Thermostat user interface
A user-friendly programmable thermostat is described that includes a body having a central electronic display surrounded by a ring that can be rotated and pressed inwardly to provide user input in a simple and elegant fashion. The current temperature and setpoint temperature are graphically displayed as prominent tick marks over a range of background tick marks on the electronic display. Different colors can be displayed to indicate currently active HVAC functions, and different intensities of colors can be displayed to indicate an amount of heating or cooling required to reach a target temperature. The setpoint temperature for the device can be altered by user rotation of the rotatable ring, and the programmed schedule can be displayed to the user and altered by the user by virtue of rotations and inward pressings of the ring. Initial device set up and installation, the viewing of device operation, the editing of various settings, and the viewing of historical energy usage information are made simple and elegant by virtue of the described form factor, display modalities, and user input modalities of the device.
1. A smart thermostat for mounting to a wall, comprising:
a rectangular body;
a rotatable user input component attached with the rectangular body, wherein:
the rectangular body comprises a user input component that can be rotated clockwise and rotated counterclockwise;
the user input component is configured to receive a click towards the wall;
a rectangular electronic display attached with the rectangular body such that the rectangular electronic display is visible on a face of the rectangular body;
a temperature sensor mounted within the rectangular body;
one or more processors disposed within the rectangular body and in communication with the user input component, the rectangular electronic display, and the temperature sensor, the one or more processors being configured to:
cause presentation of a temperature setpoint by the rectangular electronic display;
adjust the temperature setpoint in response to the rotatable user input component being rotated clockwise or rotated counterclockwise;
in response to the click received via the user input component, return to a main thermostat interface that indicates an ambient temperature measured using the temperature sensor; and
causing a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to be activated based at least in part on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the adjusted temperature setpoint.
2. The smart thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the rectangular electronic display to present the adjusted setpoint temperature value simultaneously with the ambient temperature.
3. The smart thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless communication interface, wherein the wireless communication interface is used to communicate with the HVAC system.
4. The smart thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the rectangular body is a rounded-rectangular body.
5. The smart thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical coupling that attaches the rectangular body to a support structure.
6. The smart thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause a plurality of selectable menu items to be presented on the rectangular electronic display.
7. The smart thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising a wall dock, wherein the rectangular body attached with the wall dock to removably mount to the wall.
8. The smart thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to display a word-based message indicating whether heating to or cooling to the adjusted setpoint is being performed.
9. A method for control of an HVAC system by a thermostat, the method comprising:
presenting, by the thermostat, a temperature setpoint by a rectangular electronic display that is present on a rectangular body of the thermostat;
receiving, by the thermostat, user input that comprises a user input component attached with the rectangular body of the thermostat being rotated clockwise or rotated counterclockwise;
adjusting the temperature setpoint in response to the user input component being rotated clockwise or rotated counterclockwise;
receiving, by the thermostat, a click towards a wall via the user input component;
returning to a main thermostat interface that indicates an ambient temperature measured using a temperature sensor in response to the click received via the user input component; and
causing the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to be activated based at least in part on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the adjusted setpoint temperature value.
10. The method for controlling the HVAC system of claim 9 , wherein causing the HVAC system to be activated is performed using wireless communication via a wireless communication interface of the thermostat.
11. The method for controlling the HVAC system of claim 9 , further comprising presenting the adjusted setpoint temperature value simultaneously with the ambient temperature.
12. The method for controlling the HVAC system of claim 9 , further comprising: presenting a plurality of selectable menu items on the rectangular electronic display.
13. The method for controlling the HVAC system of claim 9 , wherein the rectangular body is a rounded-rectangular body.
14. The method for controlling the HVAC system of claim 9 , further comprising: attaching the rectangular body to a wall dock, wherein the wall dock is mounted to the wall.
15. A smart thermostat, comprising:
a rectangular housing means;
a user input means, attached with the rectangular housing means, that rotates clockwise and counterclockwise and is configured to receive an inward click;
a temperature sensing means mounted within the rectangular housing means that measures an ambient temperature;
an electronic display means, attached with the rectangular housing means, wherein the electronic display means is visible on a face of the rectangular housing means;
a processing means that causes:
a temperature setpoint to be presented by the electronic display means; and
the temperature setpoint to be adjusted in response to the user input means being rotated clockwise or counterclockwise;
in response to the inward click received via the user input means, return to a main thermostat interface being presented by the electronic display means that indicates the ambient temperature measured using the temperature sensing means; and
means for causing a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to be activated based at least in part on a comparison of the ambient temperature and the adjusted setpoint temperature.
16. The smart thermostat of claim 15 , further comprising a wireless communication means that is used to communicate with the HVAC system.
17. The smart thermostat of claim 15 , further comprising a coupling means that removably attaches the rectangular housing means to a support structure.
18. The smart thermostat of claim 15 , wherein the rectangular housing means is a rounded-rectangular housing means.
19. The smart thermostat of claim 15 , wherein the processing means causes a plurality of selectable menu items to be presented on the electronic display means.