Thermostat user interface

• US 8,489,243 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nest Labs Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Rogers, Matthew L., Sloo, David, Matas, Michael J., Plitkins, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US13/632,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20130046397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/83, 700/82, 700/276, 700/277, 236/1.C, 236/1.E, 236/18, 236/46.R, 236/51, 236/94
• US Class Current: 700/277
• 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 11/52 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 Feedback from users
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• 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 3/0482 : 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: H01H 2239/07 : UV or IR detection, e.g. of human body
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 : Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement

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.

Claims

1. A thermostat comprising:

a housing;

a rotatable user-interface component configured to track a rotational input motion of a user;

an electronic display disposed on a front face of the housing; 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 dynamically identify a setpoint temperature value based on the tracked rotational input motion, the processing system being further configured to be in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for receiving an ambient air temperature, the processing system being still further configured to be in operative communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to control the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of the measured ambient temperature and the setpoint temperature value,

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, a graphical setpoint icon is displayed along a periphery of the electronic display at a first location that is spatially 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, a rotatable arrangement of selectable menu items is displayed along said periphery of the electronic display, said rotatable arrangement being caused to rotate around said periphery responsive to tracked user rotation of the rotatable user interface component, said user rotation further causing different respective ones of the selectable menu items to become visually highlighted as said rotatable user interface component is rotated, and

wherein a user selection of one of said selectable menu items is established by a user confirmation input provided by the user while that selectable menu item is visually highlighted.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein said rotatable user-interface component is further configured to be inwardly pressable in a manner that is detectable by the processor, and wherein said user confirmation input provided during said second mode of operation comprises an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein said rotatable user-interface component is further configured to be inwardly pressable in a manner that is detectable by the processor, and wherein the thermostat is configured to switch from said first mode of operation to said second mode of operation in response to an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component applied during said first mode of operation.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein said electronic display is substantially circular in shape, and wherein said rotatable user-interface component comprises a mechanically rotatable ring that substantially surrounds said electronic display.

5. The thermostat of claim 4, wherein one or more of said selectable menu items comprises an alphanumeric representation, and wherein said visual highlighting is applied only to the selectable menu item currently appearing at a twelve o'"'"'clock position around said periphery such that the currently highlighted menu item appears in an upright orientation.

6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein, during said first mode of operation, the electronic display displays a trailing icon extending along said periphery between (i) said setpoint icon at said first location, and (ii) a second location along said periphery that is spatially representative of said measured ambient temperature, whereby an amount of temperature rise or temperature drop required for the measured ambient temperature to become equal to the setpoint temperature is readily apparent to the user during said first mode of operation by virtue of a length of said trailing icon along said periphery.

7. The thermostat of claim 6, wherein said setpoint icon comprises a prominently visible tick mark, and wherein said trailing icon comprises a plurality of less prominently visible tick marks arranged along said periphery between said first and second locations.

8. A method for control of an HVAC system by a thermostat, the thermostat comprising a housing, a rotatable user-interface component, a processing system, and an electronic display, the method comprising:

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;

dynamically 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; and

displaying, on the electronic display, a graphical setpoint icon along a periphery of the electronic display that is spatially representative of said setpoint temperature value as identified according to said tracked rotational input motion of the user; and

when the thermostat is operating in a second mode of operation;

displaying a rotatable arrangement of selectable menu items along said periphery of the electronic display;

rotating said rotatable arrangement around said periphery responsive to the tracked user rotation of the rotatable user interface component, wherein different respective ones of the selectable menu items become visually highlighted as said rotatable user interface component is rotated;

detecting a user confirmation input; and

identifying a selected menu item as a menu item visually highlighted when the user confirmation input was detected,

wherein said first and second modes of operation are in effect at different times.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting the user confirmation input comprises detecting an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising, further comprising:

when the thermostat is operating in a first mode of operation;

detecting an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component; and

subsequent to the detection of the inward pressing, switching from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said electronic display is substantially circular in shape, and wherein said rotatable user-interface component comprises a mechanically rotatable ring that substantially surrounds said electronic display.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein one or more of said selectable menu items comprises an alphanumeric representation, and wherein said visual highlighting is applied only to the selectable menu item currently appearing at a twelve o'"'"'clock position around said periphery such that the currently highlighted menu item appears in an upright orientation.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising, when the thermostat is operating in said first mode of operation:

displaying, on the electronic display, a trailing icon extending along said periphery between (i) said setpoint icon at said first location, and (ii) a second location along said periphery that is spatially representative of said ambient temperature, whereby an amount of temperature rise or temperature drop required for the ambient temperature to become equal to the setpoint temperature is readily apparent to the user during said first mode of operation by virtue of a length of said trailing icon along said periphery.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said setpoint icon comprises a prominently visible tick mark, and wherein said trailing icon comprises a plurality of less prominently visible tick marks arranged along said periphery between said first and second location.

15. A method for control of an HVAC system by a thermostat, the thermostat comprising a housing, a rotatable user-interface component, a processing system, and an electronic display, the method comprising:

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;

dynamically 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, an indication of said setpoint temperature value as identified according to said tracked rotational input motion of the user;

detecting a mode-changing input; and

subsequent 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 a rotatable arrangement of selectable menu items along said periphery of the electronic display;

rotating said rotatable arrangement around said periphery responsive to the tracked user rotation of the rotatable user interface component, wherein different respective ones of the selectable menu items become visually highlighted as said rotatable user interface component is rotated;

detecting a user confirmation input; and

identifying a selected menu item as a menu item visually highlighted when the user confirmation input was detected,

wherein said first and second modes of operation are in effect at different times.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting the mode-changing input comprises detecting an inward pressing of said rotatable user-interface component.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said indication of said setpoint temperature value is indicative of the setpoint temperature value by virtue of its spatial location on the display.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said indication of said setpoint temperature value comprises a graphical icon.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said electronic display is substantially circular in shape, and wherein said rotatable user-interface component comprises a mechanically rotatable ring that substantially surrounds said electronic display.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising, when the thermostat is operating in said first mode of operation:

displaying, on the electronic display, a trailing icon, whereby an amount of temperature rise or temperature drop required for the ambient temperature to become equal to the setpoint temperature is readily apparent to the user during said first mode of operation by virtue of a length of said trailing icon.