Portable information display dockable to a base thermostat
AssigneeEnergate Inc.
InventorsJorge DELIGIANNIS, Niraj BHARGAVA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermostat system is provided that comprises a base thermostat for providing basic thermostat control and a portable information display (PID) unit, or dockable display, that provides an improved user interface. The PID unit can be docked to the base thermostat by being releasably mounted on top of a front portion of the base thermostat. The base thermostat provides control of an environmental control system, allowing the regulation of the temperature in a building. The PID unit may be used when it is mounted to the base thermostat or un-mounted from the base thermostat. The PID unit provides an improved user interface and experience over the base thermostat.
Claims26
A portable information display (PID) unit comprising:
- a wireless communication interface for communicating with a base thermostat coupled to an environmental control system;
- a docking mechanism for releasably mounting the PID unit to the base thermostat;
- and
- a display for displaying environmental control system information retrieved from the base thermostat.
A thermostat system comprising:
- a base thermostat coupled to an environmental control system to control operation of at least one component of the environmental control system;
- and
- a portable information display (PID) unit comprising a display, providing a docking mechanism to releasably mount the PID unit to the base thermostat, the PID unit communicating with the base thermostat to enable controlling the base thermostat via the PID unit.
A method of operating a thermostat system, the method comprising:
- detecting, in a base thermostat, when a portable information display (PID) unit is docked to the base thermostat;
- establishing communication between the base thermostat and the PID unit;
- and
- exchanging security information between the base thermostat and the PID unit;
- wherein the security information is used to enable wireless communication between the base thermostat and the PID unit when undocked.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.