Thermostat Dial Interface With Delayed Setpoint Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote control of HVAC systems poses challenges in providing user-friendliness, intuitiveness, and minimizing network traffic while protecting equipment from excessive wear and energy waste, particularly due to repeated on/off commands and sudden temperature changes.
Innovation Solution
A user-friendly graphical user interface for HVAC systems featuring a ring-shaped control member on a touchscreen device, allowing users to adjust temperature setpoints through intuitive gestures, such as touch and drag or touch and hold, with a delay mechanism to reduce network traffic and prevent excessive wear on HVAC components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If repeated on/off commands are sent to HVAC equipment for rapid temperature adjustment, then temperature control responsiveness is improved, but equipment wear and malfunction risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-heating or pre-cooling the HVAC equipment before sending on/off commands, and by predicting future temperature trends to time commands optimally, thereby reducing the frequency of rapid cycling while maintaining responsiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic action through scheduled temperature adjustments and timed on/off commands that follow predictable patterns, allowing HVAC equipment to operate in regular cycles rather than responding to erratic frequent changes, thus reducing wear while maintaining control effectiveness
2Ease of operation
If frequent temperature setpoint changes are transmitted over the network, then user control responsiveness is improved, but network traffic and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential control commands from user inputs, filtering out redundant or minor adjustments that would trigger network transmissions, thereby reducing network traffic while preserving the effectiveness of meaningful user control actions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes parameters by implementing throttling mechanisms that limit the frequency of setpoint transmissions, and by adjusting the granularity of temperature changes allowed, thereby reducing network energy consumption while maintaining adequate user control capability
3Adaptability or versatility
If rapid HVAC equipment cycling is allowed for quick temperature adjustment, then temperature adaptability is improved, but energy waste and equipment damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary thermal conditioning by pre-heating or pre-cooling spaces before rapid temperature changes are needed, and by anticipating user temperature preferences based on historical data, thereby reducing the need for frequent equipment cycling and associated energy waste
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by implementing buffer zones that prevent extreme temperature fluctuations, and by using thermal mass or auxiliary heating/cooling sources to cushion against rapid changes, thereby protecting equipment from damage while maintaining temperature adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
A system including a thermostat user interface for a network-connected thermostat is described. The system includes a thermostat including a frustum-shaped shell body having a circular cross-section and a circular rotatable ring, which is user rotatable for adjusting a setting of the thermostat. The system further includes a client application that is operable on a touch-screen device separate from the thermostat, that displays a graphical representation of a circular dial, that detects a user-input motion proximate the graphical representation, that determines a user-selected setpoint temperature value based on the user-input motion, that displays a numerical representation of the user-selected setpoint temperature value, and that wirelessly transmits to the thermostat data representative of the user-selected setpoint temperature.