SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL

• US 20130144443A1
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: OpenPeak Inc.
• Inventors: Casson, Paul David, Barclay, David
• Application Number:
  US13/756,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20130144443A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/12 Determination or prediction of behaviour, e.g. likely power consumption or unusual usage patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/16 Displaying of utility pricing or cost
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/18 Remote displaying of utility meter readings
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/244 the home appliances being or involving heating ventilating and air conditioning [HVAC] units
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

An apparatus is described herein that includes a graphical user interface configured to receive input from a user through touch interaction a thermostat folder configured to be displayed on the graphical user interface. The thermostat folder is configured, when invoked, to initiate displaying of a thermostat screen, the thermostat screen including a temperature setting scale such that a desired temperature is set to a requested value selected by the touch interaction of the user with the temperature setting scale.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a graphical user interface configured to receive input from a user through touch interaction; and

a thermostat folder configured to be displayed on the graphical user interface,

wherein the thermostat folder is configured, when invoked, to initiate displaying of a thermostat screen, the thermostat screen including a temperature setting scale such that a desired temperature is set to a requested value selected by the touch interaction of the user with the temperature setting scale.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the desired temperature is displayed on the temperature setting scale using a magnified scale or otherwise shown using a size scale other than a default scale.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more additional folders configured to be displayed on the graphical user interface, wherein the one or more additional folders include at least one of energy use folder, ways to save folder, and settings folder.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the thermostat screen is further configured to display at least one of inside temperature, outside temperature, inside humidity and outside humidity.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphic user interface is configured to be coupled to a HVAC device such that the HVAC device is controlled, at least in part, by the requested value selected by the user.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a fan of the HVAC device is further controlled by a fan setting of the thermostat screen, the fan setting including one or more of an on setting, an auto setting and an off setting.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the HVAC device is further controlled by a heat/cool setting of the thermostat screen.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display current time and day.

9. A method, comprising:

displaying, using a computing device, a graphical user interface having a temperature setting scale on a thermostat screen; and

receiving input from a user through touch interaction with the temperature setting scale to set a desired temperature to a requested value.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying, using the computing device, the thermostat screen by invoking a thermostat folder on the display.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying, using the computing device, the desired temperature on the temperature setting scale using a magnified scale, or otherwise shown using a size scale other than a default scale.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying, using the computing device, on the thermostat screen at least one of inside temperature, outside temperature, inside humidity and outside humidity.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

controlling, using the computing device, an HVAC device based, at lest in part, by the requested value, wherein the HVAC device is coupled to the touch panel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling the HVAC device includes controlling a fan of the HVAC device by a fan setting of the touch panel, the fan setting including one or more of an on setting, an auto setting and an off setting.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling the HVAC device includes controlling the HVAC device by a heat/cool setting of the touch panel.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying, using the computing device, current time and day on the touch panel.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a touchscreen display that is configured to display a thermostat screen that includes a temperature setting scale such that a desired temperature is set to a requested value selected by the touch interaction of the user with the temperature setting scale; and

a processor that is communicatively coupled to the touchscreen display, where the processor is configured to;

receive an input from the touchscreen display in response to the requested value being selected by the touch interaction of the user; and

signal a temperature control unit for the purpose of altering or maintaining a temperature in a predetermined setting.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the desired temperature is displayed on the temperature setting scale using a magnified scale or otherwise shown using a size scale other than a default scale.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the touchscreen display is further configured to display a magnifier that sequentially magnifies temperature values as the magnifier moves along the temperature setting scale.

20. The apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a network interface that is communicatively coupled to the processor and is configured to enable the processor to signal the temperature control unit through a wireless connection.