Patent Description:
In order to control a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a thermostat is typically fixed on the building wall in a common area, fixed nearby HVAC equipment, or used as a remote control in a wireless configuration situation. However, for many homes and industrial environments, where fixed wires connect to the HVAC system, a wall-mounted solution is used but is not flexible and is inconvenient to use.

<CIT> describes a thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, the thermostat having a user interface that is visually pleasing, approachable, and easy to use while also providing intuitive navigation within a menu system. In a first mode of operation, an electronic display of the thermostat shows a population of tick marks arranged in an arcuate layout. These include a plurality of background tick marks, a setpoint tick mark representing the setpoint temperature, and an ambient temperature tick mark representing the ambient temperature. The setpoint temperature is dynamically changeable according to a tracked rotational input motion of a ring-shaped user interface component of the thermostat. In a second mode, a plurality of user-selectable menu options is displayed in an arcuate arrangement along a menu option range area. The respective menu options are selectively highlighted according to the tracked rotational input motion of the ring-shaped user interface component.

<CIT> relates to a thermostat including a control base configured to couple with and support a portable thermostat, wherein the control base is configured to determine a measure of an environmental condition of a local environment of the control base and communication circuitry of the control base configured to communicate the measure to facilitate control of an HVAC system.

The invention is defined by the appended claim <NUM>. With one aspect, thermostat comprises a detachable dial control unit that may be positioned in an anchoring component. The detachable dial control unit may be removed while still allowing the user to change thermostatic settings of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by rotating an outer ring indicative of thermostatic information and sending the information to a headless control unit/wall mounted unit via a wireless communication channel.

With another aspect, alignment and adhesion of a detachable dial control unit with the anchoring component is facilitated by a plurality of alignment magnets having a magnetic polarity pattern. Each of the alignment magnets correspond to a corresponding complementary magnet located at the mating anchoring component such as a wall plate, wireless recharging dock, or wall mounted unit.

According to the invention, a wireless charging dock or wall mounted unit comprises a wireless recharging circuit that recharges the detachable dial control unit via an activated electromagnetic induction path.

According to the invention, the detachable dial control unit comprises an activation magnet. The wireless charging dock or wall mounted unit has a Hall effect device that detects when the activation magnet is within a predetermined distance when activating the wireless recharging circuit.

With another aspect, a detachable dial control unit may be paired with a headless control unit/wall mounted unit. When paired, the detachable dial control unit and the headless control unit/wall mounted unit may interact with each other.

With another aspect, a detachable dial control unit comprises a micro suction pad covering the at least three alignment magnets. The micro suction pad provides for easy and stable attachment to any flat surface after detachment from the wall plate, wireless charging dock, anchoring component, or wall mounted unit.

With another aspect, a detachable dial control unit may interact with a paired headless control unit/wall mounted unit while the detachable dial control unit is being charged by a wireless recharging dock/wall mounted unit. Also, the wall mounted unit and detachable dial control unit may be paired and the detachable dial control unit charged.

According to traditional approaches, a thermostat are either fixed on the wall in a common area, fixed nearby heating equipment, or used as a remote control in a wireless configuration situation. With many homes and industrial settings, fixed wires connect the thermostat to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. For example, with <NUM> volt configurations commonly used in the United States and Nordic regions, a wall-mounted solution is supported; however, this approach is not flexible and is inconvenient to a user.

<FIG> shows a front view of thermostat <NUM> according to one or more aspects of the disclosure. Thermostat <NUM> comprises two functional portions: wall-mounted unit <NUM> and detachable dial control unit <NUM>. Wall-mounted unit <NUM> (which may be referred to as an anchoring component or a headless control unit) operates as a terminal connector to the wall, allowing HVAC and power cables to be connected to thermostat <NUM>. Detachable dial control unit <NUM> functions as a user interface and works in conjunction with wall-mounted unit <NUM> as a fully functional thermostat. With some embodiments, a wall mounted unit is equivalent to a wireless charging dock with a headless control unit.

Detachable dial control unit <NUM> may include display <NUM> providing an informational display and outer ring <NUM> that can be rotated, pressed, and/or touched by a user for entering data to thermostat <NUM>, for example, setting temperature set points, selecting menu options, and other thermostatic information. Dial control unit may include a built-in temperature sensor (not explicitly shown) to measure the ambient temperature. Display <NUM>, for example, may show temperature and/or other system information.

Detachable dial control unit <NUM> may comprise one or more micro suction pads at the bottom of it. When the dial control unit <NUM> is detached from wall module <NUM> and placed on a surface (for example, a table surface), a user can rotate, press, and/or touch dial control unit <NUM> and set the parameters since dial control unit <NUM> is held in a stationary manner to the surface.

