a second networked device, such as the first and second devices that have authenticated each other. The first device may generate one or more of a variety of data, such as location data, video data, image data, and sound data. The different types of data generated by the first device may be generated using different hardware components of the first device. For example, location data may be generated by a geographic location or global positioning system component of the first device, while video data may be generated by image and sound acquisition components of the first device, such as a camera and microphone.

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods and apparatus for transmitting data generated by a first networked device to a second networked device by executing a mobile application on the first and second networked devices. A single instance of the mobile application may be shared between the first and second networked devices, or each device may separately execute an instance of the mobile application. The mobile application includes user interface functionality for authenticating networked devices, generating data, and transmitting the generated data to authenticated devices. For example, the mobile application may include a plurality of modules for generating data types, wherein a first module is for generating location data and may be represented in the user interface by a satellite icon, and when the icon is clicked, data representing the location of the device or authentication device is generated by a geographic location or global positioning system component of the device. The user interface may provide a convenient way for a user of the networked device to generate and communicate various types of data without requiring direct user interaction with the various hardware components of the device used to generate the data.

Under the same account, the devices can be distinguished by the device identifier assigned to each device. The device identifier may be defined and assigned to uniquely identify devices under the same account name. This may enable management of multiple internet of things devices in a single account via different device names.

In addition to the functionality of the internet of things, the account may also include social networking functionality, unifying the functionality of the internet of things and social networking in the same interface.

Connecting devices associated with different account names may be accomplished through the process of defined rules and permissions. For example, additional control mechanisms, such as a request and approval procedure, may be used to add a device to a "friends" list of another device.

In some embodiments, devices associated with different account names and the same account may be divided into two groups. The grouping may also be based on other criteria and may also include a mix of people and things. For example, one group may include devices and individuals associated with one family, while another group may include devices and individuals belonging to a friendship. Different policies may be defined and applied to manage the internet of things devices and their interconnections with other devices or individuals.

As used herein, the term "internet of things device" (or "IoT device") may refer to any object (e.g., device, sensor, etc.) that has an addressable interface (e.g., an IP address, a bluetooth identifier, a Near Field Communication (NFC) identifier), and may transmit information to one or more other devices over a wired or wireless connection. An internet of things device may have a passive communication interface such as a Quick Response (QR) code, a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag, an NFC tag, or the like, or an active communication interface such as a modem, a radio transceiver, a transmitter, or the like.

An internet of things device may have a particular set of attributes (e.g., device status or condition, such as the internet of things device being on or off, idle or active, available to perform a task or occupied, etc., cooling or heating functions, environmental monitoring or recording functions, lighting functions, sounding functions) that may be embedded, controlled or monitored by a Central Processing Unit (CPU), microprocessor, Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or the like.

For example, the internet of things devices may include, but are not limited to, refrigerators, toasters, ovens, microwave ovens, freezers, dishwashers, hand tools, washers, dryers, ovens, air conditioners, thermostats, televisions, lights, cleaners, sprinklers, electricity meters, gas meters, etc., as long as the devices are equipped with an addressable communication interface to communicate with the internet of things. The internet of things device may also include a mobile phone, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and the like.

An internet of things device may be configured to connect to an internet of things, such as a local wireless ad hoc network (ad-hoc network) or the internet. Accordingly, the internet of things may be included in a combination of "traditional" internet accessible devices (e.g., laptop or desktop computers, cell phones, etc.) and devices that typically do not have internet connectivity (e.g., dishwashers).

Fig. 1 illustrates a device 104 attempting to initiate authentication (e.g., login) to a server 106 associated with the internet of things 108. Optionally, the device 104 may be connected to the network 102, and the network 102 may be the internet, a private network, a public network, a social network, and/or another internet of things. Network 102 may also include other devices having the same account name. For example, the device 104 may be associated with a device identifier ("000001") and an account name ("Green"). Each device identifier is associated with at least one device. The server 106 controls the internet of things 108 accessing the network and authenticates the device 104 via the account name associated with the device ("green"). The internet of things 108, as depicted, is connected to

devices

110 and 112, but may also be connected to the internet, private networks, public networks, social networks, other internet of things, and/or other devices.

