HVAC controller with user-friendly installation features with wire insertion detection

• US 9,575,496 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony Michael, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Sloo, David, Stefanski, Mark D., Matsuoka, Yoky
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M
• Application Number:
  US14/743,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20150293541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 621/15, 621/25, 621/27, 621/32, 621/56, 622/31, 236/1.C, 236/1.E, 236/18, 236/94, 236/91.R, 236/91.D
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• 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 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2221/32 preventing human errors during the installation, use or maintenance, e.g. goofy proof
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• 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 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

Arrangements for configuring a thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system are presented. A thermostat may receive information indicative of the HVAC system comprising an air conditioner and information indicative of the HVAC system comprising a multi-stage heat pump. The thermostat may modify configuration information of the thermostat based on the information indicative of the air conditioner and the information indicative of the multi-stage heat pump. The thermostat may then control the HVAC system in accordance with the modified configuration information.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the method comprising:

receiving, by the thermostat, information indicative of the HVAC system comprising an air conditioner;

receiving, by the thermostat, information indicative of the HVAC system comprising a multi-stage heat pump;

modifying, by the thermostat, configuration information of the thermostat based on the information indicative of the air conditioner and the information indicative of the multi-stage heat pump; and

controlling, by the thermostat, the HVAC system in accordance with the modified configuration information.

2. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to modifying the configuration information, determining, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat by detecting states of a plurality of HVAC wire connectors that have corresponding HVAC wires inserted, each HVAC connector of the plurality of HVAC wire connectors being associated with particular HVAC functionality.

3. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the thermostat, information indicative of an absence of a radiant heating system in the HVAC system, wherein modifying the configuration information of the thermostat is based on the information indicative of the absence of the radiant heating system in the HVAC system.

4. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 3, wherein receiving the information indicative of the radiant heating system not being part of the HVAC system and receiving the information indicative of the HVAC system comprising the multi-stage heat pump comprises:

presenting, by a display of the thermostat, a set of questions about the HVAC system;

receiving, by the thermostat, via user input provided directly to the thermostat, answers to the set of questions about the HVAC system that indicate the presence of the multi-stage heat pump and the absence of radiant heating system.

5. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to modifying the configuration information, determining, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat by performing one or more trial runs of the HVAC system, wherein the configuration information identifies HVAC features available for control by the thermostat.

6. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to modifying the configuration information, determining, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat by observing behavior of the HVAC system, wherein the configuration information identifies HVAC features available for control by the thermostat.

7. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the thermostat, that a network connection is available to the thermostat for retrieving an outside temperature from an Internet-based temperature information source, wherein modifying, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat is based on determining that the network connection is available to retrieve the outside temperature from the Internet-based temperature information source.

8. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 7, wherein modifying, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat comprises:

enabling, by the thermostat, a heat pump control feature that uses the retrieved outside temperature in regulating whether an auxiliary stage of the multi-stage heat pump is used by the HVAC system to reach a set temperature.

9. The method for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the thermostat, that an outdoor temperature cannot be retrieved by the thermostat, wherein modifying, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat comprises;

in response to determining that the outdoor temperature cannot be retrieved by the thermostat, enabling, by the thermostat, a heating preconditioning feature that uses a heating history of a structure associated with the HVAC system to determine an amount of time to start heating ahead of a scheduled setpoint such that a scheduled temperature of the scheduled setpoint is realized at a scheduled time of the scheduled setpoint.

10. A thermostat, comprising:

a housing;

a user interface comprising an electronic display;

a processing system disposed within the housing and coupled to the user interface, the processing system being;

in operative communication with one or more temperatures sensors for determining an ambient air temperature, in operative communication with an input device for receiving input from a user at the thermostat, and in operative communication with a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the processing system being configured to;

receive information indicative of the HVAC system comprising an air conditioner;

receive information indicative of the HVAC system comprising a multi-stage heat pump;

modify configuration information of the thermostat based on the information indicative of the air conditioner and the information indicative of the multi-stage heat pump; and

control the HVAC system in accordance with the modified configuration information.

11. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

prior to modifying the configuration information, determine the configuration information of the thermostat by detecting states of a plurality of HVAC wire connectors that have corresponding HVAC wires inserted, each HVAC connector of the plurality of HVAC wire connectors being associated with particular HVAC functionality.

12. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

receive information indicative of an absence of a radiant heating system in the HVAC system, wherein modifying the configuration information of the thermostat is based on the information indicative of the absence of the radiant heating system in the HVAC system.

13. The thermostat of claim 12, wherein the processing system being configured to receive the information indicative of the radiant heating system not being part of the HVAC system and receive the information indicative of the HVAC system comprising the multi-stage heat pump comprises the processing system being configured to:

present, via the electronic display of the user interface, a set of questions about the HVAC system;

receive, by the thermostat, via user input provided directly to the thermostat, answers to the set of questions about the HVAC system that indicate the presence of the multi-stage heat pump and the absence of radiant heating system.

14. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

prior to modifying the configuration information, determine the configuration information of the thermostat by performing one or more trial runs of the HVAC system, wherein the configuration information identifies HVAC features available for control by the thermostat.

15. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

prior to modifying the configuration information, determine the configuration information of the thermostat by observing behavior of the HVAC system, wherein the configuration information identifies HVAC features available for control by the thermostat.

16. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine that a network connection is available to the thermostat for retrieving an outside temperature from an Internet-based temperature information source, wherein modifying, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat is based on determining that the network connection is available to retrieve the outside temperature from the Internet-based temperature information source.

17. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the processing system being configured to modify the configuration information of the thermostat comprises the processing system being configured to:

enable a heat pump control feature that uses the retrieved outside temperature in regulating whether an auxiliary stage of the multi-stage heat pump is used by the HVAC system to reach a set temperature.

18. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the processing system is further configured to:

determine that an outdoor temperature cannot be retrieved by the thermostat, wherein modifying, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat comprises;

in response to determining that the outdoor temperature cannot be retrieved by the thermostat, enable a heating preconditioning feature that uses a heating history of a structure associated with the HVAC system to determine an amount of time to start heating ahead of a scheduled setpoint such that a scheduled temperature of the scheduled setpoint is realized at a scheduled time of the scheduled setpoint.

19. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for configuring a thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors of the thermostat to:

receive information indicative of the HVAC system comprising a multi-stage heat pump;

modify configuration information of the thermostat based on the information indicative of the presence of the multi-stage heat pump; and

control the HVAC system in accordance with the modified configuration information.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium for configuring the thermostat for controlling the HVAC system of claim 19 wherein the processor-readable instructions are further configured to cause the one or more processors to:

determine that a network connection is available to the thermostat for retrieving an outside temperature from an Internet-based temperature information source, wherein modifying, by the thermostat, the configuration information of the thermostat is based on determining that the network connection is available to retrieve the outside temperature from the Internet-based temperature information source; and

enable a heat pump control feature that uses the retrieved outside temperature in regulating whether an auxiliary stage of the multi-stage heat pump is used by the HVAC system to reach a set temperature.