Systems and methods for preparing and re-commissioning a controlled device in a home area network are described. A utility meter is communicated with. An authentication key and encryption data for communicating with the utility meter may be determined. The authentication key and encryption data are sent to a controlled device. A set of translation rules for a message are determined. The translation rules are sent to the controlled device. The controlled device establishes a secure communication link with the utility meter using the authentication key and the encryption data. The controlled device receives a request to change power usage from the utility meter over the secure communication link. The controlled device translates the request to change power usage into control instructions using the translation rules.

A method and apparatus for controlling a device are disclosed. The method includes: performing voice recognition on a received sound signal to obtain a voice recognition result; determining keywords using the voice recognition result; determining a target intelligent device having attribute information matched with the keywords from intelligent devices, where relationships between the intelligent devices and attribute information of the intelligent devices are constructed in advance, and the attribute information characterizes a device operation provided by the intelligent device corresponding to the attribute information; and controlling the target intelligent device to perform an operation indicated by the voice recognition result.

Provided are a method and device for providing IoT device information and an intelligent computing device. A method of providing information related to a control target device includes searching for the control target device and displaying a position of the control target device in a map of an area in which the control target device is positioned. Therefore, an intuitive interface can be provided to a user. One or more of the IoT devices, robots, and intelligent computing devices of the present disclosure may comprise artificial intelligence modules, drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs), robots, Augmented Reality (AR) devices, virtual reality, VR) devices, devices related to 5G services, and the like.

An information processing apparatus is provided including: a control unit that controls transition of a providing subject that provides a function to a user, between devices, in which in a case where the transition of the providing subject is executed, the control unit causes a transition source device that is a transition source of the providing subject to dynamically output transition information indicating a situation of the transition. Furthermore, an information processing method is provided including: controlling transition of a providing subject that provides a function to a user, between devices, by a processor, in which the controlling further includes causing a transition source device that is a transition source of the providing subject to dynamically output transition information indicating a situation of the transition in a case where the transition of the providing subject is executed.

This home-automation system for a building comprises: home-automation equipment, distributed within areas of the building; and a communication network, to which the home-automation equipment is connected, and authorizing an inter-communication of the home-automation equipment according to a predefined communication protocol. The communication network is a hard-wired hierarchical network comprising: a first network of rank n; a plurality of sub-networks of lower hierarchical rank n−1, connected to the first network, each sub-network being associated with an area and containing at least one of the home-automation equipment items; each sub-network of the lower hierarchical rank n−1 being hooked up to the first network of rank n by a network equipment item.

A control system for a bathing apparatus includes a pairing station associated with the bathing apparatus and having a pairing interface, and a portable user device arranged to be used to control the bathing apparatus, the portable user device being able to control one or more functions of the bathing apparatus only while it is paired with the pairing station. The portable user device is paired with the pairing station by activation of the pairing interface when the portable user device is in a pairing region.

A mobile device is configurable by a controller to remotely operate a target controllable device, the controller and the target controllable device being part of a hospitality media system. A communication module establishes a connection to the controller and performs data transfer between the mobile device and the controller. A customization module receives customization information from the controller and customizes a user interface of the mobile device accordingly. A status information regarding the target controllable device is received from the controller and displayed on the user interface of the mobile device. A user of the mobile device thereafter issues a command via the user interface to the controller, the command containing instruction intended for the target controllable device. The controller receives the command and operates the target controllable devices in dependence upon instruction contained in the command received from the mobile device.

A control method for a home system includes obtaining the power curve of a household appliance to be run; obtaining power curves of all the currently running household appliances; and, if the power curve of the household appliance to be run and that of at least one currently running household appliance meet an off-peak running condition, making the household appliance to be run and the currently running household appliance run within an off-peak period of time. Without affecting the running states of all the currently running household appliances, the method can connect the household appliance to be run to a circuit, meets the demand of a user for making the household appliance to be run and the currently running household appliances simultaneously work, and does not exceed the load of the circuit, thereby improving the overall working efficiency of the home system.

An information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a transmitter. The acquisition unit acquires input information including information on a user and information that the user conveys to an interaction partner. The transmitter transmits the input information to a device having superiority over other candidate devices as a device for processing response information, to the input information, from the interaction partner.

A smart home device (e.g., a voice assistant device) includes an audio control system that determines a set of one or more audio devices to include nearby devices that are capable of providing audio streams that are audibly detected by a microphone of the smart home device. The audio control system initiates a voice-interaction mode for operating the smart home device to receive voice commands from a user and provide audio output in response to the voice commands. The audio control system transmits an audio control signal to nearby devices that configures each nearby device to implement one or more of: reducing a volume level associated with the audio streams generated by the nearby devices while the smart home device is operating in the voice-interaction mode; and transmitting, to the smart home device, audio stream data associated with a current audio stream generated for audible output by the nearby device.