Devices

110 and 112 are not connected because device 112 has a different account name ("Red") than device 110 ("Green") and thus belongs to a different group. Although device 110 belongs to the same group with the same account name as device 104, the device identifiers of

devices

104 and 110 are different and specific to each device. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that devices having the same account name are a special case of devices belonging to the same group.

Networks

102 and 108 may include wired or wireless network devices, such as routers, switches, relays, or servers, to enable or connect communications to the devices. In some embodiments,

networks

102 and 108 may comprise cloud computing environments. In other embodiments, the network is a local area network, an internet of things, or a machine-to-machine network. Thus, in some embodiments, devices connected to

networks

102 and 108 and interconnected with each other may communicate autonomously via machine-to-machine technology.

Fig. 2 illustrates an internet of things 202 in which devices 204 are connected to devices 208 having the same account name. Here device 208 has been authenticated by the server (not shown) and connected to device 204 because

devices

204 and 208 have the same account name and thus belong to the same group.

Devices

204 and 208 are interconnected, but device 206 is not connected, and thus belong to different groups because device 206 has a different account name. In some embodiments,

devices

204 and 208 connect automatically through machine-to-machine technology. In other embodiments,

devices

204 and 208 are automatically connected through a machine rather than a server. In these embodiments, the connection between

devices

204 and 208 may enable simple management and information exchange via account name ("Green"). As shown in fig. 2, multiple devices (e.g., 204 and 208) under the same account name ("Green") are logged into the server and distinguished by device identifiers (e.g., "000001" and "000002").

Fig. 3 is a flow chart describing a method of connecting devices belonging to the same group and, if necessary, connecting devices belonging to different groups in an internet of things. Step 302 represents a device having a device identifier. In step 304, an account name is associated with the device identifier in a communication protocol via, for example, a server. The account name may be, for example, any user account, an email address, a telephone number, or a unique string within a server. In some embodiments, the device identifier is associated to the account name in a resource field of the XMPP protocol. In other embodiments, each device identifier is a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). In other embodiments, each device is associated with at least one unique device identifier for which said each account name is intended. In some of the embodiments described above, an additional identifying indicia is associated with the device identifier and the account name in the resource field. For example, the additional identifying indicia may indicate a device type and/or version number of the application.

In step 306, the device is authenticated via the account name and the device identifier, e.g., by a server associated with an internet of things, and then logs the device into the internet of things. In decision branch 308, the account name of the device is compared to the account names of the other devices. If the account name of the device and the account name of another device belong to the same group, the devices are connected to manage and exchange information in step 310. In some embodiments, determining whether the account name of the device and the account name of the other device belong to the same group requires determining whether the first account name and the second account name are the same. In other embodiments, the connection of the devices does not require server or human intervention. In other embodiments, the device may be prompted by a machine other than the server to establish the connection. In other embodiments, the establishment of the device connection may be through machine-to-machine communication. In other embodiments, the device establishes the connection through spontaneous video or audio communication.

If the account name associated with the device authenticated by the server at step 306 is in a different group than account names of other devices in the internet of things at step 308, a request and approval process may be initiated at step 312 that connects devices associated with the different group using the server or human intervention. Similarly, devices connected in step 310 may also establish connections with devices belonging to different groups by initiating a request and grant procedure in step 312. If a connection to a device belonging to a different group is not desired or approved, the flow continues to step 314 where data is communicated between the connected devices. The manner in which data is communicated and the types of data that may be communicated between connected devices will be discussed in more detail below.

If the connection to the device belonging to the different group is approved, the flow continues to step 316 where a decision is made whether to restrict information access and control. In some embodiments, different policies may be automatically assigned for connecting devices belonging to different groups. In other embodiments, the policy may be assigned via manual or server intervention to connect devices belonging to different groups. If it is desired to limit access, then in step 318, connections for devices belonging to different groups may be established with different policies for managing and/or sharing information between the different groups. Thus, devices that are logged into the same group of the server may have different policies for control and connection than devices that are logged into different groups of the server. If it is desired to achieve uniform management and complete information sharing among devices belonging to different groups logged in to the server, the devices belonging to different groups establish connections using the same policy in step 320. After

steps

318 and 320 are completed, the flow loops back to step 312 until it terminates at step 314.

