HomeSens

HomeSense: Thermostat and Musice Entertainment product

TECHNOLOGY ASSESMENT• Home Automation (HA) Market, with further breakdown into various sub-segments:

•  New innovations no longer programming of the thermostats needed. Option to set preferences and automatically enjoy energy savings/usage, planning for peaks in energy price and M2M

By Application: By Networking Technology:

Entertainment (home A/V) Wired 

Lighting Power-line 

Safety and Security Computing Networks

Energy Management WirelessWi-FiZigbeeZ-WaveKNX

HVAC  Others

SMART THERMOSTAT FEATURES

•THERMOSTAT COMPATIBILITY WITH HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM

•WEB-ENABLED THERMOSTATS GENERALLY CONNECT DIRECTLY TO A HOME’S WIRELESS OR WIRED NETWORK TO ESTABLISH TWO-WAY COMMUNICATIONS

•RESPOND TO TRIGGERS AND SETTINGS: LIFESTYLE MODES ( SLEEP, WORK, VACATION )

•DISPLAY INFORMATION FROM THE UTILITY

HOMESENSE COMPETITORS

• Allure Energy ( biggest competitor even if it seems that Homesene is Allure )

• Consert

• Litigation between Nest-Honeywell and Nest-Allure to date

• Potential infringement by Honeywell and Allure Energy on Homesense technology. US Patent Application No: 2014/0031,989 and US Patent Application No: 2014/0045,482

• Most valuable positions in the market: Nest, Allure Energy, Honeywell, GE and Whirlpool

Source: GTM Research

IP POSITION OF COMPETITORS IMPORTANT FOR HOME SENSE BUSINESS STRATEGY

• To know Freedom To operate

• What technology to license in

• Where is the white space to develop the technology

• What are the major markets covered by competitors or where is the highest filing activity taking place , locally or globally.

• What competitors are buying or selling

PATENT LANDSCAPE OF COMPETITORS

Households Energy management systems Smart Thermostats Open Automated Demand Respond

Cupersafety S.A.S. DI Montanaro Giuseppe E C. (1) Unspecified (No Assignee of Record) (17)BSH Bosch UND Siemens Hausgerate GmbH (2) EcoFactor, Inc. (7) BPL Global, Ltd. (2)Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (2) Gas Technology Institute (1) Budderfly Ventures, LLC (5)Ezville Co., Ltd (1) General Electric Company (3) E3 Greentech Enterprises, Inc. (1)Fujitsu Services Limited (1) Invent.LY, LLC (2) ENERALLIES, INC. (1)General Electric Company (5) Jetlun Corporation (1) Expanergy, LLC (1)Hanwha Solution & Consulting Co., Ltd (1) Microsoft Corporation (1) Green Charge Networks LLC (1)Indesit Comapny S.p.A. (1) NEST LABS, INC. (6) Intercap Capital Partners, LLC (3)Indesit Company S.p.A. (6) Qualcomm Incorporated (4) Johnson Controls Technology Company (4)International Business Machines Corporation (1) Safeguard Delaware, Inc. (1) MELLENNIAL NET, INC. (1)Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (1) Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (1) MILLENNIAL NET, INC. (2)Lsis Co., Ltd. (1) Siemens Industry, Inc. (1) Regen Energy Inc. (3)Merloni Elettrodomesti S.P.A. (2) Telcordia Technologies, Inc. (1) Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc. (2)Misawa Homes Co., Ltd. (1) Trilliant Networks, Inc. (3) Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (2)Onzo Limited (1) Universal Electronics Inc. (4) Sunverge Energy, Inc. (1)Robert Bosch GmbH (1) Unspecified (No Assignee of Record) (5) Vedero Software LLC (1)Roke Manor Research Limited (1) Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. (3)Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (2) EnergyHubSony Corporation (1) GETata Consultancy Services Limited (1) HoneywellToshiba Corporation (2)Tsann Kuen(China) Enterprise Co.,Ltd (1)Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc. (1)Whirlpool Corporation (1)Wrap SPA (1)Zome Networks, Inc. (2)

ULTIMATE GOALS FOR GOOD IP FOR HOME SENSE:

• To protect core idea upon which the startup is founded ,

• To create and maintain a competitive advantage ,

• To protect R & D investment (both time and money) ,

• To protect company’s brand (once product is sold or service is available, Startups with patent portfolio with potential defensive/offensive use is more attractive for acquisition,

• Marketing tool for startups (Mark goods/services as “patented” or “patent pending),

• Can use licensing as a revenue source/negotiating tool, Startup with strong patent protection will have higher “exit” value, i.e. the value when listed on a public market or sold in a trade sale. This higher value is a premium paid for a startup with high gross margins resulting from some degree of patent-enabled monopoly protection for its products and services,

• A patent portfolio represents downside protection for founders staff, venture capitalists of a startup This means that, even if the business fails, the startup may have value to an acquirer because of the patent portfolio or portfolio can be used as collateral to secure financing

PLAYERS MOST INTERESTED IN HOME SENSE IP

• Traditional Thermostat Makers: Honeywell, Johnson Controls ,General Electric

• More recently these giants are also looking to partner with some of the newer startups that make the smart software that can manage connected thermostats

• service providers (cable companies & phone companies)-Verizon, Comcast &Time Warner Cable are working with startup iControl

• Other smart home vendors: smart thermostat crew needs to find partners in the broader worlds of consumer electronics (Samsung, Motorola, Microsoft), mobile phones (Motorola, Apple, Nokia), home office gear (Belkin) and alarm system companies (ADT

• Big-box retailers, like Best Buy and Lowe’s, also seem to have a stake in the game, trying to figure out if more shoppers will come into their stores to buy smart home, smart energy and smart thermostat gear.

• Both retailers made a significant push : Lowe’s launched a service with the U.K.’s AlertMe, and Best Buy launched a new website and store section around the smart home.

FEATURES TO PROTECT

• Core Features Of Technology

• Design of HomeSense thermostat

• TradeMark &Service

• Employees Know-How

• Trade Secret

• Home Sense Users data Privacy