Thermostat capable of displaying received information

• US 7,703,694 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Miles, Ronald E., Fredricks, Thomas J., Carey, Steven L., Mueller, Carl J., Vogel, G. Scott, Garozzo, James P., Sartain, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman; Marc E
• Application Number:
  US12/250,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/94, 700/276
• US Class Current: 236/51
• 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 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24048 Remote test, monitoring, diagnostic
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24102 Display status of controller
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

A thermostat for controlling a climate control system is provided that comprises a network interface for establishing an internet connection with a website of a remote service provider, and a microprocessor for controlling the operation of a climate control system. The microprocessor is in communication with the network interface for establishing an internet connection and receiving user-specified information from a remote service provider that maintains a user-profile of information requested by the user. The thermostat further comprises a display device responsive to the microprocessor for displaying user-specified information received via the network controller from the remote service provider.

Claims

1. A thermostat for controlling a climate control system, comprising:

a network interface for establishing an internet connection with a website of a remote service provider;

a microprocessor for controlling the operation of a climate control system, the microprocessor being in communication with the network interface for periodically establishing an internet connection via the network interface and receiving user-specified information from a website of a remote service provider that maintains a user-profile in which the user can tailor or select the information that the user would like to have sent to the user'"'"'s thermostat from the remote service provider in the form of a text message, which information comprises weather information including the day'"'"'s forecasted temperature; and

a display device having a plurality of characters each of which comprise segments that allow for displaying a variety of alpha-numeric characters, the display device being responsive to the microprocessor for displaying at least a portion of the text message received, which text message includes the user-specified information including the day'"'"'s forecasted temperature received via the network controller from the remote service provider.

2. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the network interface is adapted to establish an internet connection through a dial up modem and phone line.

3. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the network interface is adapted to establish a wireless internet connection through a WiFi 802.11b wireless router.

4. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the user specific information comprises at least weather forecast information of a high temperature and a low temperature, which align with weather forecast headings on the display device.

5. The thermostat of claim 1 where upon the thermostat establishing connection with the remote service provider, the remote service provider responds to the thermostat'"'"'s identification by providing a data message containing user-specified information.

6. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the user-profile comprises a request by the user for specific information, which the remote service provider prepares and provides to the thermostat when the thermostat establishes connection with the remote service provider.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is configured to communicate a portion of the received text message to the display device, and to iteratively communicate portions of the text message to the display device to provide for displaying the text message in its entirety in a scrolling marquee fashion.

8. The thermostat of claim 7 wherein the microprocessor is further configured to iteratively communicate successive portions of the text message to the display device to provide for displaying portions of the text message using the 9 to 20 characters, such that the text message is displayed in its entirety in portions up to 20 characters at a time, to thereby display the entire text message in a scrolling marquee fashion using only 9 to 20 characters.

9. A thermostat for controlling a climate control system, comprising:

a network interface for establishing an internet connection with a website of a remote service provider;

a microprocessor for controlling the operation of a climate control system, the microprocessor being in communication with the network interface for periodically establishing an internet connection via the network interface and receiving user-specified information from a website of a remote service provider that maintains a user-profile in which the user can tailor or select the information that the user would like to have sent to the user'"'"'s thermostat from the remote service provider in the form of a text message, which information comprises weather information including the day'"'"'s forecasted temperature; and

a display device in communication with the microprocessor, the display device having at least one heading indicative of a weather forecast, and a plurality of characters each of which comprise segments that allow for displaying a variety of alpha-numeric characters, such that the display device is configured to display at least the first 20 characters of the text message;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to communicate an initial portion of the received text message including the day'"'"'s forecasted temperature to the display device to cause the display of the day'"'"'s forecasted temperature in alignment with the at least one heading on the display device, the microprocessor being further configured to iteratively communicate portions of the text message to the display device to provide for displaying the text message in its entirety in a scrolling marquee fashion via the plurality of characters comprising segments.

10. The thermostat of claim 9, wherein the plurality of characters preferably comprises between 9 and 20 characters, each character being made of segments configured to display a variety of alpha-numeric characters.

11. The thermostat of claim 10 wherein the microprocessor is further configured to iteratively communicate successive portions of the text message to the display device to provide for displaying portions of the text message using the 9 to 20 characters, such that the text message is displayed in its entirety in portions up to 20 characters at a time, to thereby display the entire text message in a scrolling marquee fashion using only 9 to 20 characters.

12. The thermostat of claim 11 wherein the network interface is adapted to establish a wireless internet connection through a WiFi 802.11b wireless router.

13. The thermostat of claim 12 wherein the thermostat is configured to permit the user to enter data of the remote service provider'"'"'s website, a username and a password for establishing a connection with the remote service provider via the wireless internet connection.

14. The thermostat of claim 11 wherein the network interface is adapted to establish an Internet connection through a dial up modem and phone line.

15. A thermostat for controlling a climate control system, comprising:

a microprocessor that is configured to control operation of the thermostat, and configured to receive a text message;

a display device in communication with the microprocessor, the display device including;

a first portion of the display device having a plurality of segmented characters that are configured to display alpha-numeric symbols such that the plurality of segmented characters are configured to display portions of a text message on the display; and

a second portion of the display device having segmented characters thereon configured to display symbols for displaying a header or other information;

wherein the microprocessor is configured to communicate to the display device information for display on the second portion of the display device having the segmented characters, and is further configured to iteratively communicate portions of the text message to the display device to provide a scrolling marquee, using the plurality of segmented characters, for displaying the text message in its entirety.

16. The thermostat of claim 15 wherein the microprocessor is configured to receive a text message in its entirety, and thereafter to iteratively communicate portions of the text message to the display device to provide a scrolling marquee for displaying the text message in its entirety.