In some embodiments, if devices of different account names are approved for connection, the other devices may be added to a "buddy list" so that the flow connects the devices with appropriate restrictions in step 308 in the future, thereby obviating the need for

steps

316 or 320.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the design implemented in fig. 3 may be used for networks that include individuals only and networks that include individuals and devices. Those skilled in the art will immediately recognize that the process illustrated in fig. 3 may be used in a network of individuals (i.e., a social network) to facilitate information exchange and management control through the use of account names (not shown). As will be apparent below, fig. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate the use of the above-described design in a network of individuals and devices to facilitate information exchange and administrative control through the use of account names.

Fig. 4 illustrates a person 404 attempting to initiate authentication (e.g., login) to a server 406 connected to a network 408, the network 408 also being connected to

devices

410 and 412. Optionally, the individual 404 may be connected to a network 402, and the network 402 may be the internet, a private network, a public network, a social network, or another internet of things. Network 402 may also include other devices and/or other individuals of different names or different account names and thus belonged to or grouped under different groups. The individual 404 is associated with an individual identifier ("000001") and an account name ("Green"). Each of the personal identifiers is associated with at least one individual, and in some embodiments, the personal identifier is unique to each account name. Server 406 controls access to network 408 and authenticates individuals 402 by the account name ("Green") associated with the individual, respectively.

Network 408, as shown, is connected to

devices

410 and 412, but may also be connected to the internet, private networks, public networks, social networks, other internet of things, other devices, or other individuals.

Devices

410 and 412 are not connected because device 412 has a different account name ("Red") than device 410 ("Green") and thus belongs to a different group.

Fig. 5 illustrates a network 506 that includes devices and individuals. Device 504 and person 502 have the same account name and thus may belong to the same group and thus are connected to each other. Here the person 502 has been authenticated by a server (not shown) and connected to the device 504, since the device and the person belong to the same group. Person 502 and device 504, but not device 506, are interconnected with each other because devices 506 belong to different groups. In some embodiments, device 504 and person 502 are automatically connected through a machine rather than a server. Here, the connection may make management and information exchange between device 504 and person 502 via an account name ("Green") simpler. As shown in fig. 5, device 504 and person 502 are logged onto the server with the same account name ("Green").

Fig. 6 specifically illustrates the use of the design shown in fig. 3 to distinguish devices from individuals in a network comprising individuals and devices in a grouping to distinguish devices in the internet of things. Accordingly, FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method for connecting individuals and devices having the same account name and belonging to the same group in a network containing the individuals and devices, and if desired, connecting the individuals to devices belonging to different groups. Step 602 presents an individual having an individual identifier. In step 604, an account name is associated with the personal identifier via, for example, a server, via the communication protocol. The account name may be, for example, any user account, an email address, a telephone number, or a unique string within a server. In some embodiments, the personal identifier is associated with the account name through a resource field in the XMPP protocol. In other embodiments, each personal Identifier is a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). In other embodiments, each individual is associated with at least one unique individual identifier for each username. In some of the embodiments described above, one additional identifying indicia may be associated with the device identifier and the account name via the resource field. For example, the additional identification mark may indicate a device type and/or a version number of an application program.

In step 606, the individual is authenticated, e.g., by a server associated with the network, by the account name and the individual identifier, and the device logs into the network. In decision branch 608, the account name of the individual is compared to account names of other devices or individuals. If the account name of the individual is in the same group as the account names of the other devices and/or individuals, then the individual connects with the other devices and/or individuals to manage and communicate information in step 610. In some embodiments, determining whether the account name of the individual is in the same group as the account names of the other devices and/or individuals requires determining whether the first account name and the second account name are the same. In other embodiments, the device connection is established without server or human intervention. In other embodiments, the device may be prompted by a machine other than the server to establish the connection. In other embodiments, the individual establishes a connection with other devices and/or individuals through spontaneous video or audio communication.

