Methods and graphical user interfaces for reporting performance information for an HVAC system controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10295974-B2
Application number	US-201615251582-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 7, 2011
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for interactively and graphically displaying performance information to a user of an HVAC system controlled by a self-programming network-connected thermostat. The information is made on a remote display device such as a smartphone, tablet computer or other computer, and includes a graphical daily summary each of several days. In response to a user selection of a day, detailed performance information is graphically displayed that can include an indication of HVAC activity on a timeline, the number of hours of HVAC activity, as well as one or more symbols on a timeline indicating setpoint changes, and when a setpoint was changed due to non-occupancy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for graphically representing HVAC system usage, the system comprising:
a thermostat, comprising: a temperature sensor, a display, a wireless communication interface, and wire connector terminals through which wired communication with an HVAC system is performed, wherein the thermostat is configured to:
control the HVAC system via the wired communication for heating or cooling an environment;

a display device, comprising: a display and a wireless interface, wherein the display device executes a thermostat access client that access a thermostat management account linked with the thermostat and maintained by a cloud server;
the cloud server that maintains the thermostat management account, and communicates with the thermostat and the display device via wireless communication and the Internet, wherein the cloud server is configured to:
pair the thermostat with the thermostat management account;
obtain usage information related to HVAC system usage of the HVAC system from the thermostat via wireless communication in association with the thermostat management account, wherein the usage information occurred during a period of a plurality of days;
process the usage information, the processing including:
determining a reference daily amount of HVAC system usage during the period;
identifying a day within the period when HVAC system usage deviates by at least a predetermined amount from the reference daily amount;
calculating a credit or blame value for each of a plurality of causative agents, each of the plurality of causative agents being a potential cause for why HVAC system usage deviated by the predetermined amount on the identified day, each credit or blame value representing a net amount of HVAC system usage attributable to one of the plurality of causative agents; and
selecting from the plurality of causative agents a primary causative agent based at least in part on a comparison of the net amount of HVAC system usage attributable to each of the plurality of causative agents;

wherein the thermostat access client executed by the display device is further configured to:
access the thermostat management account linked with the thermostat;
cause the processed usage information linked with the thermostat management account to be graphically represented to a user, wherein graphically representing the processed usage information includes:
displaying a plurality of selectable graphical elements, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being displayed in association with one of the plurality of days of the period, each of the plurality of selectable graphical elements being sized to indicate HVAC system usage for a corresponding one of the plurality of days of the period, wherein one of the plurality of selectable graphical elements (i) corresponds to the identified day and (ii) is sized to indicate HVAC system usage for the identified day; and
displaying a symbol that represents the primary causative agent, wherein the symbol that represents primary causative agent is displayed in association with the identified day.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the graphically representing further includes:
responsive to a user selection of the selectable graphical element that corresponds to the identified day, replacing the selectable graphical element with a graphical representation of energy usage for the identified day.

3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein the graphical representation includes a timeline that indicates when the HVAC system was active during the identified day.

4. A system according to claim 2 wherein the graphical representation includes one or more symbols indicating when an adjustment was made to the thermostat during the identified day.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein the graphical representation includes a second symbol indicating whether the adjustment to the thermostat was due to non-occupancy.

6. A system according to claim 2 wherein the graphical representation is superimposed over the selectable graphical element that corresponds to the identified day.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein the graphically representing further includes:
toggling back to the selectable graphical element that corresponds to the identified day, in response to user input.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein the display device is part of the thermostat.

9. A system according to claim 2 wherein the display device is part of the thermostat, wherein the thermostat is circular in shape and includes an outer ring, wherein the outer ring is rotatable and inwardly pressable for receiving user input, wherein the user selection is established upon an inward pressing of the outer ring while the selectable graphical element that corresponds to the identified day is highlighted.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein plural respective user selections of different ones of the plurality of selectable graphical elements are established by repeated user rotations and inward pressings of the outer ring.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein the display device is part of a user client device located remote from the thermostat and the cloud server.

12. A system according to claim 2 wherein the display device is part of a user client device located remote from the thermostat and the cloud server, wherein the user selection is made via a pointing device associated with the user client device.

13. A system according to claim 2 wherein the display device includes a touch sensitive display, and the user selection is made by touching a location of the touch sensitive display that corresponds to the selectable graphical element.

14. A system according to claim 1 wherein the primary causative agent is weather, the user, or auto-away.

15. A system according to claim 1 wherein the graphically representing further includes:
displaying, in association with the identified day, an energy-savings symbol indicating energy saving performance was achieved, if HVAC system usage for the identified day was an amount less than the reference daily amount.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the energy-savings symbol is a graphical image of a leaf.

17. A system for graphically representing HVAC system usage, the system comprising:
a thermostat, comprising: a temperature sensor, a display, a wireless communication interface, and wire connector terminals through which wired communication with an HVAC system is performed, wherein the thermostat is configured to:
control the HVAC system via the wired communication for heating or cooling an environment;

a user interface device, comprising: a display and a wireless interface, wherein the user interface device executes a thermostat access client that receives data from the thermostat;
wherein the thermostat or the user interface device is further configured to:
obtain usage information related to HVAC system usage that occurred during a period of a plurality of days;
process the usage information, the processing including:
determining a reference daily amount of HVAC system usage during the period;
identifying a day within the period when HVAC system usage deviates by at least a predetermined amount from the reference daily amount;
calculating a credit or blame value for each of a plurality of causative agents, each of the plurality of causative agents being a potential cause for why HVAC system usage deviated by the predetermined amount on the identified day, each credit or blame value representing a net amount of HVAC system usage attributable to one

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Bruck Timo A
• Fisher Evan J
• Simister James B
• Matsuoka Yoky
• Sloo David
• Knieper Clemens M
• Fadell Anthony Michael
• Rogers Matthew Lee
• Plitkins Michael

Classifications

• F24F2130/00

  Control inputs relating to environmental factors not covered by group F24F2110/00 · CPC title

• F24F2120/10

  Occupancy · CPC title

• F24F11/30

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title

• F24F2130/10

  Weather information or forecasts · CPC title

• F24F11/46

  Improving electric energy efficiency or saving · CPC title