US 11,808,474 B2
Thermostat for conveying expected thermal responses to users
Rex Xu, Foothill Ranch, CA (US); and Dai Tanaka, Irvine, CA (US)
Assigned to Universal Electronics Inc., Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Filed by Universal Electronics Inc., Scottsdale, AZ (US)
Filed on Oct. 16, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/072,553.
Prior Publication US 2022/0120464 A1, Apr. 21, 2022
Int. Cl. F24F 11/64 (2018.01); F24F 11/46 (2018.01); F24F 11/523 (2018.01); F24F 110/10 (2018.01); G05D 23/19 (2006.01); F24F 11/52 (2018.01)
CPC F24F 11/64 (2018.01) [F24F 11/46 (2018.01); F24F 11/523 (2018.01); F24F 2110/10 (2018.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for summarizing and conveying expected thermal responses to users, comprising:
a graphical user interface;
a temperature sensor;
a non-transient memory for storing processor-executable instructions and one or more setpoints; and
a processor, coupled to the graphical user interface, the temperature sensor and the non-transient memory for executing the processor-executable instructions that causes the processor to:
store a first setpoint in the memory, the first setpoint comprising a start time and a desired setpoint temperature;
determine a current ambient temperature of a room based on one or more signals from the temperature sensor;
calculate an expected thermal response based on at least the current ambient temperature and the desired setpoint temperature;
summarize the expected thermal response into an expected thermal response graph visualization;
cause the expected thermal response graph visualization to be displayed on the graphical user interface;
determine a plurality of expected energy consumption rates of the HVAC system, each of the plurality of expected energy consumption rates determined at least in part on a baseline ambient temperature at a start of a heating or cooling cycle and/or a desired setpoint temperature;
assign a color to each expected energy consumption rate;
store the plurality of expected energy consumption rates in the memory in association with its assigned color;
identify a one of the plurality of expected energy consumption rates stored in the memory based on the current ambient temperature and the first setpoint; and
shade the area below the expected thermal response graph visualization with the color assigned to the identified one of the plurality of expected energy consumption rate;
wherein the expected thermal response graph visualization comprises a wave curve of expected room temperatures vs. time, having a y-axis on which temperature is depicted and an x-axis on which time is depicted, and the wave curve is caused to be displayed using an entire width of the graphical user interface.