If the server-authenticated account name associated with the individual in step 606 is classified in a different group than the account names of other devices and/or individuals in the network in step 608, a request and approval process may be initiated in step 612 that uses the server or manual intervention to connect devices and/or individuals that belong to a different group. Similarly, the individual and other devices and/or individuals connected in step 610 may also initiate a request and approval procedure in step 612 to establish a connection with devices and/or individuals belonging to different groups. If it is not desired or approved for individuals belonging to different groups to connect with other devices and/or individuals, the process terminates at step 614.

If the connection of individuals belonging to different groups with other devices and/or individuals is approved, the flow proceeds to step 616 where a determination is made whether to restrict information access and control. In some embodiments, different policies may be automatically assigned for connecting individuals with devices and/or individuals belonging to different groups. In other embodiments, the policy may be assigned via manual or server intervention to connect individuals with devices and/or individuals belonging to different groups. If it is desired to limit access, then in step 618 connections of the individual with devices and/or individuals belonging to different groups may be established with different policies for managing and/or sharing information between the different groups. Thus, individuals of the same group logged into the server may have different policies for control and connection than devices and/or individuals of a different group. If it is desired to achieve unified management and complete information sharing between the individual logged into the server and the devices and/or individuals belonging to different groups, then in step 620, a connection is established between the individual and the devices and/or individuals belonging to different groups using the same policy. After

steps

618 and 620 are completed, the flow loops back to step 612 until it terminates at step 614.

It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiment shown in fig. 6 may be adapted to connect other devices and/or individuals to a network including devices and/or networks.

In some embodiments, if devices of different account names are approved for connection, the other devices may be added to a "buddy list" so that the flow connects the devices with appropriate restrictions in step 608 in the future, thereby obviating the need for

step

616 or 620.

Regardless of the manner in which the devices are connected, once authenticated, devices connected through the internet of things will be able to communicate data with other connected devices. Communicating data in this sense refers to the sending of data from one connected device to another connected device and may therefore include a first device generating data to send to a second device, a first device generating data to be identified by the second device (e.g., a central server stored within an internet of things), a first device identifying data sent to the second device, a first device prompting the second device for identification of data, and so on. Thus, data communication between a first device and a second device connected to the internet of things may include the transmission of electronic signals representing data, the transmission of electronic signals representing data identifying certain data, or other data exchange between the connected devices.

Fig. 7 illustrates an internet of things 702 in which devices 704 are connected to devices 706 having the same account name. Here, the connection may make management and information exchange between

devices

704 and 706 via an account name ("Green") simpler. As shown in fig. 7, multiple devices (e.g., 704 and 706) under the same account name ("Green") are logged into the server and distinguished by device identifiers (e.g., "000001" and "000002"). Thus, the connection enables data generated by the connected device, such as data 708 generated by device 704, to be communicated to device 706 via the internet of things 702, where the communicated data is received as generated data 710. Alternatively, data 710 generated by the device 706 may be communicated to the device 704 via the internet of things 702 to receive the generated data 708.

The type of data that may be communicated between the connected devices depends on the type of device connected to the internet of things 702. For example, if both device 704 and device 706 are smartphone devices, the generated data 708 and/or 710 may generally be any type of data capable of being processed by the smartphone devices; however, if one or both of device 704 and device 706 are sensors, such as sensors configured to detect an event or instance with an indication of a binary signal, the generated data 708 and/or 710 may simply be the binary signal.

To illustrate the features of the present disclosure, the following embodiments assume that the

networked devices

704 and 706 are mobile computing devices, such as smartphones. In some embodiments, the data communicated between

devices

704 and 706 may be video data, image data, audio data, alarm data, or location data generated thereon with components associated with the devices. Thus, for location data, a first device may generate data representing a real-time or near real-time location of the device, which may thereafter be transmitted to the other device to report the location of the first device on the other device. This may be used, for example, to locate a smartphone or other internet-of-things connected device when misplaced, lost or stolen. The location data may include geo-location data, global positioning data, or any other type of data for identifying the connected device with a physical reference point.

