USER FRIENDLY INTERFACE FOR CONTROL UNIT

• US 20120130546A1
• Filed: 02/23/2011
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nest Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: MATAS, Michael James, SLOO, David, FADELL, Anthony Michael, ROGERS, Matthew Lee, FILSON, John Benjamin, HUPPI, Brian, PLITKINS, Michael, BOULD, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 9,223,323 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0086 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/39 Monitoring filter performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 Feedback from users
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/40 Noise
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 : Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 : the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 : electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 : characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 : characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2416 : Means for guiding or retaining wires or cables connected to terminal blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 : Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/70 : Hybrid systems, e.g. uninterruptible or back-up power supplies integrating renewable energies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining

Abstract

A user-friendly programmable thermostat is described that includes a circular body having a large central display surrounded by a ring that can be rotated an pressed inward by a user so as to receive user input in a simple elegant fashion. Different colors can be displayed to the user to indicate currently active HVAC functions, and different shades of colors can be displayed to a user to indicate an estimated amount of time and/or energy for reaching a target temperature. The thermostat is wall mountable and is made up of a head unit removeably mounted to a backplate. A locking mechanism can be provided so as to increase security against unauthorized removal of the head unit. The backplate can be adapted to be mounted on a wall so as to be level, for example by including a bubble level on the backplate. One or more vents are preferably located on the sides of the body, such as in a gap beneath the translatably mounted ring, and/or in a gap between the head unit and the backplate. The target temperature for the device can be altered in response to sensing rotation of the rotating ring, and the programmed schedule can be displayed to and altered by the user in response to sensing rotation of the ring and the translational movement of the ring. Historical information such as temperature and cost information can be displayed to a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating ring. One or more device settings can be displayed to and edited by a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating member and the translational movement. According to some embodiments, text characters can be entered by the user.

Claims

1. A programmable device for controlling an HVAC system comprising:

a rounded body;

a rounded display mounted on the body and adapted to display information to a user;

a rotating ring rotatably mounted on the body and adapted to receive user input;

a processing system adapted to control one or more HVAC functions according to a scheduled program, to display information on the rounded display and to receive user input from the rotating ring.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the body, display and ring are circular in shape.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein the display is a dot matrix display.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the display uses a display technology selected from a group consisting of:

passive LCD, monochrome LCD, color LCD, organic light-emitting diode, and electronic ink.

5. A device according to claim 3 wherein the display is a color display.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein different colors are displayed to a user to indicate currently active HVAC functions.

7. A device according to claim 5 wherein different shades of colors are displayed to a user to indicate an estimated amount of time and/or energy for reaching a target temperature.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the rounded body forms part of a head unit, and the device further comprises a backplate adapted to be mounted on a wall.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein part of the processing system is located in the backplate and part of the processing system is located in the head unit.

10. A device according to claim 8 wherein the head unit is removeably mounted to the backplate using one or more types selected from a group consisting of:

friction, tab and indentation, magnet, and bayonet.

11. A device according to claim 8 further comprising a locking mechanism for locking the head unit to the back plate so as to increase security against removal of the head unit.

12. A device according to claim 8 wherein the backplate is adapted to be mounted on a wall so as to be level.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein the backplate includes a bubble level to aid level wall mounting.

14. A device according to claim 1 wherein the rotating ring and display are mounted on a front side of the body and the body is adapted to be mounted on a wall on a base side of the body, and wherein the ring is mounted so as to be translatably moveable in a direction towards the base side of the body so as to receive user input.

15. A device according to claim 14 further including one or more vents located on sides of the body away from the front side of the body.

16. A device according to claim 15 wherein one of the one or more vents is located in a gap beneath the translatably mounted ring.

17. A device according to claim 15 wherein the rounded body forms part of a head unit, and the device further comprises a backplate adapted to be mounted on a wall, and wherein one of the one or more vents is located in a gap between the head unit and the backplate.

18. A device according to claim 1 wherein the device is a programmable thermostat.

19. A method for interacting with a user with a programmable device for controlling an HVAC system, the method comprising:

displaying information to a user on a rounded dot-matrix display mounted on a rounded body of the programmable device; and

receiving input from a user at least in part using rotating member mounted on the body and by sensing a translational movement of the rotating member toward a base of the device.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the rotating member is a rotating ring surrounding the rounded display.

21. A method according to claim 19 wherein the device is mounted on a wall on the base of the device.

22. A method according to claim 19 wherein the receiving user input is at least in part by sensing the rotational position and/or rotational movement of the rotating member.

23. A method according to claim 19 wherein a target temperature for the device is altered in response to sensing rotation of the rotating member.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein tick marks are displayed to the user graphically representing the current temperature and the target temperature.

25. A method according to claim 19 wherein the display is a color display.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the displaying information to the user includes displaying colors that represent a currently active HVAC function.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein the displaying colors includes displaying one or more shades of colors that represent an estimated amount of time and/or cost associated with obtaining a target temperature.

28. A method according to claim 19 wherein the displaying information includes displaying an estimated time to reach a target temperature.

29. A method according to claim 19 wherein at least portions of a programmed schedule of the programmable device are displayed to the user in response to sensing rotation of the rotating member.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein at least portions of the programmed schedule are altered by the user using the rotating member and the translational movement.

31. A method according to claim 19 wherein historical information is displayed to a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating member.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the historical information includes one or more types selected from a group consisting of:

historical temperature, historical cost, occupancy mode, energy usage, and time period.

33. A method according to claim 19 wherein one or more device settings are displayed to a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating member and the translational movement.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein one or more of the device settings are editable by a user using the rotating member and the translational movement.

35. A method according to claim 19 wherein text characters are received from a user using the rotating member and the translational movement.

36. A method according to claim 19 wherein a transition between a first type of displayed information to a second type of displayed information is represented to the user using a type of transition selected from a group consisting of:

coin-flip, shrinking, growing, and translational shifting.

37. A method according to claim 19 wherein a field of data is interactively displayed to the user using a rotating dial type display that adjusts according detected rotation and/or angular position of the rotating ring.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the field of data has a fixed length.

39. A thermostat for controlling at least one HVAC function in an HVAC system, the thermostat comprising:

a back plate including connectors adapted to connect to HVAC control wires, and a back plate processor adapted and programmed so as to turn on and turn off the HVAC function; and

a head unit including a display adapted to display information to a user, a user input device for receiving input from a user, and a head unit processor adapted and programmed to control the display and processing received user input, wherein the head unit and back plate are adapted to physically attach to each other so as to provide electrical connection between the head unit and back plate.

40. A thermostat according to claim 39 wherein the back plate is wall mountable.

41. A thermostat according to claim 39 wherein the back plate further includes a temperature sensor.

42. A thermostat according to claim 41 wherein the back plate processor is further adapted and programmed to maintain a set temperature by controlling the HVAC function when the head unit is not attached to the back plate.

43. A thermostat according to claim 42 wherein the back plate processor is further adapted and programmed to control the HVAC system according to a series of programmed settings that take effect at different times of the day, when the head unit is not attached to the back plate.

44. A thermostat according to claim 39 wherein the head unit further includes a rechargeable battery.

45. A thermostat according to claim 39 wherein the head unit further includes a wireless communication system.

46. A thermostat according to claim 39 wherein the head unit processor is further adapted and programmed to update a thermodynamic model relating to an enclosure in which the HVAC system is installed.

47. A thermostat according to claim 39 wherein the head unit is removeably mounted to the back plate using one or more types selected from a group consisting of:

friction, tab and indentation, magnet, and bayonet.