<FIG> shows control unit <NUM> when detached from wall unit <NUM> of thermostat <NUM> shown in <FIG> and <FIG> according to one or more aspects of the disclosure. One aspect of the embodiments allows dial control unit <NUM> to be detached from wall mounted unit <NUM> while providing full HVAC functionality. Dial control unit <NUM> communicates with wall mounted unit <NUM> over wireless radio frequency (RF) communication (via a wireless transmitter and receiver not explicitly shown). A user may continue to operate thermostat <NUM> and view the status of the HVAC system using detached dial control unit <NUM> within the RF range of the communication channel.

With embodiments of the disclosure, operation of dial control unit <NUM> may be the same when dial control <NUM> is attached to or detached from wall mounted unit <NUM>. For example, but is not limited to, mode setting and/or temperature setting may be confirmed by pressing down and/or touching on dial control unit <NUM>. However, with some embodiments, settings may be initiated by a user touching an appropriate portion of dial control unit <NUM>.

Wall mounted unit <NUM> may include a built-in temperature sensor (not explicitly shown) to measure the ambient temperature when dial control unit <NUM> is detached from wall mounted unit <NUM>. Also, wall mounted unit <NUM> may include display <NUM> displaying temperature and/or other system information when dial control unit <NUM> is detached.

Wall mounted unit <NUM> may also include an occupancy sensor (not explicitly shown) so that thermostat <NUM> can automatically change its operation when one or more occupants are detected.

<FIG> shows detachable dial control unit <NUM> of thermostat shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. A user may detach thermostat unit <NUM> from wall mount unit <NUM>, while continuing to interact with thermostat <NUM> to control an HVAC system.

Detachable dial control unit <NUM> may be attached to wall mount unit <NUM>, but is not limited to, by a magnetic attraction of magnets so that a user can easily remove detachable dial control unit <NUM> from wall mount unit <NUM> by pulling on it. Because detachable dial control unit <NUM> electrically connects to wall mount unit <NUM> through a duplex wireless communication channel, no wires or connectors need to be detached when separating the units.

The user may enter thermostatic information (setting a function or a parameter of thermostat <NUM>) into thermostat <NUM> by rotating ring <NUM> clockwise or counterclockwise, where the rotational position of ring <NUM> may be tracked. The user may press down or touch detachable dial control unit <NUM> to confirm the function or parameter setting and may view the thermostatic settings on display <NUM> entered via ring <NUM>.

<FIG> shows thermostat <NUM>, which includes detachable dial control unit <NUM> communicating with wall mounted unit <NUM> via wireless channel <NUM>. A user may use thermostat <NUM> when detachable dial control unit <NUM> is attached or detached from wall mounted unit <NUM> because control unit <NUM> communicates with wall mounted unit <NUM> via wireless channel <NUM>, which may support duplex operation.

With an aspect of the disclosure, units <NUM> and <NUM> interact over wireless channel <NUM> when the units are attached or detached. However, the level of the signal over wireless channel <NUM> may to be reduced when units <NUM> and <NUM> are attached to avoid overloading (saturating) the associated wireless receiver/transmitter.

Based on thermostatic information provided by detachable dial control unit <NUM>, wall mounted unit <NUM> generates and sends control signals to heating/cooling source <NUM> (for example, a furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump) over electrical path <NUM>.

Detachable dial control unit <NUM> includes a rechargeable battery (not explicitly shown). The rechargeable battery is recharged by wall mounted unit <NUM> (supporting a wireless battery charge function) via electromagnetic induction path <NUM>.

With an aspect of the disclosure, sensor information (for example, measured temperature) and/or system information (for example, the status of heating/cooling source <NUM>) may be sent back from wall unit <NUM> to detachable dial control unit <NUM> over wireless channel <NUM> (in other words, in the reverse direction as feedback).

<FIG> shows an embodiment of detachable control unit <NUM> according to one or more aspects of the disclosure. A user can change thermostatic settings by manipulating position input apparatus <NUM>. For example, the user may rotate outer ring <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). A dial interface (not explicitly shown) may be coupled to outer ring <NUM> and is configured to obtain position information <NUM> from outer ring <NUM>, where position information <NUM> is indicative of a thermostatic setting.

Input conversion circuit <NUM> processes position information <NUM> by converting position information <NUM> to the rotational position and translating the rotational position to thermostatic information <NUM>, which may be displayed to the user through display <NUM>. With some embodiments, input conversion circuit <NUM> may comprise a system on a chip (SoC) with microcontroller unit (MCU) and Zigbee (wireless) modules.

