US 10,627,791 B2Granted

Thermostat user interface

AssigneeGoogle Inc.

InventorsAnthony M. Fadell, Matthew L. Rogers, David Sloo, Michael J. Matas, Michael Plitkins

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Abstract

A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described, the thermostat having a user interface that is visually pleasing, approachable, and easy to use while also providing ready access to, and intuitive navigation within, a menuing system capable of receiving a variety of different types of user settings and/or control parameters. For some embodiments, the thermostat comprises a housing, a ring-shaped user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user, a processing system configured to identify a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion, and an electronic display coupled to the processing system. An interactive thermostat menuing system is accessible to the user by an inward pressing of the ring-shaped user interface component. User navigation within the interactive thermostat menuing system is achievable by virtue of respective rotational input motions and inward pressings of the ring-shaped user interface component.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A thermostat comprising:

a housing having an electronic display disposed thereon;
a proximity sensor for sensing a presence of a user who is about to interact with the thermostat in an immediate vicinity of the thermostat;
a rotatable user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of the user;
and
a processing system disposed within the housing and communicatively coupled to the rotatable user-interface component and to the electronic display, the processing system being configured to identify a setpoint temperature value based on a tracked rotational input motion of the user and being further configured to receive data indicative of an occupancy condition;
wherein said processing system, said electronic display, and said rotatable user-interface component are collectively configured such that each of a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation is provided, said first and second modes of operation being in effect at different times;
wherein, during said first mode of operation, graphical information is displayed on said electronic display that is representative of said setpoint temperature value as identified by said processing system based on said tracked rotational input motion of the user;
wherein, during said second mode of operation, said electronic display is in a low-power sleep state until said proximity sensor senses the presence of the user who is about to interact with the thermostat in the immediate vicinity of the thermostat, at which time said electronic display enters into a higher-power wake state;
and
wherein upon expiration of a predetermined time interval during which said data indicative of the occupancy condition indicates that no occupancy has been detected, said processing system effects automatic adjustment of the setpoint temperature value to an energy-saving value.

7 more elements

A method for controlling an HVAC system by a thermostat, the thermostat comprising a housing having an electronic display, a rotatable user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user, a proximity sensor for sensing a presence of the user in an immediate vicinity of the thermostat, and a processing system disposed within the housing and communicatively coupled to the rotatable user-interface component and to the electronic display, the thermostat having a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation in which the first and second modes of operation are in effect at different times, the method comprising:

detecting and tracking, via said processing system, rotational movements of the rotatable user-interface component to track the rotational input motion of the user;
receiving, via said processing system, data indicative of an occupancy condition of an enclosure that is conditioned by the HVAC system;
when the thermostat is operating in the first mode of operation:
identifying, via said processing system, a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion of the user;
and
displaying, on the electronic display, graphical information that is representative of the identified setpoint temperature value;
when the thermostat is operating in the second mode of operation:
entering, via said processing system, the electronic display into a low-power sleep state;
sensing, via said proximity sensor, the presence of the user who is in the immediate vicinity of the thermostat;
and
entering, via said processing system, the electronic display into a higher-power wake state;
determining, via said processing system, an expiration of a predetermined time interval during which said data indicative of the occupancy condition indicates that no occupancy has been detected;
and
effecting, via said processing system, automatic adjustment of the setpoint temperature value to an energy-saving value.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/261,216Filed 29 Jan 2019 · continuation
Priority: 19 Nov 2010
Published: US 2019/0155232 A123 May 2019
Granted: 21 Apr 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

G05B 15/02
Systems controlled by a computer: electric
F24F 11/30
Control or safety arrangements: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
F24F 11/46
For purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring: improving electric energy efficiency or saving
F24F 11/523
Indication arrangements, e.g. displays: for displaying temperature data

Family

Application61/415,771Us provisional application · filed 19 Nov 2010
Application61/429,093Us provisional application · filed 31 Dec 2010
Application13/033,573Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Feb 2011
Application13/199,108Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Aug 2011
Application13/269,501Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 17 Oct 2011
Application61/627,996Us provisional application · filed 21 Oct 2011
PCT/US2011/061437Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 18 Nov 2011
Application13/351,688Parent of this continuation · filed 17 Jan 2012
Application13/487,475Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Jun 2012
US 8,195,313 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 5 Jun 2012
Application13/632,734Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Oct 2012
US 8,280,536 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Oct 2012
Application13/921,152Parent of this continuation · filed 18 Jun 2013
US 8,489,243 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Jul 2013
Application14/249,205Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Apr 2014
US 8,706,270 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Apr 2014
US 8,727,611 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 May 2014
Application14/487,616Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Sep 2014
US 8,868,219 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Oct 2014
US 8,918,219 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 23 Dec 2014
Application14/702,901Parent of this continuation · filed 4 May 2015
US 9,026,232 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 5 May 2015
US 9,223,323 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 29 Dec 2015
Application15/705,563Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Sep 2017
US 9,766,606 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 19 Sep 2017
US 2019/0155232 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 May 2019
US 10,241,482 B2Parent of this continuation
Application13/351,688Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2012/0128025 A1Published application
US 2012/0130546 A1Published application
US 2012/0130547 A1Published application
US 2012/0203379 A1Published application
US 2012/0239207 A1Published application
US 2013/0046397 A1Published application
US 2014/0005837 A1Published application
US 2014/0222220 A1Published application
US 2015/0005953 A1Published application
US 2015/0233595 A1Published application
US 2018/0129174 A1Published application
US 10,627,791 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.