System and method for transitioning a thermostat into a low power mode

A method for operating a thermostat of a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system comprising:

• receiving a request to operate a thermostat in a low power mode;
• and
• in response to receiving the request:
• determining that a set of conditions to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met, wherein determining that the set of conditions to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met comprises:
• communicating a first message to a software application comprising HVAC control software instructions, wherein the first message comprises a first acknowledgement request to the software application to operate in the low power mode;
• receiving a first acknowledgement from the software application, wherein the first acknowledgement indicates that a first condition to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met;
• communicating a second message to a communication interface, wherein the second message comprises a second acknowledgement request to the communication interface to operate in the low power mode;
• and
• receiving a second acknowledgement from the communication interface, wherein the second acknowledgement indicates that a second condition to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met;
• and
• in response to determining that the set of conditions to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met, operate the thermostat in the low power mode, wherein operating the thermostat in the low power mode comprises:
• transitioning the thermostat to a suspend mode for a threshold interval, wherein during the suspend mode, a first set of operations comprising at least one of a software update operation or a logging operation is disabled;
• determining that the threshold interval has elapsed;
• and
• in response to determining that the threshold interval has elapsed, transition the thermostat to an active mode, wherein transitioning the thermostat to the active mode comprises:
• enabling the first set of operations;
• executing the HVAC control software instructions;
• and
• monitoring an interrupt signal via a wake-up pin, wherein the interrupt signal indicates to exit the thermostat from the low power mode.

A thermostat of a Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, the thermostat comprising:

• a communication interface configured to receive data comprising software update;
• a display screen configured to display temperature of a target space;
• a user interface configured to receive a desired temperature setpoint;
• a memory configured to store:
• an operating system that hosts a set of software drivers to enable the operating system to interface with hardware components of the thermostat via a kernel;
• and
• a software application comprising HVAC control software instructions, wherein when the HVAC control software instructions are executed by a hardware processor, the software application causes the hardware processor to:
• capture the desired temperature setpoint from the user interface upon a user interaction that indicates the desired temperature setpoint;
• and
• communicate the desired temperature setpoint to a controller;
• and
• the hardware processor operably coupled with the communication interface, the display screen, and the memory, the hardware processor configured to:
• receive a request to operate the thermostat in a low power mode;
• and
• in response to receiving the request:
• determine that a set of conditions to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met, wherein the determination that the set of conditions to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met comprises:
• communicate a first message to the software application, wherein the first message comprises a first acknowledgement request to the software application to operate in the low power mode;
• receive a first acknowledgement from the software application, wherein the first acknowledgement indicates that a first condition to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met;
• communicate a second message to the communication interface, wherein the second message comprises a second acknowledgement request to the communication interface to operate in the low power mode;
• and
• receive a second acknowledgement from the communication interface, wherein the second acknowledgement indicates that a second condition to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met;
• and
• in response to the determination that the set of conditions to operate the thermostat in the low power mode is met, operate the thermostat in the low power mode, wherein operating the thermostat in the low power mode comprises:
• transition the thermostat to a suspend mode for a threshold interval, wherein during the suspend mode, a first set of operations comprising at least one of a software update operation or a logging operation is disabled;
• determine that the threshold interval has elapsed;
• and
• in response to the determination that the threshold interval has elapsed, transition the thermostat to an active mode, wherein transitioning the thermostat to the active mode comprises:
• enable the first set of operations;
• execute the HVAC control software instructions;
• and
• monitor an interrupt signal via a wake-up pin, wherein the interrupt signal indicates to exit the thermostat from the low power mode.