When the user has rotated outer ring <NUM> to obtain a desired thermostatic setting, the user can enter the setting by pushing a front plate, lens, or outer ring <NUM>. For example, the user may apply contact (pressure) <NUM> to contact sensing circuit <NUM> (for example, a switch/spring, a transducer such as a piezoelectric device, or capacitive touch screen). When the contact is sufficient, contact sensing circuit <NUM> generates signal <NUM> instructs input conversion circuit <NUM> to enter the thermostatic information and pass thermostatic information <NUM> to wireless communication circuit <NUM>. Consequently, thermostatic information <NUM> is sent to wall mounted unit <NUM> over wireless channel <NUM>.

Detachable dial control unit <NUM> may also be recharged by a magnetic field received through electromagnetic induction path <NUM>. Power converter <NUM> converts energy of the magnetic field into electrical energy to recharge rechargeable battery <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an embodiment of wall mounted unit <NUM> according to one or more aspects of the disclosure.

Wireless communication circuit <NUM> receives thermostatic information from detachable dial control unit <NUM> via communication channel <NUM>. Thermostatic signal generator <NUM> transforms the thermostatic information to a thermostatic signal and to present the thermostatic signal to a HVAC system over electrical path <NUM> via one or more terminal connectors (not explicitly shown).

Wall mounted unit <NUM> supports the recharging of detachable dial control unit <NUM>. Activation circuit <NUM> activates wireless charging circuit <NUM> only when detachable dial control unit <NUM> is sufficiently close to wall mounted unit <NUM>. This approach conserves energy utilization by generating a magnetic signal over electromagnetic induction path <NUM> only when the recharging can effectively occur.

With the embodiment shown in <FIG>, activation circuit <NUM> comprises Hall effect sensor <NUM> and threshold detector <NUM>. Hall effect sensor <NUM> is typically a magnetic sensor that outputs electrical signal <NUM> proportional to the intensity of the magnetic field around it. As will be discussed, the magnetic field is generated by an activation magnet (for example, magnet <NUM> as shown in <FIG>). Generated signal <NUM> is then processed by threshold detector <NUM> to generate activation signal <NUM>, which activates wireless recharging circuit <NUM>) only when signal <NUM> is greater than a predetermined threshold. Consequently, wireless recharging circuit <NUM> is activated only when the activation magnet (and correspondingly detachable dial control unit <NUM>) is within a predetermined distance from wall mounted unit <NUM>. In other words, threshold detector <NUM> activates wireless recharging circuit <NUM> only when signal <NUM> exceeds a predetermined threshold and the predetermined threshold corresponds to a predetermined field strength of the electromagnetic induction path <NUM> at the predetermined distance.

With some embodiments, wall mounted unit <NUM> is associated (assigned) with a first unique code and detachable dial control unit <NUM> is associated (assigned) with a second unique code, where wall mounted unit <NUM> and detachable dial control unit <NUM> are uniquely paired by mapping the first unique code with the second unique code and where wall mounted unit <NUM> and the detachable dial control unit <NUM> interact with each other only when wall mounted unit <NUM> and detachable dial control unit <NUM> are paired.

With some embodiments, detachable dial control unit <NUM> may interact with wall mounted unit <NUM> over communication channel <NUM> even when detachable dial control unit <NUM> is being recharged (for example, when detachable dial control unit <NUM> is attached to wall mounted unit <NUM> as shown in <FIG>).

<FIG> shows detachable dial control unit 701a,b with wireless charging dock 702a,b according to one or more aspects of the disclosure. Detachable dial control unit 701a is attached to wireless charging dock 702a while detachable dial control unit 701b is removed (detached) from wireless charging dock 702b.

With some embodiments, wireless charging dock 702a,b supports the attachment of detachable dial control unit 701a,b and the recharging of detachable dial control unit 701a,b as previously discussed. However, wireless charging dock 702a,b typically does not have circuitry to interact with an HVAC system as does wall mounted unit <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

With some embodiments, detachable dial control unit 701a,b may be paired with wall mounted unit <NUM>. Consequently, detachable dial control unit 701a,b may be recharged while interacting with paired wall mounted unit <NUM> as previously discussed. With some embodiments, a wireless charging dock with wall plate configuration may be paired with a headless control unit.

<FIG> shows detachable dial control unit 801a,b with wall plate 802a,b according to one or more aspects of the disclosure. While wall plate 802a,b can accommodate detachable dial control unit 801a,b (in other words, detachable dial control unit 801a,b can be mounted on a wall), wall plate 802a,b typically does not have circuitry to recharge detachable dial control unit 801a,b or to interact with an HVAC system.

