Methods and apparatus for control unit with a variable assist rotational interface and display

Abstract

Provided is a method and system of processing rotational inputs to a control device having an electronic display and user interface, such as a programmable thermostat. Displayed on the electronic display is an initial display element selected from a sequence of display elements. In response to seeing such information, the user applies a rotational input applied to a rotational input device, such as a rotatable ring around the electronic display. A variable scroll assist engine determines an angular movement provided through the rotational input device and applies one or more heuristics to variably assist with a scrolling movement of a sequence of display elements. The variable scroll assist engine may reduce the rotational user input required to traverse an arbitrary number of display elements to as little as a quarter-revolution of the rotational input device in order that a user is better able to operate the control device.

1 . A processor-implemented method of processing a rotational input to a control device having a an electronic display, comprising:
 displaying on the electronic display associated with the control device at least a portion of an initial display element selected from a sequence of display elements;   determining an angular movement from a rotational user input applied to a rotational input device associated with the control device; and   applying one or more heuristics to variably assist with a scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements on the electronic display and reduce the rotational user input necessary to traverse the sequence of display elements.   
     
     
         2 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the sequence of display elements are arranged along a circular menu displayed on the electronic display. 
     
     
         3 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the sequence of display elements are arranged in a linear menu displayed on the electronic display. 
     
     
         4 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic display is centrally mounted on the body of the control device and the rotational input device is a rotatable ring around the periphery of the electronic display. 
     
     
         5 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein determining the angular movement depends on one or more measurements selected from a set of measurements including a displacement measurement, a velocity measurement, and an acceleration measurement associated with the rotational input device. 
     
     
         6 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that changes the rate of the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements on the electronic display compared with the rate of the angular movement associated with the rotational user input. 
     
     
         7 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 6  wherein the change in the rate of scrolling movement is increased when the sequence of display elements includes a larger sequence of display elements. 
     
     
         8 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 6  wherein the change in the rate of scrolling movement is decreased when the sequence of display elements includes a shorter sequence of display elements. 
     
     
         9 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that creates an extended scrolling movement that continues to display additional display elements after the angular movement associated with the rotational user input has stopped. 
     
     
         10 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that increases a displacement covered by the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements on the electronic display compared with a displacement associated with the angular movement from the rotational user input. 
     
     
         11 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that continues the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements until at least one display element has been affirmatively identified on the electronic display. 
     
     
         12 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 11  wherein a simulated indentation under a force of gravity coincident with each display element causes the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements to affirmatively identify a specific display element rather than land in an area between two display elements from the sequence of display elements. 
     
     
         13 . The processor-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the rotational user input necessary to traverse the sequence of display elements may be selected from a set of rotational inputs including a quarter-revolution, a half-revolution, and a three-quarter revolution. 
     
     
         14 . A computer program product comprising instructions executable on a processor for processing a rotational input to a control device having an electronic display, the instructions tangibly embodied in a machine readable medium and operable to cause the processor to operate in accordance with the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A control device having an electronic display, comprising:
 a processing system associated with the control device adapted to process instructions and a rotational user input to a rotational input device associated with the control device;   memory containing instructions when executed on the processing system, display on the electronic display associated with the control device at least a portion of an initial display element selected from a sequence of display elements, determine an angular movement from the rotational user input applied to the rotational input device associated with the control device, and apply one or more heuristics to variably assist with a scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements on the electronic display and reduce the rotational user input necessary to traverse the sequence of display elements.   
     
     
         16 . The control device of  claim 15  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that changes the rate of the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements on the electronic display compared with the rate of the angular movement associated with the rotational user input. 
     
     
         17 . The control device of  claim 15  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that creates an extended scrolling movement that continues to display additional display elements after the angular movement associated with the rotational user input has stopped. 
     
     
         18 . The control device of  claim 15  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that increases a displacement covered by the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements on the electronic display compared with a displacement associated with the angular movement from the rotational user input. 
     
     
         19 . The control device of  claim 15  wherein the one or more heuristics to variably assist with the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements includes a heuristic that continues the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements until at least one display element has been affirmatively identified on the electronic display. 
     
     
         20 . The control device of  claim 15  wherein a simulated indentation under a force of gravity coincident with each display element causes the scrolling movement of the sequence of display elements to affirmatively identify a specific display element rather than land in an area between two display elements from the sequence of display elements.