Thermostat synchronization via remote input device

• US 10,356,573 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braeburn Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Braeburn Systems LLC
• Inventors: Poplawski, Daniel S., Soderlund, Ernest E., Ha, W. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lam, David
• Application Number:
  US14/920,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20160131385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The invention provides a method of inputting a code to a thermostat comprising the following steps, providing a thermostat having a display panel and a receiver for receiving signals from a local router, the local router configured to receive signals via the internet from a remote input device (RID), transmitting a register command to the local router, transmitting new user information to the local router and the thermostat receiving a serial number from the local router and the thermostat synchronizing with the RID without requiring any direct inputs to the display panel of the thermostat. The RID may verify the service set identifier (SSID).

Claims

1. A method for configuring a thermostat to connect to a cloud server and a remote input device, the method performed by said thermostat and comprising:

placing said thermostat into a Wi-Fi network listening mode;

establishing a direct P2P connection with said remote input device;

receiving a Wi-Fi network password from said remote input device over said direct P2P connection wherein said thermostat does not receive a Wi-Fi network identifier from said remote input device;

terminating said direct P2P connection with said remote input device;

attempting to connect a Wi-Fi network router using said Wi-Fi network password; and

where said thermostat successfully connects to said Wi-Fi network router, transmitting device data of said thermostat to a cloud server via said Wi-Fi network router.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a user input to place said thermostat into said Wi-Fi network listening mode.

3. A method for configuring a comfort control device to connect to a cloud server and a remote input device, the method performed by said comfort control device and comprising:

placing said comfort control device into a wireless network listening mode;

establishing a direct wireless connection with a remote input device;

receiving a wireless network password from said remote input device over said direct wireless connection wherein said comfort control device does not receive a wireless network identifier from said remote input device;

terminating said direct wireless connection with said remote input device;

attempting to connect a wireless network router using said wireless network password; and

where said comfort control device successfully connects to said wireless network router, transmitting device data of said comfort control device to a cloud server via said wireless network router.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said comfort control device is a thermostat.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said wireless network router is a Wi-Fi network router.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving a user input to place said comfort control device into said wireless network listening mode.