THERMOSTAT USER INTERFACE
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
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
21 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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2. A thermostat comprising:
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a housing having an electronic display disposed thereon; a rotatable user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user; and a processing system disposed within the housing and 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 the tracked rotational input motion 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 according to said tracked rotational input motion of the user, wherein, during said second mode of operation, an arrangement of selectable menu items is displayed on said electronic display, said tracked rotational input motion of the user causing different ones of the selectable menu items to become visually highlighted as said rotatable user interface component is rotated, a user selection of one of said selectable menu items being established by a user confirmation input while that selectable menu item is visually highlighted, 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 changing of the setpoint temperature to a predetermined energy-saving value. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for control of an HVAC system by a thermostat, the thermostat comprising a housing, a rotatable user-interface component, a processing system, one or more occupancy sensors adapted to detect occupancy, and an electronic display, the thermostat having first and second modes of operation that are in effect at different times, the method comprising:
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detecting and tracking rotational movements of the rotatable user-interface component to track at least one rotational input motion of a user; and receiving data, via said one or more occupancy sensors, reflecting expiration of a predetermined time interval during which no occupancy has been detected; when the thermostat is operating in the first mode of operation; identifying a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion; receiving, from one or more temperature sensors, an ambient air temperature; controlling the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison between the ambient air temperature and the setpoint temperature value; 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; displaying an arrangement of selectable menu items on the electronic display; visually highlighting different respective ones of the selectable menu items on the electronic display responsive to tracked user rotation of the rotatable user interface component; detecting a user confirmation input; and establishing as a selected menu item the selectable menu item that is visually highlighted when the user confirmation input is detected; and when no occupancy has been detected, automatically changing said setpoint temperature value to a predetermined value via said processing system, said predetermined value requiring substantially less energy than said setpoint temperature value. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for control of an HVAC system by a thermostat, the thermostat comprising a housing, a rotatable user-interface component, a processing system, one or more occupancy sensors adapted to detect occupancy, and an electronic display, and an electronic display, the thermostat having first and second modes of operation that are in effect at different times, the method comprising:
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detecting and tracking rotational movements of the rotatable user-interface component to track at least one rotational input motion of a user; when the thermostat is operating in a first mode of operation; identifying a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion; receiving, from one or more temperature sensors, an ambient air temperature; controlling the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison between the ambient air temperature and the setpoint temperature value; displaying, on the electronic display, graphical information that is representative of the identified setpoint temperature value; detecting a mode-changing input; and responsive to the detection of the mode-changing input, switching from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation; and when the thermostat is operating in a second mode of operation; displaying an arrangement of selectable menu items on the electronic display; visually highlighting different respective ones of the selectable menu items on the electronic display responsive to tracked user rotation of the rotatable user interface component; detecting a user confirmation input; and establishing as a selected menu item the selectable menu item that is visually highlighted when the user confirmation input is detected; receiving data, via said one or more occupancy sensors, reflecting expiration of a predetermined time interval during which no occupancy has been detected; and automatically changing said setpoint temperature value to a predetermined value that requires substantially less energy to maintain than said setpoint temperature value. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification