Skill: Device Troubleshooting

Purpose

Diagnose and resolve smart home device issues: offline devices, connectivity problems, battery
depletion, firmware updates, command failures, and known device quirks. Guide users through
troubleshooting steps and alert on critical issues requiring attention.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Device status monitoring reveals offline devices or low battery
• User reports a device not responding ("Bedroom light won't turn on")
• User asks about device status or health ("Is everything working?")
• Device firmware updates are available
• Repeated command failures suggest a device issue

Workflow

Step 1: Device Health Monitoring (Scheduled)

Periodically (e.g., nightly at 4am):

1. Call device_list() to get all connected devices

2. Call device_get_status() for each device to check:

   • power_state: On/off
   • is_online: Connected and responding
   • battery_level: For battery-powered devices
   • last_seen: Timestamp of last communication
   • error_state: Any reported errors

3. Call device_firmware_check(all=true) to identify available updates

4. Classify findings:

   • Critical (needs alert): Device offline >24h, battery <10%, firmware critical patch available
   • Warning (monitor): Device offline <24h, battery 10-20%, firmware update available
   • Info (store pattern): Device occasionally loses connection, firmware update recommended

5. Store health findings as memory facts:

   • For each problematic device:
     • subject: Device ID
     • predicate: device_issue
     • content: "Offline for 14 hours" or "Battery at 8%"
     • permanence: volatile (temporary issue)
     • importance: 7-9 (depends on criticality)
     • tags: Device type, issue type (offline, battery, firmware), criticality level

6. Alert user if critical issues found:

   • Send notify() with list of problematic devices
   • Severity: "Bedroom sensor offline for 2 days. [Troubleshooting steps?]"
   • Example: "Water heater sensor battery at 5% — will fail soon. Replace battery this week."

Step 2: Respond to Device Status Queries

When user asks "Is the bedroom light working?" or "Are all devices online?":

1. Call device_list() to list devices
2. Filter/search for requested device or get all devices
3. Call device_get_status() for each to get current state
4. Compose response via notify() (answer mode):
   • Single device query: "Living room light is on and responding normally."
   • All devices query: "Status overview: 12/12 devices online. One device (basement sensor) battery at 15%. All others healthy."
   • Include last seen time if device is offline: "Bathroom light offline since yesterday 3pm."
   • If battery low: "Water heater sensor battery at 8% — will need replacement within days."

Step 3: Troubleshoot Offline Devices

When device goes offline or user reports it not responding:

1. Retrieve device metadata via device_get_metadata():

   • Device type, model, network interface (WiFi/Zigbee/Z-Wave), last seen
   • Known issues or firmware bugs for this model

2. Determine offline duration:

   • < 5 minutes: Likely temporary network blip; no action needed
   • 5 minutes - 1 hour: Possible network issue or temporary disconnection

   • 1 hour: Device probably lost power or network connection

3. Suggest troubleshooting steps via notify() (follow-up mode):

   • First: "Is the device powered on? Check if the outlet has power."
   • Second: "Try moving the device closer to your WiFi router if it's a WiFi device."
   • Third: "Restart the device (unplug for 10 seconds, plug back in)."
   • Fourth: "If it's a battery device, check battery level."
   • Last: "If offline continues, check your home WiFi network or contact device support."

4. Monitor recovery:

   • Check device status after each suggested step
   • If device comes back online: "Bedroom light is back online! Let me verify it responds correctly."
   • If offline persists: "Still offline. This might be a hardware issue. Consider replacing the device."

5. Update memory with troubleshooting outcome:

   • If resolved: Store as device_issue with resolution (e.g., "was WiFi disconnection, reconnected after restart")
   • If unresolved: Store as device_issue with severity (e.g., "appears to be hardware failure")

6. Alert on unresolved issues:

   • If device critical (thermostat, security) and offline: Recommend replacement or repair
   • If device non-critical (decorative light): Safe to deprioritize

Step 4: Handle Low Battery Alerts

For battery-powered devices with low battery:

1. Identify device with device_get_status() — battery level < 20%

2. Categorize by urgency:

   • Critical (< 10%): "Water sensor battery at 8% — may fail within hours"
   • High (10-20%): "Bedroom sensor battery at 15% — replace within days"
   • Medium (20-30%): "Motion detector battery at 25% — replace within a week"

3. Send alert via notify() with:

   • Device name and battery level
   • Urgency ("Replace soon" vs. "Plan to replace this week")
   • Instructions if user wants to replace battery

4. Store reminder as volatile memory fact:

   • subject: Device name
   • predicate: device_issue
   • content: "Battery at X% — needs replacement"
   • permanence: volatile
   • importance: 8-9 (critical maintenance)
   • tags: Device, battery, critical

Step 5: Manage Firmware Updates

When firmware updates are available:

1. Call device_firmware_check() for device to see available versions

2. Categorize by type:

   • Critical security patch: Update immediately
   • Stability improvement: Update soon
   • Feature enhancement: Optional; offer user choice

3. Alert user via notify() (follow-up mode):

   • Example: "Thermostat has a firmware update (v2.5 → v2.6). This includes a stability fix. Want me to update it?"
   • For critical: "Water heater sensor has a critical security update available. Update immediately? (This will take ~5 minutes.)"

