THERMOSTAT WITH RING-SHAPED CONTROL MEMBER

• US 20150330658A1
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Filson, John Benjamin, Daniels, Eric B.
• Application Number:
  US14/813,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20150330658A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/50 characterised by user interfaces or communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• 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 11/70 Control systems characterised by their outputs; Constructional details thereof
• 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 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/60 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0025 Living bodies ear thermometers G01J5/0011; detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/041 : Mountings in enclosures or in a particular environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/02 : Means for indicating or recording specially adapted for thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/26 : Testing of individual semiconductor devices testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment H01L22/00; testing of photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• 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 23/1919 : characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1932 : to control the temperature of a plurality of spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 : the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/2454 : using photoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/27 : with sensing element responsive to radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/275 : with sensing element expanding, contracting, or fusing in response to changes of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 : Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 : Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 : by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 : Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/02 : Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 : Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 : Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 : with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 : by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 : using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 : Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 : Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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: Y02D 30/50 : in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/88 : Optimized components or subsystems, e.g. lighting, actively controlled glasses
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 : End-user application control systems

Abstract

A sleek, low-profile wall-mountable thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described. The thermostat includes a ring-shaped controller that rotates about a central axis, and an optical sensor directed away from the central axis and toward a radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped controller so as to accurately detect optical signals indicating controller'"'"'s rotational movement.

Claims

1. A smart home device for controlling at least one energy consuming device of a home, the smart home device comprising:

a housing;

a processing system disposed within the housing;

a rounded electronic display coupled to the processing system and mounted on the housing, the rounded electronic display being adapted to display information to a user;

a ring-shaped control member mounted on the housing so as to surround the rounded electronic display and rotate about a central axis, the ring-shaped control member being configured to be inwardly pressable by the user along a direction of the central axis; and

at least one sensor disposed near an inner periphery of the ring-shaped control member, the at least one sensor being configured to sense rotation of the ring-shaped control member by virtue of one or more types of electromagnetic effects caused by rotation of the ring-shaped control member.

2. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the smart home device is a thermostat.

3. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an optical sensor mounted within the housing and directed away from the central axis and toward a radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped control member so as to detect optical signals indicating rotational movement of the ring-shaped control member and generate electrical signals therefrom, wherein the processing system is adapted and configured to detect user input based on the electrical signals generated by the optical sensor.

4. The smart home device of claim 3, wherein the radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped control member is curved and is textured to enhance detection of the optical signals indicating rotational movement.

5. The smart home device of claim 3, wherein the optical sensor is an optical finger navigation module.

6. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein said rotational movement and inward pressings of the ring-shaped control member represent sole physical user inputs to said smart home device.

7. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the housing is generally disk-like in shape, said display is circular, and wherein the ring-shaped control member generally makes up an outer lateral periphery of said disk-like shape.

8. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the smart home device is dimensioned such that when mounted on a wall, the smart home device protrudes from the wall no more than 35 millimeters.

9. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein a ratio of (1) a radial distance between the central axis and the inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped control member and (2) a radial distance between the central axis and an outmost periphery of the ring-shaped control member is not less than 75 percent.

10. A smart home device for controlling at least one energy consuming device of a home, the smart home device comprising:

a housing;

a processing system disposed within the housing;

a rounded electronic display coupled to the processing system and mounted on the housing;

a ring-shaped control member rotatably mounted on the housing so as to surround the rounded electronic display; and

at least one sensor disposed near an inner periphery of the ring-shaped control member, the at least one sensor being configured to sense rotation of the ring-shaped control member via an electromagnetic effect caused by rotation of the ring-shaped control member.

11. The smart home device of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is an optical sensor mounted within the housing and directed away from a central axis of the housing and toward a curved radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped control member so as to detect optical signals indicating rotational movement of the ring-shaped control member and generate electrical signals therefrom, wherein the processing system is configured to detect user input based on the electrical signals generated by the optical sensor.

12. The smart home device of claim 11, wherein the radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped control member is curved and is textured to enhance detection of the optical signals indicating rotational movement.

13. The smart home device of claim 11, wherein the optical sensor is an optical finger navigation module.

14. The smart home device of claim 10, wherein the housing includes a head unit and a backplate, the backplate being configured to be mounted on a wall and the head unit being configured to be removably mounted to the backplate.

15. The smart home device of claim 10, wherein the smart home device is a thermostat.

16. A method for control of a smart home device, the smart home device comprising a housing, a processing system disposed with in the housing, a rounded electronic display coupled to the processing system and mounted on the housing and adapted to display information to a user, a ring-shaped control member mounted on the housing so as to surround the rounded display and rotate about a central axis, and at least one sensor disposed near an inner periphery of the ring-shaped control member, the method comprising:

detecting, via the at least one sensor, electromagnetic signals indicating rotational movement of the ring-shaped control member;

generating electrical signals therefrom;

detecting user input using the processing system based on the electrical signals generated in response to rotational movement of the ring-shaped control member; and

displaying information to the user on the rounded electronic display in response to the detected user input.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the smart home device is a thermostat and the detected user input represents a desired change to a new setpoint temperature of the thermostat, and wherein the method further comprises:

determining that an HVAC system function should be activated based on a comparison of the new setpoint temperature to with an ambient temperature measurement; and

activating the HVAC system function.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the ring-shaped control member is configured to be inwardly pressable by the user along a direction of the central axis.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

detecting an inward pressing motion of the ring-shaped control member and generating electrical signals therefrom;

detecting an inward press user input using the processing system based on the electrical signals generated from the detected inward pressing; and

displaying information to the user on the rounded electronic display in response to the detected inward press user input.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one sensor is an optical sensor mounted within the housing and directed away from the central axis and toward a radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped control member so as to detect optical signals indicating rotational movement of the ring-shaped control member.