Automatically switching communication pathways between connected devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for switching communication pathways between a mobile device and connected “Internet of Things” (IOT) device are described to improve scalability and communication between devices. An application on the mobile device may determine whether local or virtual local endpoints are available to route communications without using a remote IoT server endpoint. Communications and updates from multiple co-located, but not necessarily user-related connected devices may be aggregated, and sent to a remote IoT server to reduce the peak load scalability requirement of the server.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 determining, at an application operating on a mobile computing device, one or more pathways to route a first communication from the mobile computing device to a controlled device, the first communication indicative of altering a state of the controlled device;   determining, at the application, an optimal pathway from the one or more pathways,   sending the first communication from the mobile computing device to the controlled device through the optimal pathway;   altering the state of the controlled device, based on the first communication;   generating, at the controlled device, a responsive communication indicative of the altered state of the controlled device; and   updating, based on the responsive communication, a remote server in communication with the controlled device and mobile computing device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the optimal pathway is based one or more of network traffic, a location of the mobile computing device, a location of the controlled device, one or more available endpoints, and a previously determined optimal pathway. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the available endpoints include one or more of: the remote server, a cloud server endpoint, a local endpoint, or a virtual local endpoint. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the optimal pathway does not include the remote server. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the optimal pathway is WiFi direct. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a location of the mobile computing device identifies a previously determined optimal communication pathway. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising updating a list on the application with the determined optimal pathway at a current location of the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the optimal pathway is determined based on a number of hops between the mobile computing device and the controlled device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the controlled device is configured to relay one or more communications from a second controlled device to one or more of the remote server and the mobile computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the application monitors communications between the remote server and controlled device. 
     
     
         21 . A system comprising:
 a processor;   a controlled computing device; and   a mobile computing device comprising a first set of instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the system to at least:
 determine one or more pathways to route a first communication to the controlled device, the first communication indicative of altering a state of the controlled device; 
 determine an optimal pathway from the one or more pathways; 
 send the first communication to the controlled device through the optimal pathway; 
 alter the state of the controlled device based on the first communication; 
 generate, at the controlled device, a responsive communication indicative of the altered state of the controlled device; and 
 send the responsive communication from the controlled device to a remote server in communication with the controlled device and mobile computing device. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions that determine one or more pathways further cause the system to at least detect whether the mobile computing device and controlled device are on a same network. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the remote server is a cloud server. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21  wherein the optimal pathway is based one or more of network traffic, a location of the mobile computing device, a location of the controlled device, one or more available endpoints, and a previously determined optimal pathway. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the controlled device is designated a gateway device configured to receive one or more communications from a plurality of controlled devices and route the one or more communications to the remote server. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the gateway device compiles the one or more communications from the plurality of controlled devices for a period of time before routing to the remote server. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the controlled device is designated as the gateway device based on one or more of power availability, network speed, location, a number of sent communications, and efficiency. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein controlled device is a hub, a thermostat, a household appliance, a medical device, or entertainment equipment. 
     
     
         29 . A computer-readable storage medium having stored therein computer instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors of a computing device, at least cause the computing device to:
 determine one or more pathways to route a first communication to a controlled device, the first communication indicative of altering a state of the controlled device;   determine an optimal pathway from the one or more pathways;   send the first communication to the controlled device through the optimal pathway;   alter the state of the controlled device based on the first communication;   generate, at the controlled device, a responsive communication indicative of the altered state of the controlled device; and   send the responsive communication from the controlled device to a remote server in communication with the controlled device.   
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 29 , wherein the optimal pathway is based one or more of network traffic, a location of the mobile computing device, a location of the controlled device, one or more available endpoints, and a previously determined optimal pathway.