HVAC controller with user-friendly installation features facilitating both do-it-yourself and professional installation scenarios

• US 9,541,300 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Stefanski, Mark D., Sloo, David, Matsuoka, Yoky
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US14/685,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20150219357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 62/77, 621/29, 236/1.C
• 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 11/49 ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/32 preventing human errors during the installation, use or maintenance, e.g. goofy proof
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A thermostat may include a processing system, a plurality of HVAC connectors configured to receive a corresponding plurality of HVAC control wires, and a connection sensing circuit coupled to the plurality of HVAC connectors and configured to provide an indication to the processing system of whether a wire is inserted for each of the plurality of HVAC connectors. The processing system may be configured to receive an indication from the connection sensing circuit when an HVAC connector in the plurality of HVAC connectors has a wire inserted therein, the HVAC connector being associated with a plurality of possible HVAC functions. The processing system may also be configured to display the plurality of possible HVAC functions on a user interface, to receive input selecting one of the possible HVAC functions for the HVAC connector, and to operate the selected HVAC function through the HVAC connector.

Claims

1. A thermostat, comprising:

a processing system configured to control a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;

a plurality of first HVAC connectors configured to receive a corresponding plurality of first HVAC control wires from the HVAC system, each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors being associated with a single possible HVAC function;

one or more second HVAC connectors configured to receive a corresponding one or more second HVAC control wires from the HVAC system, each of the one or more second HVAC connectors being associated with a plurality of possible HVAC functions; and

a connection sensing module coupled to the plurality of first HVAC connectors and coupled to the one or more second HVAC connectors and configured to determine which of the plurality of first HVAC connectors and which of the one or more second HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein;

wherein the processing system is further configured to;

cause to be displayed, on a user interface, graphical icons representative of each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors and each of the one or more second HVAC connectors, wherein graphical icons corresponding to HVAC connectors with wires inserted therein are visually distinguished from graphical icons corresponding to HVAC connectors without wires inserted therein;

cause to be displayed, for any of the one or more second HVAC connectors having wires inserted therein, a display of at least some of the plurality of possible HVAC functions that can be associated with each of the one or more second HVAC connectors;

receive input, for any of the one or more second HVAC connectors having wires inserted therein, selecting ones of the plurality of possible HVAC functions to assign to each of the one or more second HVAC connectors;

determining an HVAC system configuration based on which of the plurality of first HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein, and based on any input selecting ones of the plurality of possible HVAC functions to assign to each of the one or more second HVAC connectors; and

operate, if possible, the thermostat at least in part according to the determined HVAC system configuration.

2. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to receive input verifying that the displayed graphical icons representative of each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors and each of the one or more second HVAC connectors are correct.

3. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the graphical icons are visually arranged on the user interface according to an actual physical position of the corresponding first HVAC connectors on the thermostat.

4. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the graphical icons representative of each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors comprise a display of the single possible HVAC functions assigned to each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors.

5. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more second HVAC connectors comprises a wildcard connector that can be configured to interface with a plurality of different HVAC system components.

6. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein said connection sensing module is configured to determine which of the plurality of first HVAC connectors and which the one or more second HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein using mechanical sensing.

7. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein said connection sensing module is configured to determine which of the plurality of first HVAC connectors and which the one or more second HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein using electrical sensing.

8. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine that the determined HVAC system configuration is not a recognized HVAC system configuration by the thermostat; and

cause a warning to be displayed on the user interface indicating that the HVAC system configuration is not a recognized HVAC system configuration by the thermostat.

9. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the plurality of possible HVAC functions comprises operating a humidifier or operating a dehumidifier.

10. The thermostat of claim 1 further comprising a mounting plate to which the plurality of first HVAC connectors and the one or more second HVAC connectors are mounted, the mounting plate having a hole in the center portion thereof through which the plurality of first HVAC control wires and the one or more second HVAC control wires can be routed to the plurality of first HVAC connectors and the one or more second HVAC connectors, respectively.

11. A method of determining a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configuration by a thermostat, the method comprising:

determining which of a plurality of first HVAC connectors and which of one or more second HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein, wherein;

the plurality of first HVAC connectors are configured to receive a corresponding plurality of first HVAC control wires from the HVAC system, each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors being associated with a single possible HVAC function; and

the one or more second HVAC connectors are configured to receive a corresponding one or more second HVAC control wires from the HVAC system, each of the one or more second HVAC connectors being associated with a plurality of possible HVAC functions;

causing to be displayed, on a user interface, graphical icons representative of each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors and each of the one or more second HVAC connectors, wherein graphical icons corresponding to HVAC connectors with wires inserted therein are visually distinguished from graphical icons corresponding to HVAC connectors without wires inserted therein;

causing to be displayed, for any of the one or more second HVAC connectors having wires inserted therein, a display of at least some of the plurality of possible HVAC functions that can be associated with each of the one or more second HVAC connectors;

receiving input, for any of the one or more second HVAC connectors having wires inserted therein, selecting ones of the plurality of possible HVAC functions to assign to each of the one or more second HVAC connectors;

determining an HVAC system configuration based on which of the plurality of first HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein, and based on any input selecting ones of the plurality of possible HVAC functions to assign to each of the one or more second HVAC connectors; and

operating, if possible, the thermostat at least in part according to the determined HVAC system configuration.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving input verifying that the displayed graphical icons representative of each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors and each of the one or more second HVAC connectors are correct.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the graphical icons are visually arranged on the user interface according to an actual physical position of the corresponding first HVAC connectors on the thermostat.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the graphical icons representative of each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors comprise a display of the single possible HVAC functions assigned to each of the plurality of first HVAC connectors.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more second HVAC connectors comprises a wildcard connector that can be configured to interface with a plurality of different HVAC system components.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein determining which of a plurality of first HVAC connectors and which of one or more second HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein comprises using mechanical sensing.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein determining which of a plurality of first HVAC connectors and which of one or more second HVAC connectors have wires inserted therein comprises using electrical sensing.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining that the determined HVAC system configuration is not a recognized HVAC system configuration by the thermostat; and

causing a warning to be displayed on the user interface indicating that the HVAC system configuration is not a recognized HVAC system configuration by the thermostat.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of possible HVAC functions comprises operating a humidifier or operating a dehumidifier.

20. A thermostat comprising:

a processing system;

a plurality of HVAC connectors configured to receive a corresponding plurality of HVAC control wires;

a connection sensing circuit coupled to the plurality of HVAC connectors and configured to provide an indication to the processing system of whether a wire is inserted for each of the plurality of HVAC connectors; and

wherein the processing system is configured to;

receive an indication from the connection sensing circuit when an HVAC connector in the plurality of HVAC connectors has a wire inserted therein, the HVAC connector being associated with a plurality of possible HVAC functions;

cause to be displayed, the plurality of possible HVAC functions on a user interface;

receive input selecting one of the possible HVAC functions for the HVAC connector; and

operate the selected HVAC function through the HVAC connector.