THERMOSTAT USER INTERFACE

• US 20160018127A1
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Published: 01/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gourlay, Alastair R., Bruck, Timo, Fadell, Anthony M., Rogers, Matthew L., Sloo, David, Plitkins, Michael, Honjo, Shigefumi, Filson, John B., Matas, Michael J., Bould, Fred, Huppi, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,920,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/54 using one central controller connected to several sub-controllers
• 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 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A system including a thermostat user interface for a network-connected thermostat is described. The system includes a thermostat including a frustum-shaped shell body having a circular cross-section and a circular rotatable ring, which is user rotatable for adjusting a setting of the thermostat. The system further includes a client application that is operable on a touch-screen device separate from the thermostat, that displays a graphical representation of a circular dial, that detects a user-input motion proximate the graphical representation, that determines a user-selected setpoint temperature value based on the user-input motion, that displays a numerical representation of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, and that wirelessly transmits to the thermostat data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature.

Claims

1. A method for remotely controlling a thermostat, the method comprising:

displaying, via a client device, a graphical representation of a circular dial that is user actuable to select a setpoint temperature of the thermostat;

detecting, via the client device, a user swipe of the graphical representation of the circular dial, the user swipe detected near the periphery of the circular dial;

determining, based at least in part on the user swipe, a user-selected setpoint temperature value to be wirelessly transmitted to the thermostat;

displaying, via the client device, a numerical representation of the user-selected setpoint temperature value; and

wirelessly transmitting data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, wherein the thermostat, upon receipt of data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, adjusts the setpoint temperature of the thermostat to correspond to the user-selected setpoint temperature value.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

animating, via the client device, rotational movement of at least one graphical element of the graphical representation of the circular dial in a manner that corresponds to the user swipe.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user swipe is a touch-and-drag gesture that includes touching and rotating the at least one graphical element of the graphical representation of the circular dial.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one graphical element of the graphical representation of the circular dial that is touched and rotated comprises a setpoint caret.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the client device, a graphical representation of a user-select name for the thermostat.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

waiting for an amount of time before wirelessly transmitting data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value such that there is a relatively high likelihood that the user-selected setpoint temperature value corresponds to a setpoint temperature desired by a user, whereby unnecessary network traffic and/or unnecessary cycling of HVAC system components due to setpoint temperature value overtransmission is avoided.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of the client device, cause the client device to remotely control the thermostat according to the method of claim 1.

8. A system, comprising:

a thermostat including;

a body having a circular cross-section and a central axis generally perpendicular to a wall when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the body including a sidewall that extends along a length the central axis between first and second ends of the body, the first end of the body being wall-facing when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the second end of the body being user-facing when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the sidewall including inside and outside surfaces, the inside surface defining an interior for housing components of the thermostat;

a circular rotatable ring mounted proximate the second end of the body, the circular rotatable ring including an axis of rotation generally perpendicular to a wall when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the circular rotatable ring configured to be user rotatable about the axis of rotation, wherein user rotation of the circular rotatable ring results in user input for adjusting a temperature setting of the thermostat;

a processing system configured to control an HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of a measured ambient air temperature and a setpoint temperature value;

a client application operable on a client device that is separate and apart from the thermostat, the client application configured to cause the client device to;

display a graphical representation of a circular dial that is user actuable to select a setpoint temperature of the thermostat;

detect, based on user input received by the client device, a user-input motion inputted proximate the graphical representation that is user actuable to selected a setpoint temperature, wherein the detected user-input motion is a user swipe near a periphery of the graphical representation of the circular dial;

determine a user-selected setpoint temperature value based on the user-input motion;

display a numerical representation of the user-selected setpoint temperature value; and

wirelessly transmit data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, wherein the thermostat, upon receipt of data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, adjusts the setpoint temperature of the thermostat to correspond to the user-selected setpoint temperature value.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the client application is further configured to cause the client device to animate rotational movement of at least one element of the graphical representation of the circular dial in a manner that corresponds to the user-input motion.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one element of the graphical representation of the circular dial whose rotational movement is animated comprises a setpoint caret.

11. The system according to claim 8, the client application being further configured to cause the client device to wait for an amount of time before wirelessly transmitting data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value such that there is a relatively high likelihood that the transmitted user-selected setpoint temperature value corresponds to a setpoint temperature desired by a user, whereby unnecessary network traffic and/or unnecessary cycling of HVAC system components due to setpoint temperature value overtransmission is avoided.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein the client application is further configured to cause the client device to display a graphical representation of a user-select name for the thermostat.

13. A system according to claim 8, wherein the client application is further configured cause the client device to display a background color having an orange shade when the thermostat is in a heating mode and display a background color having a blue shade when the thermostat is in a cooling mode.

14. A method for remotely controlling a thermostat, the thermostat including a body having a circular cross-section and a central axis generally perpendicular to a wall when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the thermostat further including a processing system, an electronic display, and a circular rotatable ring mounted proximate the second end of the body, wherein user rotation of the circular rotatable ring results in user input for adjusting a setpoint temperature of the thermostat, the method comprising:

displaying, via a client device that is separate and apart from the thermostat, a graphical representation of a circular dial that is user actuable to select a setpoint temperature of the thermostat;

detecting, based on user input received via the client device, a user-input motion inputted proximate the graphical representation of the circular dial that is user actuable to selected a setpoint temperature, wherein the detected user-input motion is a user swipe near a periphery of the graphical representation of the circular dial;

determining a user-selected setpoint temperature value based on the user-input motion;

displaying, via the client device, a numerical representation of the user-selected setpoint temperature value; and

wirelessly transmitting data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, wherein the thermostat, upon receipt of data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, sends at least one control signal to an HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of a measured ambient air temperature and the user-selected setpoint temperature value.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

animating, via the client device, rotational movement of at least one graphical element of the graphical representation of the circular dial in a manner that corresponds to the user-input motion.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the at least one graphical element of the graphical representation of the circular dial whose rotational movement is animated comprises a setpoint caret.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

outputting, via an audio-output device of the client device, synthesized audible ticks that correspond to the rotational movement of the at least one graphical element of the graphical representation of the circular dial.

18. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

displaying, via the client device, a graphical representation of a user-selected name for the thermostat.

19. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

waiting for an amount of time before wirelessly transmitting data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature value such that there is a relatively high likelihood that the user-selected setpoint temperature value corresponds to a setpoint temperature desired by a user, whereby unnecessary network traffic and/or unnecessary cycling of HVAC system components due to setpoint temperature value overtransmission is avoided.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of the client device, cause the client device to interface with a user thereof according to the method of claim 14.