THERMOSTAT WITH WIRING TERMINALS CONFIGURED FOR SPATIAL COMPACTNESS AND EASE OF WIRE INSTALLATION

• US 20150330660A1
• Filed: 07/29/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Filson, John Benjamin, Daniels, Eric B., Huppi, Brian, Sloo, David
• Application Number:
  US14/812,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20150330660A1
• 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 wall-mountable programmable electronic thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described. The thermostat includes a circular wall-mountable backplate with a central opening to allow for the passage of HVAC wires for electrical connection to the thermostat. The head unit body is also circular and is removeably mountable to the back plate. A plurality of wedge-shaped wiring terminals are mounted on the backplate for making a tool-free connection to HVAC wires. Each wiring terminal has button that a user can depress while a wire is inserted in a wire hole. The terminals are arranged along one or more circular arcs about the central opening of the backplate such that the wire holes face the central opening and the buttons are located close to the outer periphery of the backplate.

Claims

1. A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system comprising:

a backplate adapted to be mounted on a wall, the backplate having a central opening to allow for insertion a plurality of HVAC wires through the backplate for electrical connection to the thermostat, the central opening being large enough to allow a user'"'"'s fingers to insert the plurality of HVAC wires through the central opening;

a head unit including a display for displaying information to a user, the head unit being removeably mountable to the back plate;

a plurality of wiring terminals each configured to make an electrical connection with an HVAC wire, the plurality of wiring terminals being mounted on the backplate and arranged along one or more arcs about the central opening of the backplate, each wiring terminal having a wire hole facing the central opening; and

a connection sensing module coupled to said plurality of wiring terminals, said connection sensing module being configured to determine the identities of a first subset of the plurality of wiring terminals into which corresponding HVAC wires have been inserted so as to determine a configuration of the HVAC system to be controlled.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, further comprising a processing system disposed within the housing, the processing system being configured to process said identities of said first subset of wiring terminals to determine a configuration of the HVAC system to be controlled.

3. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the processing system is in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for determining an ambient air temperature, in operative communication with one or more input devices for determining a setpoint temperature value, and in still further operative communication with the HVAC system to control the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of a measured ambient temperature and the setpoint temperature value.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein each wiring terminal includes a button member positioned nearer to an outer periphery of the backplate than said wire hole, said button member being operable by said user to make an electrical connection with the HVAC wire without the use of tools by pressing the button member on the wiring terminal and inserting the HVAC wire into the wire hole'"'"'s fingers to enable insertion of the HVAC wire into the wiring terminal.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, further comprising a backplate cover configured to cover the backplate, the backplate cover having a plurality of openings through which said button members protrude to allow access thereto by said user'"'"'s fingers, whereby the user can access said button members without their fingers coming into contact with said backplate.

6. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein each of the wiring terminals is generally wedge-shaped having the wire hole facing the central opening and the button member being positioned near the outer periphery of the backplate circuit board.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein each of the wiring terminals is configured such that the physical presence of a wire inserted into the wiring terminal can be mechanically detected.

8. The thermostat of claim 7, wherein the mechanical detection includes switching of a loop of an electrical circuit that does not include the inserted HVAC wire.

9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein each wiring terminal is positioned on the backplate such that the distance from the center of the central opening to each wire hole is equivalent.

10. A thermostat comprising:

a backplate including a backplate circuit board, the backplate circuit board having a plurality of electrical components mounted thereon, the backplate adapted for mounting on a wall, the backplate circuit board having a central opening that is large enough to allow a user'"'"'s fingers to insert a plurality of HVAC wires through the central opening for electrical connection to the thermostat;

a head unit including a display for displaying information to a user, the head unit being removeably mountable to the back plate;

a plurality of wiring terminals each configured to make an electrical connection with an HVAC wire, the plurality of wiring terminals being mounted on the backplate circuit board and arranged along one or more arcs about the central opening of the backplate circuit board, each wiring terminal having a wire hole facing the central opening;

a connection sensing module coupled to said plurality of wiring terminals, said connection sensing module being configured to determine the identities of a first subset of the plurality of wiring terminals into which corresponding HVAC wires have been inserted so as to determine a configuration of the HVAC system to be controlled; and

a processing system disposed within the housing, the processing system being configured to process said identities of said first subset of wiring terminals to determine a configuration of the HVAC system to be controlled.

11. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the wiring terminals include a button member positioned nearer to an outer periphery of the backplate circuit board than said wire hole, the wiring terminals being configured to allow the user to make an electrical connection with the HVAC wire without the use of tools by pressing the button member and inserting the HVAC wire into the wire hole.

12. The thermostat of claim 11, further comprising a backplate cover configured to cover said plurality of electrical components, the backplate cover having a plurality of openings through which said button members protrude to allow access thereto by the user'"'"'s fingers such that the user can access said button members without their fingers coming into contact with said electrical components.

13. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein the wire hole and the button member are on opposite sides of the wiring terminal, and the wiring terminal is generally wedge-shaped such that the side of the terminal including the wire hole is shorter than a side of the terminal including the button member.

14. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the processing system is in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for determining an ambient air temperature, in operative communication with one or more input devices for determining a setpoint temperature value, and in still further operative communication with the HVAC system to control the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of a measured ambient temperature and the setpoint temperature value.

15. A thermostat comprising:

a backplate including a backplate circuit board, the backplate circuit board having a plurality of electrical components mounted thereon, the backplate adapted for mounting on a wall, the backplate circuit board having a central opening that is large enough to allow a user'"'"'s fingers to insert a plurality of HVAC wires through the central opening for electrical connection to the thermostat;

a head unit including a display for displaying information to a user, the head unit being removeably mountable to the back plate;

a plurality of wiring terminals each configured to make an electrical connection with an HVAC wire, the plurality of wiring terminals being mounted on the backplate circuit board and arranged along one or more arcs about the central opening of the backplate circuit board, each wiring terminal having a wire hole facing the central opening; and

a connection sensing module coupled to said plurality of wiring terminals, said connection sensing module being configured to determine the identities of a first subset of the plurality of wiring terminals into which corresponding HVAC wires have been inserted so as to determine a configuration of the HVAC system to be controlled.

16. The thermostat of claim 15, further comprising a processing system disposed within the housing, the processing system being configured to process said identities of said first subset of wiring terminals to determine a configuration of the HVAC system to be controlled.

17. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the processing system is in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for determining an ambient air temperature, in operative communication with one or more input devices for determining a setpoint temperature value, and in still further operative communication with the HVAC system to control the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of a measured ambient temperature and the setpoint temperature value.

18. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the wiring terminals include a button member positioned nearer to an outer periphery of the backplate circuit board than said wire hole, the wiring terminals being configured to allow the user to make an electrical connection with the HVAC wire without the use of tools by pressing the button member and inserting the HVAC wire into the wire hole.

19. The thermostat of claim 18, further comprising a backplate cover configured to cover said plurality of electrical components, the backplate cover having a plurality of openings through which said button members protrude to allow access thereto by the user'"'"'s fingers such that the user can access said button members without their fingers coming into contact with said electrical components.

20. The thermostat of claim 18, wherein the wire hole and the button member are on opposite sides of the wiring terminal, and the wiring terminal is generally wedge-shaped such that the side of the terminal including the wire hole is shorter than a side of the terminal including the button member.