Adjusting proximity thresholds for activating a device user interface
First Claim
1. A thermostat, comprising:
- a housing;
a user interface including an electronic display having an active display mode and an inactive display mode, the active display mode generally requiring substantially more electrical power than said inactive display mode;
a processing system disposed within the housing and coupled to the user interface, the processing system being configured to be in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for determining an ambient air temperature, in operative communication with one or more input devices including said user interface for determining a setpoint temperature, and in still further 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; and
at least one sensor configured to detect a physical closeness of a user to the user interface of the thermostat, the at least one sensor being in operative communication with the processing system, the processing system being configured to cause the electronic display to be in the active display mode when a closeness threshold has been exceeded;
wherein said processing system is further configured to automatically adjust said closeness threshold based at least in part on a historical plurality of physical closeness events as detected by the at least one sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermostat includes a user interface that is configured to operate in at least two different modes including a first mode and a second mode. The user interface may require more power when operating in the first mode than in the second mode. The thermostat also includes a plurality of sensors, including at least one sensor configured to detect a presence of a user within a proximity of the thermostat. The thermostat additionally includes a first processing function that is configured to determine a proximity profile and to cause the user interface to be in the first mode one or more sensors provides responses that match the proximity profile. The proximity profile may be computed using a history of responses from the sensors that are likely to coincide with times where users intend to view the user interface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermostat, comprising:
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a housing; a user interface including an electronic display having an active display mode and an inactive display mode, the active display mode generally requiring substantially more electrical power than said inactive display mode; a processing system disposed within the housing and coupled to the user interface, the processing system being configured to be in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for determining an ambient air temperature, in operative communication with one or more input devices including said user interface for determining a setpoint temperature, and in still further 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; and at least one sensor configured to detect a physical closeness of a user to the user interface of the thermostat, the at least one sensor being in operative communication with the processing system, the processing system being configured to cause the electronic display to be in the active display mode when a closeness threshold has been exceeded; wherein said processing system is further configured to automatically adjust said closeness threshold based at least in part on a historical plurality of physical closeness events as detected by the at least one sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for optimizing the operation of a user interface of a thermostat, the method comprising:
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determining automatically, by a processing system, a closeness threshold based at least in part on a historical plurality of physical closeness events as detected by at least one sensor;
the at least one sensor configured to detect a physical closeness of a user to a user interface of the thermostat, the at least one sensor being in operative communication with the processing systemdetecting a physical closeness of a user to a user interface of the thermostat using the at least one sensor; determining, by the processing system, that the closeness threshold has been exceeded, the processing system being configured to be in operative communication with one or more temperature sensors for determining an ambient air temperature, in operative communication with one or more input devices including said user interface for determining a setpoint temperature, and in still further 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; causing, by the processing system, an electronic display to be in an active display mode when the closeness threshold has been exceeded, the user interface including the electronic display having the active display mode and an inactive display mode, the active display mode generally requiring substantially more electrical power than said inactive display mode. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A thermostat, comprising:
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a user interface that is configured to operate in at least two different modes comprising; a first mode, and a second mode, wherein the user interface requires more power when operating in the first mode than in the second mode; a plurality of sensors, including at least one sensor configured to detect a presence of a user within a proximity of the thermostat; and a first processing function that is configured to determine a proximity profile and to cause the user interface to be in the first mode when one or more of the plurality of sensors provides one or more responses to the first processing function that matches the proximity profile, wherein; the proximity profile is determined using at least a history of responses from the plurality of sensors that are likely to coincide with times where one or more users intend to view the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification