Patent ID: 7954726
Filing Date: 2011-06-07
Classification: B60H,F24D,F24F,G05D

Abstract:
1. A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system of a building or other structure, the thermostat comprising: a thermostat housing; a controller situated in the thermostat housing, the controller implementing a control algorithm that is configured to at least partially control one or more components of an HVAC system; a display viewable from outside of the thermostat housing; a receiver coupled to the controller configured to receive one or more messages either directly or indirectly from a utility; a memory configured to store the one or more messages from the utility; the controller configured to display a message icon on the display when at least one message has been received from the utility, the controller further configured to display the one or more messages in a predetermined display region of the display when prompted by the user, wherein the predetermined display region is sized to only simultaneously display an entire message that has a first message length or less, and if a longer message is received that is longer than the first message length, the controller is programmed to automatically identify the longer message and scroll the longer message across the predetermined display region when the longer message is displayed, wherein the longer message does not include a corresponding scroll command from the utility; a user input coupled to the controller and accessible by a user from outside of the thermostat housing, the user input including a first button; and wherein, if two or more messages are received from the utility, the controller is configured to allow a user to select a next one of the two or more messages for display in the redetermined display region of the dis by activating the first button.