2016 Samsung IoT Smart Home Strategy Perspectives from Patents

Samsung launched the first fully integrated smart home system Samsung SmartThings for providing the home automation and safety services to make people’s daily lives easier, more comfortable and safe. Followings show the insights regarding Samsung strategy perspectives for providing other value added services to make Samsung as the smart home market leader in 2016.

Personal Cloud
In general, cloud computing resources are managed by a separate resource provider, such as a large data center, and include computing processor, memory, storage, development platforms, and application programs. Even if users can use the cloud service through the Internet anytime or anywhere without specialized technical knowledge, personal cloud solution is advantageous in some IoT (Internet of Things) applications (e.g., in case that the space for storing personalized content is required).
US20140195805 illustrates the personal cloud system for sharing content in the IoT smart home application. Since the cloud service shares the cloud server, the privacy issue can occur. For example, since many IoT devices can be used in the smart home, there may exist for sharing contents between family members. Therefore, a need exists for sharing contents between the IoT devices keeping each family member’s privacy by using the personal cloud device installed in the smart home.

Home Energy Management
Recently published Samsung patent applications indicate that Samsung is developing the smart home energy management solution. For example, US20150330652 illustrated the temperature control method and device of a heating/ventilation/air-conditioning (HVAC) system for efficiently saving energy. The method includes determining occupancy or non-occupancy of a user in a space subject to temperature control. When the user’s non-occupancy is determined, the temperature control device determines whether to start the temperature control based on probability distribution of a non-occupancy period that is predetermined. When it is determined to start the temperature control, the temperature control device determines the user’s target temperature based on previously collected data, calculates a setback temperature based on the target temperature, and performs temperature control according to the calculated setback temperature.

Considering the strong patent portfolio backed market leadership by Google (Nest Lab) and Honeywell in the home energy management, Samsung may exploit the strategic acquisition option. A good acquisition candidate will be a home energy management startup that holds the strong patent portfolio (for a good acquisition candidate, please see my article titled “Internet of Things (IoT) M&A Target Candidates Insights from Patents”).

Personalized Service
US20150330805 illustrates the system for providing location-based personalized information by using user location history information. User location history information can be stored in the smart home IoT devices (e.g., smart TV), the wearable devices, or other computing devices within an area where the user may directly control the device. User location history information can also be stored in a personal cloud server, service provider server, or public cloud server.

US20150327023 illustrates the avatar device to detect a movement of a user and provide the smart home service according to the movement of the user. The avatar device is wearable by a user, stores user information, and has communication functionality. An example of the avatar device is a smart watch associated with a smart phone. The user can wear the avatar device in a particular space and use a service device for the user service according to a signal from the smart phone.

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