With some embodiments, detachable dial control unit 801a,b may be paired with wall mounted unit <NUM>. Consequently, detachable dial control unit 801a may be attached to wall plate 802a while interacting with paired wall mounted unit <NUM> as previously discussed. With some embodiments, a wireless charging dock with wall plate configuration may be paired with a headless control unit.

<FIG> shows detachable dial control unit <NUM> (bottom view) with alignment and adhesion magnets <NUM>-<NUM> and activation magnet <NUM>. While only three alignment magnets are shown, embodiments may accommodate different number of alignment magnets (for example, two or more than three alignment magnets as needed).

Alignment magnets <NUM>-<NUM> have different magnetic polarities corresponding to south pole, north pole, and north pole, respectively. The alignment magnets assist a user when positioning detachable dial control unit <NUM> to a corresponding anchoring component (wall plate, wireless recharging dock, or wall mounted unit). As will be discussed, the anchoring component comprises complementary magnets having opposite polarities to corresponding alignment magnets <NUM>-<NUM>. Consequently, each alignment magnet/complementary magnet pair will be attracted when detachable dial control unit <NUM> is positioned only in the upright position.

Detachable dial control unit <NUM> includes activation magnet <NUM> that generates a magnetic field, which is detected by a Hall effect sensor located in the anchoring component.

Detachable dial control unit <NUM> may also comprise micro suction pad <NUM> covering magnets <NUM>-<NUM> that assist detachable dial control unit <NUM> to adhere to the anchoring component such as wall mounted unit <NUM>. Micro suction pad <NUM> comprises a material for sticking objects to surfaces. One side is typically attached to the base surface by a classical adhesive. Objects are attached to the other side by pressing them against micro suction pad <NUM>.

<FIG> shows charging dock <NUM> with complementary magnets <NUM>-<NUM> so that detachable dial control unit <NUM> can be aligned in an upright position according to one or more aspects of the disclosure. Referring to <FIG>, complementary magnets <NUM>-<NUM> correspond to alignment magnets <NUM>-<NUM> when detachable dial control unit <NUM> is positioned in the upright position. When detachable dial control unit <NUM> is not in the upright position, some of the alignment magnet/complementary magnet pairs will repeal rather than attract, enabling a user to detect misalignment.

<FIG> shows wall plate <NUM> with complementary magnets <NUM>-<NUM> so that detachable dial control unit <NUM> can be aligned in an upright position according to one or more aspects of the disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, complementary magnets <NUM>-<NUM> correspond to alignment magnets <NUM>-<NUM> when detachable dial control unit <NUM> is positioned in the upright position. When detachable dial control unit <NUM> is not in the upright position, some of the alignment magnet/complementary magnet pairs will repeal rather than attract, enabling a user to detect misalignment.

With some embodiments, wall mounted unit <NUM> may also comprise alignment magnets that operate in the same manner as discussed above.

With some embodiments, two configurations may be supported. A first configuration comprises a detachable dial control unit and a wall mounted unit. A second configuration comprises a detachable dial unit, a charging dock, wall plate, and a headless control unit. With the second configuration, the detachable dial unit may continue to interact with the headless control unit while being recharged by the charging dock. With some embodiments, a wireless charging dock/headless control unit/wall plate may be configured, where the headless control unit supports communication and the wireless charging dock supports recharging.

Claim 1:
A thermostat (<NUM>) for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the thermostat (<NUM>) comprising:
a wall mounted unit (<NUM>) configured to be mounted on a wall, the wall mounted unit (<NUM>) comprising:
at least one terminal connector configured to connect to the HVAC system;
a first wireless receiver;
a wireless recharging circuit (<NUM>) configured to recharge a rechargeable battery via an electromagnetic induction path (<NUM>);
a Hall effect sensor (<NUM>) configured to output a signal to initiate an activation of the wireless recharging circuit (<NUM>); and
a detachable dial control unit (<NUM>) that is capable of being detached from the wall mounted unit (<NUM>) while enabling a user to enter thermostatic information through the detachable dial control unit (<NUM>), the detachable dial control unit (<NUM>) comprising:
a display (<NUM>);
a contact sensing circuit (<NUM>);
the rechargeable battery configured to be rechargeable via the electromagnetic induction path (<NUM>);
an activation magnet configured to cause, when within a predetermined distance from the Hall effect sensor (<NUM>), the Hall effect sensor to output the signal to initiate the activation of the wireless recharging circuit (<NUM>);
an outer ring (<NUM>) that is able to rotate, wherein a rotational position is indicative of thermostatic information;
a portion of the detachable dial control unit (<NUM>), wherein the thermostatic information is confirmed when the contact sensing circuit (<NUM>) detects at least a predetermined degree of contact against the portion; and
a first wireless transmitter configured to convey the thermostatic information to the first wireless receiver via a wireless duplex communication channel.