THERMOSTAT CODE INPUT SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREFOR USING SSID

• US 20160131385A1
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Published: 05/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braeburn Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Braeburn Systems LLC
• Inventors: SODERLUND, ERNEST E., HA, W. L., POPLAWSKI, DANIEL S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,356,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

The invention provides a method of inputting a code to a thermostat comprising the following steps, providing a thermostat having a display panel and a receiver for receiving signals from a local router, the local router configured to receive signals via the internet from a remote wireless device (RID), transmitting a register command to the local router, transmitting new user information to the local router and the thermostat receiving a serial number from the local router and the thermostat synchronizing with the RID without requiring any direct inputs to the display panel of the thermostat. The RID may verify the service set identifier (SSID).

Claims

1. A method of inputting a code to a thermostat comprising the following steps:

providing a thermostat having a receiver for receiving signals from a local router, the local router configured to receive signals via the internet from a remote input device (RID);

transmitting, by the RID, a register command to the local router, and placing a thermostat in a listen mode

transmitting, by the RID, new user information to the local router in order to trigger the local router to communicate with the thermostat;

the thermostat synchronizing with the RID and receiving information from the RID without requiring any direct user inputs to the thermostat, and the thermostat receiving registration information from the local router; and

verifying, by the RID, the service set identifier (SSID).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the local router provides a Wi-Fi network and the method including the step of receiving a WiFi password at the thermostat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermostat uses software tools to synchronize with the RID in one step.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote server sends a message to the thermostat that a user account has been created successfully.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at successful account creation message is transmitted to the RID, the RID having a display and including one of a computer, tablet, phone, laptop, notebook, wireless computer, wireless tablet, wireless phone, wireless laptop, wireless notebook.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the RID receives an alert transmission that no valid interact connection is available, there is a communication loss, there is an unknown error, or other types of alert.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a user obtains the serial number by examining an authentication card or a panel of the thermostat where the thermostat serial number is displayed and inputting the thermostat serial number to the RID.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmission of the device name is input to the local router from the RID.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmission of appropriate Wi-Fi network data is transmitted to the RID.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a set-up protocol is transmitted to a remote server that transmits the set-up protocol to the local router to associate the thermostat with the RID without requiring a single direct input by the user to the thermostat and a display panel of the thermostat is solely for manual control of the thermostat and there are no commands available on the display panel to input the SSID to synchronize the thermostat with the RID.

11. A thermostat configured for remote control comprising:

a display panel of the thermostat that is solely for manual control of the thermostat and there are no commands available on the display panel and no built in web server to synchronize the thermostat with a remote input device (RID) after the thermostat is placed in listen mode;

a receiver disposed in the thermostat for receiving synchronizing codes from a local router, the local router capable of receiving instructions from the RID; and

the RID verifying the service set identifier (SSID).

12. The thermostat of claim 11 wherein the local router is capable of receiving communications from a Wi-Fi network, the RID configured to transmit a Wi-Fi password to the thermostat.

13. The thermostat of claim 11 wherein the thermostat receives a signal from the local router that a user account has been created successfully.

14. A web enabled building control system comprising:

web enabled control device linked to a first network, and for receiving synchronizing instructions via the first network;

one or more building environment control devices coupled to the web enabled building control device over a second network, at least one of the one or more building environment control devices coupled to one or more HVAC units;

the web enabled control device configured to receive sensor information from at least one or more building environment control devices via the second network;

the web enabled control device configured to link with and receive information via a server displaying a web-page or app page including configuration information and building schedule information;

a set-up protocol is received by the building environment control device placed in listen mode over the second network without requiring a single direct input by a user to configure the building environment control device in order to receive signals from the web enabled control building device;

a display panel of the building environment control device is solely for manual control and there are no commands available on the display panel to synchronize the building environment control device from a web-page; and

the web enabled control device verifying the service set identifier (SSID).

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the web enabled building control device is further adapted to issue commands to at least one of the building environment control devices via the second network to activate or deactivate one or more HVAC units.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein at least some of the commands are based in part on received sensor information.

17. The system of claim 15, Wherein at least some of the commands are based in part on building schedule information.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the building environment control device is a thermostat having a display panel and there are no commands available on the display panel or via physical buttons to configure or synchronize the thermostat via a remote wireless device after the thermostat has been placed in listen mode.