Methods and graphical user interfaces for reporting performance information for an HVAC system controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat

A system for graphically representing HVAC system usage, the system comprising:

• a thermostat, comprising:
• a temperature sensor, a display, a wireless communication interface, and wire connector terminals through which wired communication with an HVAC system is performed, wherein the thermostat is configured to:
• control the HVAC system via the wired communication for heating or cooling an environment;
• a user interface device, comprising:
• a display and a wireless interface, wherein the user interface device executes a thermostat access client that receives data from the thermostat;
• wherein the thermostat or the user interface device is further configured to:
• obtain usage information related to HVAC system usage that occurred during a period of a plurality of days;
• process the usage information, the processing including:
• determining a reference daily amount of HVAC system usage during the period;
• identifying a day within the period when HVAC system usage deviates by at least a predetermined amount from the reference daily amount;
• calculating a credit or blame value for each of a plurality of causative agents, each of the plurality of causative agents being a potential cause for why HVAC system usage deviated by the predetermined amount on the identified day, each credit or blame value representing a net amount of HVAC system usage attributable to one of the plurality of causative agents;
• and
• selecting from the plurality of causative agents a primary causative agent based at least in part on a comparison of the net amount of HVAC system usage attributable to each of the plurality of causative agents;
• and
• cause the processed usage information to be graphically represented to the user, wherein graphically representing the processed usage information includes:
• displaying a plurality of selectable graphical elements, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being displayed in association with one of the plurality of days of the period, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being sized to indicate HVAC system usage for a corresponding one of the plurality of days of the period, wherein one of the plurality of selectable graphical elements (i) corresponds to the identified day and (ii) is sized to indicate HVAC system usage for the identified day;
• and
• displaying a symbol that represents the primary causative agent, wherein the symbol that represents primary causative agent is displayed in association with the identified day.

A cloud server apparatus, comprising:

• processing components;
• communication components being configured to communicatively connect to a communications network, wherein the communication components are in communication with:
• a thermostat that comprises:
• a temperature sensor, a display, a wireless communication interface, and wire connector terminals through which wired communication with an HVAC system is performed;
• a display device that comprises:
• a display and a wireless interface, wherein the display device executes a thermostat access client that access a thermostat management account linked with the thermostat and maintained by a cloud server;
• software being configured to be executable by the processing components;
• wherein the software, when executed by the processing components, causes the cloud server apparatus to:
• pair the thermostat with the thermostat management account;
• obtain, via the communications network, usage information related to HVAC system usage of the HVAC system from the thermostat that occurred during a period of a plurality of days;
• process the usage information by:
• determining a reference daily amount of HVAC system usage during the period;
• identifying a day within the period when HVAC system usage deviates by at least a predetermined amount from the reference daily amount;
• calculating a credit or blame value for each of a plurality of causative agents, each of the plurality of causative agents being a potential cause for why HVAC system usage deviated by the predetermined amount on the identified day, each credit or blame value representing a net amount of HVAC system usage attributable to one of the plurality of causative agents;
• and
• selecting from the plurality of causative agents a primary causative agent based at least in part on a comparison of the net amount of HVAC system usage attributable to each of the plurality of causative agents;
• and
• cause the processed usage information to be graphically represented to a user via the display device by accessing the thermostat management account, wherein graphically representing the processed usage information includes:
• displaying a plurality of selectable graphical elements, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being displayed in association with one of the plurality of days of the period, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being sized to indicate HVAC system usage for a corresponding one of the plurality of days of the period, wherein one of the plurality of selectable graphical elements (i) corresponds to the identified day and (ii) is sized to indicate HVAC system usage for the identified day;
• and
• displaying a symbol that represents the primary causative agent, wherein the symbol that represents the primary causative agent is displayed in association with the identified day.

A display device for graphically representing HVAC system usage, the display device comprising:

• processing components;
• communication components being configured to enable communication, wherein the communication components communicate with:
• a cloud server that:
• maintains a thermostat management account and communicates with a thermostat and the display device via wireless communication and the Internet, wherein the thermostat controls an HVAC system;
• software being configured to be executable by the processing components;
• wherein the software, when executed by the processing components, causes the display device to:
• access the thermostat management account linked with the thermostat that is maintained by the cloud server;
• obtain, via the communication components, processed usage information linked with the thermostat management account related to HVAC system usage that occurred during a period of a plurality of days, the processed usage information indicating:
• HVAC system usage for each of the plurality of days of the period;
• and
• a primary causative agent for an identified day within the period when HVAC system usage deviated by at least a predetermined amount from a reference daily amount;
• graphically represent the processed usage information, wherein the graphically representing includes:
• displaying a plurality of selectable graphical elements, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being displayed in association with one of the plurality of days of the period, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being sized to indicate HVAC system usage for a corresponding one of the plurality of days of the period, wherein one of the plurality of selectable graphical elements (i) corresponds to the identified day and (ii) is sized to indicate HVAC system usage for the identified day;
• and
• displaying a symbol that represents the primary causative agent, wherein the symbol that represents the primary causative agent is displayed in association with the identified day and indicates a primary cause for why HVAC system usage deviated by the predetermined amount on the identified day.