Thermostat user interface

• US 9,175,871 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/464,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 62157-158, 622/31, 622/64, 700/276, 700/278
• 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:

indicating, via a client device, whether the thermostat is in a cooling mode or a heating mode by displaying a graphical representation of an orange disk when the thermostat is in the heating mode and displaying a graphical representation of a blue disk when the thermostat is in the cooling mode;

displaying, via the client device, a graphical representation of a circular dial that is user actuable to select a setpoint temperature of the thermostat, the graphical representation of the circular dial including a plurality of radial tick marks arranged along a periphery of the circular dial;

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;

outputting, via the client device, synthesized audible ticks that correspond to the user swipe detected near the periphery;

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, 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.

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 frustum-shaped shell body having a circular cross-section and a central axis generally perpendicular to a wall when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the frustum-shaped shell body including a sidewall that extends along a length the central axis between first and second ends of the frustum-shaped shell body, the first end of the frustum-shaped shell body being wall-facing when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the second end of the frustum-shaped shell body being user-facing when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the first end of the frustum-shaped shell body having a first diameter and the second end of the frustum-shaped shell body having a second, larger diameter, 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 frustum-shaped shell 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 circular cover mounted proximate the second end of the frustum-shaped shell body, the circular cover including a central axis generally perpendicular to a wall when the thermostat is wall-mounted, the circular cover includes a clear circular center portion surrounded by a painted outer portion; and

a non-circular dot-matrix color display element mounted at a location between the second end of the frustum-shaped shell body and the circular cover, the clear circular center portion of the circular cover permits a corresponding circular potion of the non-circular dot-matrix color display element to be visible through the circular cover and the painted outer portion of the circular cover masks a remaining portion of the non-circular dot-matrix color display element so as to create a circular graphical user interface, the non-circular dot-matrix color display element and the circular cover do not rotate with the circular rotatable ring;

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 touch-screen device that is separate and apart from the thermostat, the client application configured to cause the touch-screen device to;

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

display a background color having an orange shade when the thermostat is in a heating mode;

display a background color having a blue shade when the thermostat is in a cooling mode;

detect, based on user input received at the touch-screen display, 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;

output synthesized audible ticks via an audio-output device that correspond to the user swipe detected near the periphery of the graphical representation of the circular dial;

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, sends at least one control signal to the HVAC system based at least in part on a comparison of a measured ambient air temperature and the user-selected setpoint temperature value.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the client application is further configured to cause the touch-screen 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 touch-screen 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 touch-screen 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 to cause the touch-screen 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 user-selected setpoint temperature value corresponds to a setpoint temperature desired by a user.

14. A method for remotely controlling a thermostat, the thermostat including a frustum-shaped shell 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 frustum-shaped shell 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, on a touch-screen display of a touch-screen 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;

displaying, on the touch-screen display, a background color having an orange shade when the thermostat is in a heating mode;

displaying, on the touch-screen display, a background color having a blue shade when the thermostat is in a cooling mode;

detecting, based on user input received at the touch-screen display, 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, on the touch-screen display, 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, on the touch-screen display, 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 touch-screen 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, on the touch-screen display, 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 touch-screen device, cause the touch-screen device to interface with a user thereof according to the method of claim 14.