Thermostat control using touch sensor gesture based input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Smart thermostats lack intuitive and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces that allow easy interaction and remote control, particularly in environments where visibility and ease of use are crucial.
Innovation Solution
A smart thermostat design featuring a capacitive touch strip on a cylindrical surface for gesture-based input, a reflective cover for visibility and aesthetics, and a radar sensor for occupancy detection, enabling remote control and user interface activation based on user presence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional thermostat interface is used, then the device structure is simple, but the user interaction is not intuitive and aesthetically pleasing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by arranging icons and touch sensors in an arc pattern around the thermostat housing. This curved layout follows the natural circular shape of the device front, creating an intuitive radial interface that is both aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and intuitive interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional linear or grid-based interfaces to a radial/dimensional arrangement where icons are positioned at different angular positions around the housing. This spatial reorganization in multiple dimensions creates a more intuitive interface that leverages the device's circular geometry, improving ease of operation without significantly increasing complexity.
2Illumination intensity
If a reflective cover is added for aesthetics and visibility, then the appearance is improved, but the radar sensor performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The front housing is divided into distinct functional zones: a reflective cover portion for aesthetic display visibility and a radar sensor portion for occupancy detection. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between visual appeal and sensor reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the front housing have different optical properties - the reflective cover has high reflectivity for aesthetics while the radar sensor portion has electromagnetic wave transmission characteristics. This local differentiation of material properties allows both aesthetic visibility and sensor performance to coexist without compromise.
3Ease of operation
If gesture-based touch input is implemented, then the interface is more intuitive, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The capacitive touch sensors are integrated directly into the housing structure itself, merging the structural component with the sensing function. This eliminates the need for separate touch screen layers or additional sensor assemblies, providing intuitive gesture control while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, contains aesthetic reflective surfaces, and incorporates capacitive touch sensing capabilities. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, allowing gesture-based control to be implemented without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances user interaction with a smart and intuitive interface, allowing remote control and energy management while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing appearance, improving user engagement and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A capacitive touch strip, housed by the thermostat housing, that senses a plurality of gestures
Implementation Method 2
A radar sensor, housed by the thermostat housing, that detects occupancy within an environment of the smart thermostat through the reflective cover positioned within the rounded front aperture of the thermostat housing by emitting electromagnetic radiation and receiving reflected electromagnetic radiation
Implementation Method 3
The reflective cover can have a reflectivity sufficient to produce a mirrored effect when viewed and a transmissivity sufficient to allow illuminated portions of the electronic display to be visible when viewed through the reflective cover
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of smart thermostats are presented herein. A smart thermostat can include a thermostat housing defining a rounded front aperture and having a sidewall. The smart thermostat can include a capacitive touch strip that senses a plurality of gestures. The smart thermostat can include an electronic display. The electronic display may be caused to display icons arranged in a graphical arc. The smart thermostat may include a reflective cover positioned such that the electronic display is viewed through the reflective cover.