4. Get user consent before updating (unless critical security):

   • "Updating device firmware..." while performing update
   • "Update complete. Device is now on v2.6."

5. Verify post-update by checking device status

6. Store firmware history in memory:

   • subject: Device name
   • predicate: device_issue or device_maintenance
   • content: "Firmware updated from v2.5 to v2.6"
   • permanence: standard
   • importance: 5.0
   • tags: Device, firmware, maintenance

Step 6: Handle Repeated Command Failures

If device is online but not responding to commands:

1. Detect pattern: Track command success/failure rate

2. Alert user if failure rate > 20%: "Bedroom light not responding to commands reliably (3 of 10 commands failed)."

3. Suggest steps:

   • Restart device
   • Check device error log for clues
   • Verify device is still powered and connected
   • Check if device firmware needs update

4. If commands continue to fail:

   • May indicate software bug or hardware degradation
   • Store issue: "Device responding to pings but not to control commands — possible firmware bug"
   • Recommend update or replacement

Step 7: Document Device Quirks and Workarounds

Store known issues in memory for future reference:

1. From experience, maintain facts about problematic devices:

   • subject: Device model (e.g., "Philips Hue A19 Bulb")
   • predicate: device_issue or device_quirk
   • content: Description of quirk or known issue
   • permanence: stable (persistent across interactions)
   • tags: Device model, issue type
   • Example: "Philips Hue bulbs sometimes lose connection if WiFi drops below -70dBm signal strength"

2. Reference stored quirks when troubleshooting similar devices:

   • "This model has a known WiFi sensitivity issue. Try moving it closer to the router."

Key Behaviors

Start Simple

Guide users through troubleshooting from simplest to most complex:

1. Is device powered? (outlet, batteries)
2. Is WiFi working? (check home network)
3. Is device too far from router?
4. Restart device
5. Firmware update
6. Factory reset / replacement

Don't Over-Diagnose

If device is offline > 24h and simple troubleshooting doesn't help, recommend replacement:

• "Bedroom sensor has been offline for 2 days. Basic troubleshooting didn't help. The device may have a hardware failure. Consider replacing it."

Critical vs. Non-Critical

• Critical devices (thermostat, security, entry locks): Alert immediately for offline/low battery
• Non-critical (decorative lights, optional sensors): Include in status reports but don't urgently alert

Firmware Update Safety

• Never force a firmware update without user consent (except critical security)
• Warn that device will be unavailable during update
• Verify device comes back online after update

Battery Replacement Instructions

For battery devices, provide clear instructions:

• Device model and battery type needed
• How to access battery compartment (open back cover, unplug device, etc.)
• Polling interval expected after battery replacement

Interactive Response Examples

Device Status Query

User: "Is everything working?"

Actions:

1. device_list()
2. device_get_status() for each device
3. device_firmware_check(all=true)
4. notify(channel="telegram", message="System status: 12/12 devices online. Water heater sensor battery at 8% — needs replacement soon. Thermostat has firmware update available.", intent="reply", request_context=...)

Offline Device Alert

Device detected offline:

Actions:

1. device_get_status(device_id="bedroom-light")
2. device_get_metadata(device_id="bedroom-light")
3. memory_store_fact(subject="bedroom-light", predicate="device_issue", content="offline for 4 hours", permanence="volatile", ...)
4. notify(channel="telegram", message="Bedroom light offline for 4 hours. Try checking if the outlet has power or restart the device. Want troubleshooting steps?", intent="reply", request_context=...)

Firmware Update

Update available:

Actions:

1. device_firmware_check(device_id="thermostat")
2. notify(channel="telegram", message="Thermostat firmware update available (v2.5 → v2.6). This is a stability fix. Should I update? (Takes ~5 minutes.)", intent="reply", request_context=...)
3. Upon user ✅: Update device, verify online, notify "Thermostat updated to v2.6. Device is back online and functioning normally."

Exit Criteria

• device_list() and/or device_get_status() were called
• For offline devices: Troubleshooting steps provided via notify()
• For low battery: Alert sent with replacement guidance
• For firmware: Update completed or user deferred
• memory_store_fact() called to persist device issue or resolution
• User has been notified of issue, troubleshooting steps, or resolution
• Session exits without starting new workflow

Common Failure Modes and Recovery

User Can't Follow Troubleshooting Steps ("I'm not technical")

• Provide very simple instructions: "Is the device plugged in?"
• Offer to escalate: "If simple steps don't work, consider contacting device support or replacing it."
• Don't overwhelm non-technical users with complex procedures

Device Intermittently Offline

• Pattern suggests WiFi connectivity issue
• Recommend: Move closer to router, reduce interference, check WiFi signal strength
• Consider: Device may need WiFi module replacement if signal always poor

Firmware Update Fails

• Device may be corrupted or have hardware issue
• Alert user: "Firmware update failed. Device may need factory reset or replacement."
• Recommend factory reset if supported, otherwise suggest replacement