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

Abstract

Provided according to one or more embodiments is a method of processing rotational inputs to a control device having a an electronic display and user interface, such as a programmable thermostat. Methods and systems include 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. 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 receives this information and determines an angular movement as provided by the user through the rotational input device. In order to reduce the rotational input required by the user, the variable assist scroll engine applies one or more heuristics to variably assist with a scrolling movement of a sequence of display elements on the electronic display. 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 and utilize the rotational input device when navigating the user interface of the control device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic thermostat having a user-friendly interface, comprising:
 a housing with an electronic display disposed on a front surface thereof;   a ring-shaped user input member that surrounds the electronic display and is rotatable with respect to the electronic display;   a ring rotation sensor that senses rotation of the ring-shaped user input member; and   a processor that:
 provides first signals to the electronic display that cause display elements representative of one or more of temperature, time, and day to appear in the electronic display; 
 receives second signals from the ring rotation sensor in response to the rotation; 
 processes the second signals from the ring rotation sensor to determine angular velocity of the rotation; and 
 provides third signals to the electronic display that cause movement of one or more of the display elements in the electronic display; 
   wherein:   for a first rotation of the ring-shaped user input member across a first angular range at a first angular velocity, the third signals cause movement of the one or more display elements in the electronic display by a first amount; and   for a second rotation of the ring-shaped user input member across said first angular range at a second angular velocity that is greater than the first angular velocity, the third signals cause movement of the one or more display elements in the electronic display by a second amount that is greater than the first amount.   
     
     
         2 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the first angular range is one-quarter of a turn, the first amount is an angular displacement of about ninety degrees and the second amount is an angular displacement of about two hundred seventy degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the first angular range is one-quarter of a turn, the first amount is an angular displacement of ninety degrees and the second amount is an angular displacement of three hundred fifteen degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first rotation of the ring-shaped user input member by the user across the first angular range at the first angular velocity takes place at a first time; and   at a subsequent time, when rotation of the ring-shaped user input member by the user is reduced to zero, the processor causes continued movement of the one or more display elements in the electronic display at a velocity that is reduced by a simulated friction or decay.   
     
     
         5 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 4 , wherein the ring-shaped user input member rotates on plastic bearings, but does not mechanically couple to internal mechanisms other than the plastic bearings, the plastic bearings providing a smooth viscous resistance such that at the subsequent time, the user releasing the ring-shaped user input member causes the rotation of the ring-shaped user input member to be reduced to zero. 
     
     
         6 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein:
 at least a first subset of the display elements are elements in a linear menu, wherein the first amount is a linear displacement of the linear menu.   
     
     
         7 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein a proportion of the second amount to the first amount is based on a distance needed to span all of the display elements in the electronic display, such that the proportion is greater for a menu having more display elements than for a menu having fewer display elements. 
     
     
         8 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a first subset of the display elements are representative of time, and are provided as a linear menu in a horizontal scrolling direction, with a selected time indicated by a vertical bar adjacent to the display elements.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first subset of the display elements are digital representations of time, and the processor causes the electronic display to provide an analog representation of the selected time in addition to the first subset of the display elements.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 8 , wherein:
 at least a second subset of the display elements are representative of temperature, and are provided as a numeric display within a circle that moves in a vertical direction, the numeric display being associated with a vertical position of the circle along the vertical bar.   
     
     
         11 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the processor causes the one or more display elements to cease movement after the display elements move by the first amount, except that when the first amount causes at least two of the display elements to momentarily overlap within a selection indicator, the processor causes the display elements to advance or retreat the movement of the display elements until only one of the display elements overlaps the selection indicator.   
     
     
         12 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 11 , wherein when the processor causes the display elements to advance or retreat the movement of the display elements until a single one of the display elements overlaps the selection indicator, the processor causes a user interface of the electronic thermostat to provide an audible click sound. 
     
     
         13 . A software product, comprising instructions stored in non-transitory, computer readable media, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor of an electronic thermostat, cause the thermostat to execute steps of a user-friendly thermostat interface method, the instructions comprising:
 instructions for sending first signals, from the processor to an electronic display of the thermostat, that cause display elements representative of one or more of temperature, time, and day to appear in the electronic display;   instructions for processing second signals, from a ring rotation sensor that senses rotation of a ring-shaped user input member about the electronic display, by the processor, to determine an angular velocity of the rotation; and   instructions for sending third signals, from the processor to the electronic display, that cause movement of one or more of the display elements in the electronic display;   wherein:   in response to a first rotation of the ring-shaped user input member across a first angular range at a first angular velocity, the third signals cause movement of the one or more display elements in the electronic display by a first amount; and   in response to a second rotation of the ring-shaped user input member across said first angular range at a second angular velocity that is greater than the first angular velocity, the third signals cause movement of the one or more display elements in the electronic display by a second amount that is greater than the first amount.   
     
     
         14 . A user-friendly thermostat interface method, comprising:
 generating first signals, by a processor, for an electronic display of the thermostat, that cause display elements representative of one or more of temperature, time, and day to appear in the electronic display;   sending second signals, from a ring rotation sensor that senses rotation of a ring-shaped user input member that surrounds the electronic display and is rotatable with respect to the electronic display, to the processor;   processing the second signals, by the processor, to determine an angular velocity of the rotation; and   generating third signals, by the processor, for the electronic display, that cause movement of one or more of the display elements in the electronic display;   wherein:   in response to a first rotation of the ring-shaped user input member across a first angular range at a first angular velocity, the third signals cause movement of the one or more display elements in the electronic display by a first amount; and   in response to a second rotation of the ring-shaped user input member across said first angular range at a second angular velocity that is greater than the first angular velocity, the third signals cause movement of the one or more display elements in the electronic display by a second amount that is greater than the first amount.   
     
     
         15 . The user-friendly thermostat interface method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first angular range is one-quarter of a turn;   the first angular velocity can be selected such that the first amount is an angular displacement of about ninety degrees; and   the second angular velocity can be selected such that the second amount is an angular displacement of about two hundred seventy degrees.   
     
     
         16 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the first angular range is one-quarter of a turn;   the first angular velocity can be selected such that the first amount is an angular displacement of about ninety degrees; and   the second angular velocity can be selected such that the second amount is an angular displacement of about three hundred fifteen degrees.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 14 , wherein generating the third signals comprises modeling the movement of the one or more of the display elements as physical objects having mass and inertia. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 17 , wherein generating the third signals further comprises modeling the movement of the one or more of the display elements as physical objects that are subjected to at least one of acceleration and friction. 
     
     
         19 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 17 , wherein generating the third signals further comprises utilizing an inertial model based on a flywheel. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic thermostat of  claim 17 , wherein generating the third signals further comprises utilizing a tuning parameter that is one of an acceleration multiplier, a scroll decay factor an edge bounce decay factor, a center decay factor and a scroll settle threshold.