Abstract:
Systems and methods for providing spoken messages that reflect event status of one or more hazard detection systems within a smart-home environment are described herein. The messages can inform occupants in concise manner that does not overload cognitive recognition of those occupants. For example, the messages may be prioritized to limit the amount of information that is spoken and intelligently condense information in as concise a manner as possible. This may be accomplished by using one or more speaking paradigms to compile audible messages to be played back through a speaker of the hazard detection system.
Abstract:
Methods and devices for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system by a thermostat are provided. Input can be received from a user via a thermostat, the input being indicative of an adjustment of an HVAC-related setting. On a real-time basis, the HVAC-related setting that is being adjusted can be compared against a feedback criterion designed to indicate a circumstance under which feedback is to be presented to the user. The circumstance can be indicative of an achievement of a HVAC-related setting of a predetermined responsibility level with respect to an energy usage of the HVAC system. Upon a real-time determination that the feedback criterion is satisfied, visual feedback can be caused to be presented to the user in real-time. The real-time feedback can include a visual icon having a visual appeal corresponding to a desirability of the satisfaction of the feedback criterion.
Abstract:
Various arrangements of smart devices are presented. Such a smart device may include a case, a wireless interface, a light sensor that detects an ambient brightness level of an ambient environment of the smart device, a motion sensor that detects motion of a user in the ambient environment of the smart device, a light that is capable of outputting light into the ambient environment of the smart device, and a processing system. The processing system may cause the light to illuminate based on: the message indicating that the lighting feature has been activated; the ambient brightness level being below the threshold brightness value; and the user moving in the ambient environment of the smart device.
Abstract:
A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system and related systems, methods, and computer program products for facilitating user-friendly installation of the thermostat are described. For one embodiment, automated installation verification is performed by the thermostat by automatically sensing which wires have been inserted, selecting a candidate HVAC operating function (e.g., heating or cooling) that is consistent with a subset of HVAC signal types indicated by the inserted wires, applying control signals to the HVAC system to invoke that HVAC operating function, and processing a time sequence of acquired temperature readings to determine whether that HVAC operating function was successfully carried out. For one embodiment, the initial automated testing of the heating and cooling functions are only carried out at times for which such heating or cooling function would normally be invoked during normal operation of the thermostat. Automated determination of a heat pump call convention is also described.
Abstract:
A user-friendly programmable thermostat is described that includes a circular body having a large central display surrounded by a ring that can be rotated an pressed inward by a user so as to receive user input in a simple elegant fashion. Different colors can be displayed to the user to indicate currently active HVAC functions, and different shades of colors can be displayed to a user to indicate an estimated amount of time and/or energy for reaching a target temperature. The thermostat is wall mountable and is made up of a head unit removeably mounted to a backplate. A locking mechanism can be provided so as to increase security against unauthorized removal of the head unit. The backplate can be adapted to be mounted on a wall so as to be level, for example by including a bubble level on the backplate. One or more vents are preferably located on the sides of the body, such as in a gap beneath the translatably mounted ring, and/or in a gap between the head unit and the backplate. The target temperature for the device can be altered in response to sensing rotation of the rotating ring, and the programmed schedule can be displayed to and altered by the user in response to sensing rotation of the ring and the translational movement of the ring. Historical information such as temperature and cost information can be displayed to a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating ring. One or more device settings can be displayed to and edited by a user in response to sensing rotating of the rotating member and the translational movement. According to some embodiments, text characters can be entered by the user.
Abstract:
Various arrangements for guiding installation of a monitoring device are presented. The monitoring device may receive, during installation of the monitoring device at a particular location at a structure, an input command to instantiate operation. The monitoring device, in response to receiving the input command to instantiate operation, may implement a test sequence to determine the particular location of the monitoring device prevents the monitoring device from operating within specification. The monitoring device may, based on the test sequence, output a notification that the particular location of the monitoring device prevents the monitoring device from operating within specification.
Abstract:
Arrangements for configuring a thermostat for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system are presented. A thermostat may receive information indicative of the HVAC system comprising an air conditioner and information indicative of the HVAC system comprising a multi-stage heat pump. The thermostat may modify configuration information of the thermostat based on the information indicative of the air conditioner and the information indicative of the multi-stage heat pump. The thermostat may then control the HVAC system in accordance with the modified configuration information.
Abstract:
A hazard detector may include a light sensor that senses a brightness level in an ambient environment. The hazard detector can have a processing system that receives an indication of the brightness level in the ambient environment from the light sensor. The processing system may then determine whether illumination in the ambient environment has been dimmed. Responsive to the dimming, the processing system may access information representative of a status of one or more components of the hazard detector. An illumination state may then be selected from a plurality of illumination states based on the accessed information representative of the status of the one or more components of the hazard detector. A light may then be illuminated based on the selected illumination state.
Abstract:
System for displaying hazard events and adjusting hazard detector settings on a mobile device can include: a user interface executed on the mobile device, a hazard detector, and a computer server system communicatively coupled to the mobile device and hazard detector. The user interface can receive an adjusted value for a setting of the hazard detector and transmit the adjusted value to the computer server system. The computer server system may: determine that the adjusted value corresponds to the hazard detector, receive a check-in event from the hazard detector, and transmit the adjusted value to the hazard detector in response to receiving the check-in event. The hazard detector may then apply the adjusted value to the setting.
Abstract:
A particular smart hazard detector may itself function as a guide during a process of installation of the same at an installation location. Additionally, the installation location of the particular smart hazard detector may play a central role in how various settings of the smart hazard detector are defined and adjusted over time.