Thermostat user interface
First Claim
1. A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:
- 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 of 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 the 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 setting of the thermostat, wherein the circular rotatable ring rotatably slides about a frame of the thermostat, the circular rotatable ring having an inwardly extending lip or edge surface that is parallel to the wall when the thermostat is wall mounted, said inwardly extending lip or edge being positioned within a groove of the frame, and wherein a corresponding bearing surface of the frame is greased or otherwise lubricated to smooth and dampen rotational movement of the circular rotatable ring;
a circular cover mounted proximate the second end of the frustum-shaped shell body, the circular cover including a central axis generally perpendicular to the 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 portion 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 temperature sensor for use in determining an ambient air temperature;
a plurality of HVAC wire connectors configured for receiving a corresponding plurality of HVAC control wires associated with the HVAC system; and
a processing system provided in operative communication with the plurality of HVAC wire connectors, the circular rotatable ring, the non-circular dot-matrix color display element, and the temperature sensor, the processing system configured to;
cause the non-circular dot-matrix color display element to display a visually prominent digital numerical value representative of a temperature value, wherein the digital numerical value representative of the temperature value is viewable through the clear circular center portion of the circular cover;
cause the audio-output device to output synthesized audible ticks in correspondence with user rotation of the circular rotatable ring;
determine a user-selected setpoint temperature value based on user rotation of the circular rotatable ring;
send a control signal to the HVAC system via one or more of the plurality of HVAC wire connectors based at least in part on a comparison of the user-selected setpoint temperature value and the determined ambient air temperature; and
indicate an operation mode of the thermostat by causing the non-circular dot-matrix color display element to display elements that indicate when the thermostat is operating in a heating or cooling mode.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A thermostat user interface for a network-connected thermostat is described. The thermostat includes a frustum-shaped shell body having a circular cross-section and a sidewall extending between first and second ends, the second end being user-facing when the thermostat is wall-mounted; a circular rotatable ring being user rotatable for adjusting a setting of the thermostat; and a circular cover including a clear circular center portion surrounded by a painted outer portion. The clear circular center portion permits a corresponding circular portion of a non-circular dot-matrix color display element to be visible through the circular cover and the painted outer portion masks a remaining portion of the non-circular dot-matrix color display element so as to create a circular graphical user interface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:
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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 of 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 the 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 setting of the thermostat, wherein the circular rotatable ring rotatably slides about a frame of the thermostat, the circular rotatable ring having an inwardly extending lip or edge surface that is parallel to the wall when the thermostat is wall mounted, said inwardly extending lip or edge being positioned within a groove of the frame, and wherein a corresponding bearing surface of the frame is greased or otherwise lubricated to smooth and dampen rotational movement of the circular rotatable ring; a circular cover mounted proximate the second end of the frustum-shaped shell body, the circular cover including a central axis generally perpendicular to the 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 portion 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 temperature sensor for use in determining an ambient air temperature; a plurality of HVAC wire connectors configured for receiving a corresponding plurality of HVAC control wires associated with the HVAC system; and a processing system provided in operative communication with the plurality of HVAC wire connectors, the circular rotatable ring, the non-circular dot-matrix color display element, and the temperature sensor, the processing system configured to; cause the non-circular dot-matrix color display element to display a visually prominent digital numerical value representative of a temperature value, wherein the digital numerical value representative of the temperature value is viewable through the clear circular center portion of the circular cover; cause the audio-output device to output synthesized audible ticks in correspondence with user rotation of the circular rotatable ring; determine a user-selected setpoint temperature value based on user rotation of the circular rotatable ring; send a control signal to the HVAC system via one or more of the plurality of HVAC wire connectors based at least in part on a comparison of the user-selected setpoint temperature value and the determined ambient air temperature; and indicate an operation mode of the thermostat by causing the non-circular dot-matrix color display element to display elements that indicate when the thermostat is operating in a heating or cooling mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. In a thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, a method for interacting with a user of the thermostat, the method comprising:
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detecting user presence at the 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 frustum-shaped shell body including a sidewall that extends along a length of 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; responsive to detecting user presence, activating a non-circular dot-matrix color display element mounted proximate the second end of the frustum-shaped shell body of the thermostat; informing the user of an operational mode of the thermostat by displaying on the non-circular dot-matrix color display elements that indicate when the thermostat is in a heating or cooling mode; indicating, via a circular graphical user interface, a temperature value by displaying a digital numerical value representative of the temperature value on a circular portion of the non-circular dot-matrix color display element that aligns with a clear circular center region of a circular cover, the circular cover includes a painted region that surrounds the clear circular center region and that masks a remaining portion of the non-circular dot-matrix color display element so as to create the circular graphical user interface; and enabling the user to select a setpoint temperature value by providing a circular rotatable ring mounted proximate the second end of a frustum-shaped shell body of the thermostat, the circular rotatable ring including an axis of rotation generally perpendicular to the 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 selecting the setpoint temperature value, wherein the circular rotatable ring rotatably slides about a frame of the thermostat, the circular rotatable ring having an inwardly extending lip or edge surface that is parallel to the wall when the thermostat is wall mounted, said inwardly extending lip or edge being positioned within a groove of the frame, and wherein a corresponding bearing surface of the frame is greased or otherwise lubricated to smooth and dampen rotational movement of the circular rotatable ring, wherein the user-selected setpoint temperature value is determined by tracking user rotation of the circular rotatable ring. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, a method for interacting with a user of the thermostat, comprising:
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displaying on a non-circular electronic display a numerical representation of a temperature value, the numerical representation of the temperature value being viewable through a clear circular center region of a cover mounted near a user-facing end of a frustum-shaped shell body of the thermostat, the clear circular center region being surrounded by a painted outer region to mask portions of the non-circular electronic display, the 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 of 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; enabling a user to select a setpoint temperature value by providing a circular rotatable ring mounted proximate the second end of a frustum-shaped shell body of the thermostat, the circular rotatable ring including an axis of rotation generally perpendicular to the 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 selecting the setpoint temperature value, wherein the circular rotatable ring rotatable slides about a frame of the thermostat, the circular rotatable ring having an inwardly extending lip or edge surface that is parallel to the wall when the thermostat is wall mounted, said inwardly extending lip or edge being positioned within a groove of the frame, and wherein a corresponding bearing surface of the frame is greased or otherwise lubricated to smooth and dampen rotational movement of the circular rotatable ring; displaying on the non-circular electronic display a numerical representation of the setpoint temperature value, the numerical representation of the setpoint temperature value being viewable through the clear circular center region of the circular cover mounted near the user-facing end of the frustum-shaped shell body of the thermostat; and displaying on the non-circular electronic display an indication when the thermostat is calling for heating or cooling from the HVAC system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification