USER FRIENDLY INTERFACE FOR CONTROL UNIT

摘要

A user-friendly programmable thermostat is described that includes a circular body having a large central display surrounded by a ring that can be rotated an pressed inward by a user so as to receive user input in a simple elegant fashion. Different colors can be displayed to the user to indicate currently active HVAC functions, and different shades of colors can be displayed to a user to indicate an estimated amount of time and/or energy for reaching a target temperature. The thermostat is wall mountable and is made up of a head unit removeably mounted to a backplate. A locking mechanism can be provided so as to increase security against unauthorized removal of the head unit. The backplate can be adapted to be mounted on a wall so as to be level, for example by including a bubble level on the backplate. One or more vents are preferably located on the sides of the body, such as in a gap beneath the translatably mounted ring, and/or in a gap between the head unit and the backplate. The target temperature for the device can be altered in response to sensing rotation of the rotating ring, and the programmed schedule can be displayed to and altered by the user in response to sensing rotation of the ring and the translational movement of the ring. Historical information such as temperature and cost information can be displayed to a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating ring. One or more device settings can be displayed to and edited by a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating member and the translational movement. According to some embodiments, text characters can be entered by the user.

主权项

1. A wall-mounted device for sensing and control for one or more systems in a home environment, said device comprising:
a body having a circular cross-section, a wall-facing rear surface, and a user-facing front surface; an outer ring that laterally surrounds said body to form a circular lateral periphery of said device, said outer ring being user-rotatable around said body and being inwardly pressable; at least one environmental sensing component disposed within said body; a communication component configured for providing wired or wireless sensing and/or control-related communications with said one or more home systems; a user-facing circular display component configured to highlight respective ones of a circular arrangement of display elements appearing nearalong a periphery thereof as a user rotates said outer ring; a user input component formed by said user-facing circular display component and said outer ring, wherein a user selection of one of said display elements is established upon an inward pressing of said outer ring while said display element is highlighted, and wherein plural respective user selections of different ones of said display elements are established by repeated user rotations and inward pressings of said outer ring; and a processor in operative communication with said at least one environmental sensing component, said communication component, and said user input component; wherein said processor is configured and programmed to provide a software lockout functionality in which user access to the control of one or more sensing or control functions of said device is prevented unless a user enters a password or combination using said user input component.