Thermostat user interface
First Claim
1. 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.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A thermostat comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. 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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification