Device integration is one of the big advantages of investing in a unified smart home system. Take smart locks. They work well enough as standalone access control devices. But you can do so much more with them by integrating them into a home automation system. It all boils down to your routines.
Smart locks are among the many home automation and security devices Vivint Home Security can include in its systems. As a nationwide leader in the home security and smart home industry, they offer complete systems with brand-name devices that just work out-of-the-box.
Vivint experts explain that the integration concept is all about utilizing the relationships between devices in a system. For all practical purposes, each device can act as a sensor in addition to performing its core functions. This is the key to integration.
Access Control Based on Time
The easiest way to understand the integration concept is to imagine creating a routine that determines access control based on time. Imagine you have a smart lock on your front door. Meanwhile, the hub that controls your home automation system keeps track of the time. It acts as the sensor for this routine.
At a specific time every day, the front door automatically locks. You could set it for 9PM. As an alternative, you can create the routine to lock the door at sunset. Now, your home automation system is controlling access without you having to directly interact with it.
Access Control With Geofencing
You can also use your phone as a sensor to control access. By building a geofence around your property and linking it to your phone, you can program your system to lock and unlock the door based on your location. Your phone acting as a sensor means automatic locking and unlocking without you having to do anything.
These sorts of things are pretty amazing on their own. But what happens when we use the lock as a sensor to trigger other events? Some interesting things can happen.
Tying Your Lights to the Lock
Maybe you’re not all that excited about geofencing for privacy reasons. No worries. You can create a routine that links your smart lock to the first-floor lights in your home. When you return home at night, the simple act of unlocking the front door will also illuminate the first floor of your home. You do not have to walk into a dark house.
You are essentially creating a routine that manages cascading triggers. Entering your PIN code triggers the lock to deactivate. The deactivation of the lock triggers your system to turn on the lights. It is incredibly simple in principle, though complex from a technology standpoint.
The Smart Lock and Security Events
We normally think of the smart lock as a convenience device. Likewise, integrating it with a smart home system increases the system’s overall convenience. But let us not forget the security angle. Your smart lock can double as a security sensor.
If your system supports it, you could create an advanced routine linked to unsuccessful entry attempts. Let’s say someone tries to enter the front door with a PIN code. The routine dictates that after three failed attempts, the lights flip on and you receive an alert on your phone. An alert would suggest someone might be attempting unauthorized entry.
Smart locks work fine as standalone security devices. But they can also be integrated into a complete home automation system for greater convenience and security. If you have one or more smart locks, try it. You might be amazed at what integration allows you to do.