According to another embodiment, the first device generates video data or image data with an image acquisition component, such as a front or rear camera coupled to the smartphone, and then transmits to the other device. For example, by generating video data, a pair of interconnected devices may be used as a security system to monitor a particular object or environment in real time. In some embodiments, the device receiving the transmitted video or image data may record the received video or image data for later viewing. Similarly, the generated data may be audio data generated with a sound acquisition component of the originating equipment.

The first device may generate alert data representing an event or instance detected by, for example, a sound or image acquisition component of the first device. In some embodiments, the alert data may be a text message or other generated electronic message signal to notify the device user of the detected event or instance. For example, the first device may be configured to detect motion or noise, and when any of the above events are detected, alert data representative of the motion or noise may be generated and sent to the other device. This feature may have application in security settings such as homes and offices.

The generated data may also be an electronic command for the device to take an action or perform a process upon receipt. That is, by way of another example, the first device may generate an electronic command in the form of data for requesting the apparatus receiving the command to execute a sound file, such as a ring tone of a smartphone. This feature may be useful when the mobile device is lost or misplaced, or the volume is set low or muted, which may cause the mobile device to generate a noise to indicate its location.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a module for generating and communicating data between networked devices according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the modules are integrated into a mobile application 800; however, the modules may also be separate components and/or commands to generate and communicate data on one of first device 704 and second device 706. To illustrate the features of the present disclosure, the following embodiments assume that the

smart devices

704 and 706 execute the modules described in FIG. 8 using the mobile application 800. The data communication between smartphone 704 and smartphone 706 may be via any suitable communication system, such as the internet, an intranet (intranet), Ethernet (Ethernet), WiFi, bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), or any other form, including the type of connection of the internet of things 702, if different from the previous example.

In some embodiments, the mobile application 800 includes a location tracking module 802, a video surveillance module 804, a video/image recording module 806, an event detection module 808, a sound recording module 810, and a remote command module 812. The various modules of the mobile application 800 may be used to generate data by interacting with one or more hardware components of the device, communicate data with an authenticated networked device, or both. The use of one or more of the modules may be initiated by selecting the module within the user interface, for example, by pressing an icon representing the module, entered with a touch screen of

smartphone

704 or 706. In some embodiments, mobile application 800 includes a user interface that includes

icons representing modules

802, 804, 806, 808, 810, and 812. In some embodiments, one or more modules may be represented by one shared icon of the user interface of mobile application 800.

For example, the user interface of mobile application 800 may include an icon depicting a satellite, which represents location tracking module 802. By selecting the icon, the mobile application 800 causes a corresponding hardware component (e.g., a geographic location or global positioning system component) to generate the location data. In some embodiments, selecting the icon may also alternatively or additionally cause the device to receive the location data transmitted to it by a device that generates location data. Generating location data may include determining a location of smartphone 704, smartphone 706, or other device authenticated by the internet of things 702. For example, by selecting the icon representing module 802, the user of smartphone 704 may generate data indicative of the location of smartphone 706, which may be represented in any discernable form, including but not limited to location coordinates, a label on a digital map, the name or address of the house/business/or other establishment within which smartphone 706 is detected, and so forth. Thus, the hardware component selected for generating the location data may be a component of smartphone 706 even though the instructions to generate the location data are provided to smartphone 704.

In other embodiments, the user interface of the mobile application 800 may include an icon depicting a camera, which represents the video surveillance module 804 and/or the video/image recording module 806. Selection of this icon by a user of smartphone 704 may cause a camera or other image acquisition component of smartphone 706 to generate video or image data (and, where video is involved, cause a microphone or other sound acquisition component of smartphone 706 to generate audio data). Thus, a user of smartphone 704 may utilize smartphone 706 as a video monitoring device, e.g., for monitoring security of a home or business, or as a video or image recording device, e.g., for recording video or image data in a unique location.

In some embodiments, the user interface of mobile application 800 may include functionality beyond those shown in the figures. For example, the user interface may allow a user to authenticate one or more networked devices, manage a list of authenticated devices, and maintain a file that includes previously recorded video, image, or sound data generated by or transmitted by the user's device to the user's device.

