Thermostat with multiple sensing systems including presence detection systems integrated therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909777-B2
Application number	US-201514836648-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2015
Priority date	Aug 26, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A smart-home device may include a user interface having a first operating mode and a second operating mode, and a four-channel thermopile. A processing system may be programmed to receive an indication of a user presence near the smart-home device from the thermopile, and determine a motion signature based on the responses from the thermopile. The processing system may also be programmed to process the determined motion signature to determine the presence of a condition warranting user interface entry into the first mode from the second mode, and cause the user interface to transition from the first mode to the second mode based on the determined motion signature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart-home device comprising:
a user interface including an electronic display having at least two operating modes comprising:
a first operating mode corresponding to being ready to receive user input; and
a second operating mode corresponding to providing a display configured to be viewed at a distance such that information displayed on the user interface is enlarged;

a processing system; and
a multi-channel thermopile sensor comprising a first channel oriented in an upward direction, a second channel oriented in a leftward direction, a third channel oriented in a rightward direction, and a fourth channel oriented in a downward direction, wherein an output from the first channel oriented in the upward direction is combined with an output from the fourth channel oriented in the downward direction to form a center signal;
wherein the processing system is programmed or configured to control the operating mode of the user interface by performing operations comprising:
receiving an indication of a user presence near the smart-home device, the indication of the user presence being associated with responses from a plurality of the channels of the thermopile;
determining a motion signature based on the responses from the plurality of the channels of the thermopile;
matching the determined motion signature with a predetermined motion signature that indicates that the user intends to interact with the smart-home device;
responsive to matching the determined motion signature with the predetermined motion signature, causing the user interface to transition from the first operating mode to the second operating mode based on the determined motion signature.

2. The smart-home device of claim 1 , further comprising a proximity sensor configured to detect a user presence within a second range, the second range being greater than a first range detected by the thermopile.

3. The smart-home device of claim 1 , wherein the first operating mode of the user interface causes the thermostat to consume more power than the second operating mode.

4. The smart-home device of claim 1 , wherein the motion signature comprises one or more indications that a user presence has entered a responsive area of at least one of the channels of the thermopile.

5. The smart-home device of claim 1 , wherein the motion signature comprises one or more indications that a user presence has left a responsive area of at least one of the channels of the thermopile.

6. The smart-home device of claim 1 , wherein the motion signature comprises one or more indications of time measurements between presence indications.

7. The smart-home device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further programmed or configured to control the operating mode of the user interface by performing additional operations comprising:
after causing the user interface to transition from the second operating mode to the first operating mode, receiving an indication of user movement away from the smart-home device from the thermopile; and
in response to receiving the indication of user movement away from the smart-home device, causing the user interface to transition from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

8. The smart-home device of claim 1 , wherein the processing system is further programmed or configured to control the operating mode of the user interface by performing additional operations comprising:
receiving a user input through an input device on the smart-home device;
in response to receiving the user input, transitioning to an interface mode of operation;
receiving one or more indications of user hand movements from the thermopile; and
navigating a menu on the user interface in response to the user hand movements.

9. A method of automatically activating a user interface on a smart-home device, the method comprising:
operating the smart-home device comprising:
a user interface including an electronic display having at least two operating modes comprising:
a first operating mode corresponding to being ready to receive user input; and
a second operating mode corresponding to providing a display configured to be viewed at a distance such that information displayed on the user interface is enlarged;

a processing system; and
a multi-channel thermopile sensor comprising a first channel oriented in an upward direction, a second channel oriented in a leftward direction, a third channel oriented in a rightward direction, and a fourth channel oriented in a downward direction, wherein an output from the first channel oriented in the upward direction is combined with an output from the fourth channel oriented in the downward direction to form a center signal;

receiving an indication of a user presence near the smart-home device, the indication of the user presence being associated with responses from a plurality of the channels of the thermopile;
determining a motion signature based on the responses from the plurality of the channels of the thermopile;
matching the determined motion signature with a predetermined motion signature that indicates that the user intends to interact with the smart-home device;
responsive to matching the determined motion signature with the predetermined motion signature, causing the user interface to transition from the first operating mode to the second operating mode based on the determined motion signature.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the smart-home device further comprises a proximity sensor configured to detect a user presence within a second range, the second range being greater than a first range detected by the thermopile.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first operating mode of the user interface causes the thermostat to consume more power than the second operating mode.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the motion signature comprises one or more indications that a user presence has entered a responsive of at least one of the channels of the thermopile.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the motion signature comprises one or more indications that a user presence has left a responsive area of at least one of the channels of the thermopile.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the motion signature comprises one or more indications of time measurements between presence indications.

15. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
after causing the user interface to transition from the second operating mode to the first operating mode, receiving an indication of user movement away from the smart-home device from the thermopile; and
in response to receiving the indication of user movement away from the smart-home device, causing the user interface to transition from the first operating mode to the second operating mode.

16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a user input through an input device on the smart-home device;
in response to receiving the user input, transitioning to an interface mode of operation;
receiving one or more indications of user hand movements from the thermopile; and
navigating a menu on the user interface in response to the user hand movements.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Goyal Vivek
• Stefanski John
• Stefanski Mark

Classifications

• F24F2011/0091

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24F11/0086 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• G05D23/19

  characterised by the use of electric means {(G05D23/1393 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F24F11/0034

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F24F11/58

  using Internet communication · CPC title