Managing local environment using data traffic information

Abstract

A method for managing a local environment using data traffic information is provided in the illustrative embodiments. According to the invention, an data traffic on a data network associated with the local environment is monitored at a networking device. The local environment includes one or more devices. A device from the one or more devices is controllable using the data network. A condition in the local environment is inferred from the data traffic. An action to cause a change in the local environment is determined. A command corresponding to the action is sent to a subset of devices in the set of devices in the local environment to perform the action.

1 . A computer implemented method for managing a local environment using data traffic information stored in a computer memory, the computer implemented method comprising:
 monitoring at a networking device, a data traffic on a data network associated with the local environment, the local environment comprising a set of devices, a device in the set of devices being controllable using the data network;   inferring a condition in the local environment from the data traffic;   determining an action to cause a change in the local environment; and   sending a command corresponding to the action to a subset of devices in the set of devices in the local environment to perform the action.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving information from a set of information sources, wherein information from an information source in the set of information sources comprises one of (i) time, place, and condition information, (ii) local environment topology, and (iii) information for a configuration; and   using, in the inferring, a combination of the data traffic and the information from the set of information sources.   
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the local environment topology includes at least one of (i) geographical map of the local environment, (ii) geographical information describing the local environment and the set of devices, (iii) information about data network devices associated with the data network of the local environment, (iv) information about a second data network, and (v) geographical information about devices in the second data network. 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 detecting a pattern in the data traffic;   determining whether the pattern can be inferred from information from an information source in the set of information sources, forming an information inference determination;   inferring, responsive to the information inference determination being true, the condition using the information from the information source; and   inferring, responsive to the information inference determination being false, the condition using a rule to draw an inference from the pattern.   
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a pattern in the data traffic;   determining whether the pattern is specified in the configuration, forming configuration determination; and   selecting, responsive to the configuration determination being true, a configured action corresponding to the pattern and specified in the configuration as the action.   
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a pattern in the data traffic, wherein the inferring is based on the pattern, the inferring further comprising:
 correlating the pattern with the condition in the local environment; and 
 storing the pattern and the action in a data storage. 
   
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a pattern in the data traffic, wherein the inferring is based on the pattern, the inferring further comprising:
 determining whether the pattern and a stored action correlated to the pattern are stored in a data storage; and 
 performing, responsive to the stored action being in the data storage, the stored action as the action. 
   
     
     
         8 - 20 . (canceled)