Selectable lens button for a smart home device and method therefor

• US 9,568,370 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony Michael, Schmidt, Mathias, Mittleman, Adam, Filson, John Benjamin, Goldenson, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaworecki, Mark R
• Application Number:
  US14/724,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20150260581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/041 Mountings in enclosures or in a particular environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/193 using focusing means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/00 Fire alarms; Alarms responsive to explosion
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/10 Actuation by presence of smoke or gases , e.g. automatic alarm devices for analysing flowing fluid materials by the use of optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/11 using an ionisation chamber for detecting smoke or gas
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 17/113 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/02 Bases, casings, or covers accommodating more than one switch or a switch and another electrical component H02B1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00 Circuit arrangements for providing remote indication of network conditions, e.g. an instantaneous record of the open or closed condition of each circuitbreaker in the network; Circuit arrangements for providing remote control of switching means in a power distribution network, e.g. switching in and out of current consumers by using a pulse code signal carried by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/195 the transmission using visible or infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a smart home device includes a front casing that is coupleable with a back plate to define a housing having an interior region within which one or more components of the smart home device are contained. The smart home device also includes an occupancy sensor that is disposed within the interior region of the smart home device and a button cap component that is positioned axially in front of the occupancy sensor. The button cap component is pressable by a user to actuate a switch that is disposed axially behind the button cap component. The smart home device further includes a lighting component that is positioned axially behind the button cap component. The lighting component is configured to disperse light circumferentially around the button cap component so as to provide a visual halo effect around the button cap component.

Claims

1. A smart home device comprising:

a front casing that is coupleable with a back plate to define a housing having an interior region within which one or more components of the smart home device are contained;

an occupancy sensor disposed within the interior region and positioned so as to face a room within which the smart home device is positioned, the occupancy sensor having a field of view into the room such that objects or individuals present in the room and within the field of view are detectable by the occupancy sensor;

a button cap component coupled with a button portion of the front casing such that the button cap component is pressable by a user to effect axial movement of the button portion of the front casing into contact with a switch;

a lighting component positioned axially behind the button cap component, the lighting component being configured to disperse light circumferentially around the button cap component so as to provide a visual halo effect relative thereto; and

a lensing component integrally formed with the button cap component so that the lensing component is positioned axially in front of the occupancy sensor, the lensing component being configured to enlarge the field of view of the occupancy sensor.

2. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the button cap component comprises a contour, and wherein the lensing component is contour-matched to the contour of the button cap component.

3. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the button cap component is positioned roughly centrally relative to the front casing so as to be easily accessible to a user.

4. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the button cap component has a first side facing the room and a second side that is opposite the first side, and wherein the lensing component is formed on the second side of the button cap component so as to be hidden from external view.

5. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the lensing component is a Fresnel lens.

6. The smart home device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible circuit board that is electrically coupled with at least one light that is configured to illuminate the lighting component so as to disperse light circumferentially around the button cap component.

7. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the smart home device further comprises:

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor; and

a wireless communication device that transmits temperature, humidity, and/or occupancy information.

8. The smart home device of claim 1, wherein the button portion is integrally formed with the front casing and is axially movable relative thereto, the button portion being axially biased against a bottom surface of the front casing in an un-deflected state.

9. A smart home device comprising:

a front casing that is coupleable with a back plate to define a housing having an interior region within which one or more components of the smart home device are contained;

an occupancy sensor disposed within the interior region of the smart home device, the occupancy sensor being positioned to face a room within which the smart home device is installed;

a button cap component that is positioned axially in front of the occupancy sensor and that is pressable by a user to actuate a switch disposed axially behind the button cap component;

a lensing component formed on a rearward surface of the button cap component, the lensing component being positioned in front of the occupancy sensor; and

a lighting component positioned axially behind the button cap component, the lighting component being configured to disperse light circumferentially around the button cap component so as to provide a visual halo effect around the button cap component.

10. The smart home device of claim 9, wherein the lensing component is a Fresnel lens.

11. The smart home device of claim 9, wherein the smart home device further comprises:

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor; and

a wireless communication device that transmits temperature, humidity, and/or occupancy information.

12. The smart home device of claim 9, further comprising a flexible circuit board positioned axially behind the lighting component, the flexible circuit board being electrically coupled with at least one light that is configured to illuminate the lighting component so as to disperse light circumferentially around the button cap component.

13. The smart home device of claim 9, wherein the button cap component is coupled with a button portion that is integrally formed with the front casing such that the button portion is axially biased against a bottom surface of the front casing and is axially movable relative thereto into contact with the switch.

14. A method of configuring a smart home device comprising:

coupling a front casing with a back plate to define a housing having an interior region within which one or more components of the smart home device are contained;

positioning an occupancy sensor within the interior region of the smart home device so that when the smart home device is installed in a room, the occupancy sensor faces the room within which the smart home device is positioned;

coupling a button cap component with a button portion of the front casing, the button cap component being pressable by a user to effect axial movement of the button portion into contact with a switch positioned behind the button portion;

positioning a lensing component axially in front of the occupancy sensor, the lensing component being integrally formed with the button cap component and being configured to enlarge a field of view of the occupancy sensor within the room; and

positioning a lighting component axially behind the button cap component, the lighting component being configured to disperse light circumferentially around the button cap component so as to provide a visual halo effect around the button cap component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the lensing component is a Fresnel lens.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

positioning a temperature sensor within the interior of the smart home device;

positioning a humidity sensor within the interior of the smart home device; and

positioning a wireless communication device within the interior of the smart home device, the wireless communication device being configured to wirelessly transmit temperature, humidity, and/or occupancy information.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the button portion is integrally formed with the front casing such that the button portion is axially biased against a bottom surface of the front casing and is axially movable relative thereto.