In other embodiments, the second device (i.e., a device that can receive data communicated between it and the device that generated the data) may comprise a plurality of devices, taking into account all embodiments and disclosures as described herein. In this way, the generated data may be transmitted to multiple devices for immediate mass distribution. For example, when multiple devices are associated with a given account name and authenticated via the internet of things, data generated by a first such device may be transmitted to all other such devices.

Many aspects described herein relate to sequences of operations that can be performed by, for example, components of a computing device. It will be recognized that various operations described herein can be performed by specific circuits, such as Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), program instructions executed by one or more processors, or a combination of both. Moreover, the sequences of operations described herein are considered to be embodied entirely within any form of computer readable storage medium having stored therein a corresponding set of computer instructions the execution of which would cause an associated processor to perform the functions described herein. The instructions may be directly executable or may be used to develop executable instructions. For example, the instructions may be implemented as executable or non-executable machine code, or may be compiled into high-level language instructions that produce executable or non-executable machine code. Further, the instructions may also be embodied as or may include data. Computer-executable instructions may also be organized in any format, including routines, subroutines, programs, data structures, objects, modules, applications, applets, functions, and the like. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the details of the instructions, including but not limited to, number, structure, sequence, and organization, may vary considerably without changing the basic logic, functionality, processing, and output.

The various illustrative blocks, modules, elements, components, methods, and algorithms described herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative blocks, modules, elements, components, methods, and algorithms have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application. The various components and modules may be arranged differently (e.g., arranged in a different order or divided in a different manner) without departing from the scope of the subject technology.

Therefore, while the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is within the scope of the law.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data with an associated device connected to the internet of things, comprising:

authenticating, with a server associated with the internet of things, a first device associated with a first account name and a second device associated with a second account name through a device identifier and an account;

determining whether the first account name and the second account name are simultaneously associated with one or more common groups, wherein,

said first device and said second device being authenticated by said server to allow a connection between said first device and said second device if said first account name and said second account name are simultaneously associated with one or more of said common groups,

determining whether a connection restriction is enforced by one of the first device and the second device if the first account name and the second account name are not associated with one or more of the common groups simultaneously, wherein,

the first device and the second device being authenticated by the server to allow connection between the first device and the second device if no connection restriction is enforced,

if a connection restriction is enforced, the first device and the second device are not authenticated by the server to allow a connection between the first device and the second device using the server or manual intervention;

connecting the authenticated first device and the authenticated second device through a communication system;

generating, with the first device, data representing a data type with a component of the first device;

transmitting said data to said second device, or

Sending an instruction from the first device to the second device, the second device generating data representing a data type from a component of the second device according to the instruction;

the second device transmits the data to other second devices in the communication system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

generating, with the first device, data representative of a real-time or near real-time location of the first device;

transmitting the data representative of the location of the first device to the second device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

generating video data or image data with an image acquisition component associated with the first device;

transmitting the video data or image data to the second device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device further comprises:

with the second device, recording the transmitted video data or image data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

generating alert data indicative of an event or instance detected by the first device with one or both of an image capture component and a sound capture component associated with the first device;

transmitting the alert data to the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

generating sound data with a sound acquisition component associated with the first device;

transmitting the sound data to the second device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

generating, with the first device, an electronic command for execution for a sound file associated with the second device;

transmitting the electronic command from the first device to the second device;

executing, with the second device, the received electronic command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a plurality of devices.

9. An apparatus for communicating data with associated devices connected to the internet of things, comprising:

at least one memory;

at least one processor that executes instructions stored within the memory to:

authenticating a first device associated with a first account name and a second device associated with a second account name with a device identifier and an account;

transmitting said data to said second device, or

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

transmitting the video data or image data to the second device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device further comprises:

with the second device, recording the transmitted video data or image data.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

transmitting the alert data to the second device.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

transmitting the sound data to the second device.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein communicating data between the first device and the second device comprises:

transmitting the electronic command from the first device to the second device;

executing, with the second device, the received electronic command.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second device comprises a plurality of devices.