Dynamic device-associated feedback indicative of responsible device usage

• US 8,850,348 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2012
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony M., Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Plitkins, Michael, Matas, Michael James, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Fisher, Evan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitaro, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan S
• Application Number:
  US13/632,118
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 730 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/771
• 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 11/52 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 11/59 for presetting
• 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: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 Feedback from users
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/409 characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• 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 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0613 : The adjustment depending on the type of the information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/37 : Details of the operation on graphic patterns G09G5/38 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and devices for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by a thermostat are provided. Input can be received from a user via a thermostat, the input being indicative of an adjustment of an HVAC-related setting. On a real-time basis, the HVAC-related setting that is being adjusted can be compared against a feedback criterion designed to indicate a circumstance under which feedback is to be presented to the user. The circumstance can be indicative of an achievement of a HVAC-related setting of a predetermined responsibility level with respect to an energy usage of the HVAC system. Upon a real-time determination that the feedback criterion is satisfied, visual feedback can be caused to be presented to the user in real-time. The real-time feedback can include a visual icon having a visual appeal corresponding to a desirability of the satisfaction of the feedback criterion.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

a thermostat device having a setpoint temperature schedule that is updated based on a temperature setting behavior applied in adjusting an ambient temperature of a structure;

adjusting a setpoint temperature on the thermostat device and displaying the setpoint temperature on an electronic display of the thermostat device, wherein the thermostat device controls an HVAC system of the structure so that the ambient temperature of the structure is adjusted according to the setpoint temperature;

comparing the setpoint temperature to an energy usage criterion having a temperature value, wherein said temperature value associated with said energy usage criterion is based in part on said setpoint temperature schedule, and wherein the energy usage criterion indicates energy usage of the HVAC system controlled by the thermostat device;

using the comparison to determine that the setpoint temperature corresponds to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system;

generating a visual icon corresponding to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system; and

displaying the visual icon on the electronic display to signal the efficient energy usage of the HVAC system, wherein the visual icon is displayed in real-time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

removing the visual icon from the display when the setpoint temperature corresponds to an inefficient energy usage of the HVAC system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein comparing the setpoint temperature to the energy usage criterion includes determining that the setpoint temperature is above or below the scheduled setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the scheduled setpoint temperature is automatically generated by the thermostat device or the scheduled setpoint temperature is provided to the thermostat device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual icon is capable of indicating one or more levels of energy usage of the HVAC system, and wherein the indication is based on a proximity of the setpoint temperature to the temperature value of the energy usage criterion.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein indications include a color indication, a brightness indication, a contrast indication, or a saturation indication.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving input corresponding to an adjustment of the setpoint temperature;

determining a level of energy usage by comparing the proximity of the adjusted setpoint temperature to the temperature value of the energy usage criterion; and

updating the visual icon to display the determined level of energy usage.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the temperature value of the energy usage criterion is a relative value corresponding to the scheduled setpoint temperature that is determined based on input from a user, and wherein comparing the setpoint temperature to the energy usage criterion includes determining that the setpoint temperature is above or below the scheduled setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount.

9. A computer implemented system, comprising:

a thermostat device having a setpoint temperature schedule that is updated based on a temperature setting behavior applied in adjusting an ambient temperature of a structure, the thermostat having one or more processors and one or more non transitory computer readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

adjusting a setpoint temperature on the thermostat device and displaying the setpoint temperature on an electronic display of the thermostat device, wherein the thermostat device controls an HVAC system of the structure so that the ambient temperature of the structure is adjusted according to the setpoint temperature;

comparing the setpoint temperature to an energy usage criterion having a temperature value, wherein said temperature value associated with said energy usage criterion is computed based in part on said setpoint temperature schedule, and wherein the energy usage criterion indicates energy usage of the HVAC system controlled by the thermostat device;

using the comparison to determine that the setpoint temperature corresponds to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system;

generating a visual icon corresponding to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system; and

displaying the visual icon on the electronic display to signal the efficient energy usage of the HVAC system, wherein the visual icon is displayed in real-time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further include removing the visual icon from the display when the setpoint temperature corresponds to an inefficient energy usage of the HVAC system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the temperature value of the energy usage criterion is a relative value corresponding to the scheduled setpoint temperature that is determined based on input from a user, and wherein comparing the setpoint temperature to the energy usage criterion includes determining that the setpoint temperature is above or below the scheduled setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the visual icon is capable of indicating one or more levels of energy usage of the HVAC system, and wherein the indication is based on a proximity of the setpoint temperature to the temperature value of the energy usage criterion.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein indications include a color indication, a brightness indication, a contrast indication, or a saturation indication.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the operations further include:

receiving input corresponding to an adjustment of the setpoint temperature;

determining a level of energy usage by comparing the proximity of the adjusted setpoint temperature to the temperature value of the energy usage criterion; and

updating the visual icon to display the determined level of energy usage.

15. A computer-program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine readable storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

adjust a setpoint temperature on a thermostat device and display the setpoint temperature on an electronic display of the thermostat device, wherein the thermostat device controls an HVAC system of a structure so that an ambient temperature of the structure is adjusted according to the setpoint temperature;

compare the setpoint temperature to an energy usage criterion having a temperature value, wherein said temperature value associated with said energy usage criterion is computed based in part on a setpoint temperature schedule that is updated based on a temperature setting behavior applied in adjusting the ambient temperature of the structure, and wherein the energy usage criterion indicates energy usage of the HVAC system controlled by the thermostat device;

use the comparison to determine that the setpoint temperature corresponds to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system;

generate a visual icon corresponding to an efficient energy usage of the HVAC system; and

display the visual icon on the electronic display to signal the efficient energy usage of the HVAC system, wherein the visual icon is displayed in real-time.

16. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the data processing apparatus to remove the visual icon from the display when the setpoint temperature corresponds to an inefficient energy usage of the HVAC system.

17. The computer-program product of claim 16, wherein the temperature value of the energy usage criterion is a relative value corresponding to the scheduled setpoint temperature that is determined based on input from a user, and wherein comparing the setpoint temperature to the energy usage criterion includes determining that the setpoint temperature is above or below the scheduled setpoint temperature by a predetermined amount.

18. The computer-program product of claim 15, wherein the visual icon is capable of indicating one or more levels of energy usage of the HVAC system, and wherein the indication is based on a proximity of the setpoint temperature to the temperature value of the energy usage criterion.

19. The computer-program product of claim 18, wherein indications include a color indication, a brightness indication, a contrast indication, or a saturation indication.

20. The computer-program product of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the data processing apparatus to:

receive input corresponding to an adjustment of the setpoint temperature;

determine a level of energy usage by comparing the proximity of the adjusted setpoint temperature to the temperature value of the energy usage criterion; and

update the visual icon to display the determined level of energy usage.