Round Thermostat Ring Control With Radial Optical Rotation Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing thermostats lack a sleek, low-profile design that allows for accurate rotational movement sensing, making them less user-friendly and visually appealing for wall mounting in energy-consuming systems like HVAC systems.

Innovation Solution

A low-profile wall-mountable thermostat with a ring-shaped control member surrounding a rounded display, equipped with an optical sensor to detect rotational movement and generate electrical signals for user input, enhancing sensing accuracy and user interface functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If the thermostat is designed with a low-profile housing to minimize wall protrusion, then the aesthetic appeal and sleek design are improved, but the space available for mounting accurate rotational sensing components is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprofile heightVSAvoidrotational movement sensing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The optical sensor is positioned radially inward rather than axially, changing the sensing dimension from the depth direction to the radial direction. This allows accurate rotational detection within the limited profile depth of the low-profile housing, resolving the contradiction between compact shape and measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If the optical sensor is positioned radially inward to accurately detect rotation of the ring-shaped control member, then rotational sensing accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotational movement detection accuracyVSAvoidoptical sensor positioning and configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical detection features are integrated directly into the ring-shaped control member itself, merging the control interface and sensing target into a single component. This reduces device complexity by eliminating separate sensing mechanisms while maintaining high rotational detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The solution provides a visually appealing, user-friendly, and accurate method for adjusting settings and controlling HVAC systems, while maintaining a compact design that minimizes protrusion from the wall, improving user interaction and energy management.

Implementation Method 1

an optical sensor mounted within the housing and directed away from the central axis and toward a radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped control member, so as to detect optical signals indicating rotational movement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical reflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS8998102B2Round thermostat with flanged rotatable user input member and wall-facing optical sensor that senses rotation

Publication Date: 2015.04.07 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

A sleek, low-profile wall-mountable thermostat for controlling an HVAC system is described. The thermostat includes a ring-shaped controller that rotates about a central axis, and an optical sensor directed away from the central axis and toward a radially inward-facing surface of the ring-shaped controller so as to accurately detect optical signals indicating controller's rotational movement.