Patent ID: 9252967
Filing Date: 2016-02-02
CPC Classification: G05B,H04L

Claim Text:
1. An apparatus comprising: home-automation edge-component interfaces; a hardware-based control circuit operably coupled to the home-automation edge-component interfaces, wherein the control circuit is configured to compatibly interact with a plurality of home-automation edge components including at least a first home-automation edge-component interface that operates compatibly with a first class of home-automation edge components that comprise a first brand of home-automation edge components and a second home-automation edge-component interface that operates compatibly with a second class of home-automation edge components that comprise a second, different brand of home-automation edge components, wherein specific remotely-selectable operating states apart from communication protocol requirements of at least some of the home-automation edge components differs amongst otherwise-similar classes or types of home-automation edge components such that at least some home-automation edge components of the first class of home-automation edge components will have at least one non-communication protocol operating state that is not available to at least one categorically-similar home-automation edge component of the second class of home-automation edge components, such that the first class of home-automation edge components are operationally incompatible with the second class of home-automation edge components, and wherein the control circuit is configured to interact with the plurality of home-automation edge components, at least in part, by compatibly receiving sensor data from home-automation edge components that comprise sensors and compatibly instructing home-automation edge components that comprise actuators, and wherein the home-automation edge components at least include a plurality and variety of installed appliances including at least one from a group comprising a home temperature control component, a liquid pumping component, and a movable barrier operator and at least one from a group comprising a laundry appliance and a kitchen appliance and a plurality and variety of non-permanently-deployed appliances including at least one from a group comprising a lighting component, a home-entertainment component, and a communication component.