Abstract: A thermostat includes a front housing, a rear housing interoperably coupled to the front housing, at least one sensor integrated with the front housing, a display integrated with the front housing, and processing circuitry interoperably coupled to the at least one sensor and the display. The display is a touch-screen display and is configured to demonstrate a user-interface screen. The user-interface screen comprises a horseshoe-shaped temperature scale, a heat set-point control, and a cool set-point control. The heat set-point control and the cool set-point control are positioned on the horseshoe-shaped temperature scale. The horseshoe-shaped temperature scale can be adjusted by dragging at least one of the heat set-point control and the cool set-point control along circumferential edges of the horseshoe-shaped temperature scale.

Abstract: A home environment system includes a programmable thermostat and at least one server configured to communicate with the programmable thermostat via a wireless network. The at least one server is configured to receive information regarding work performed on at least one component of an HVAC system, generate a first report regarding the work performed, receive information regarding subsequent work performed on the at least one component of the HVAC system, generate a second report regarding the subsequent work performed, and perform a comparison between the first report and the second report. The at least one server is further configured to generate a comparison report that indicates differences between the first report and the second report and forward the generated comparison report to at least one of the programmable thermostat and at least one communication device.

Abstract: A home environment system includes a programmable thermostat and at least one server configured to communicate with the programmable thermostat via a wireless network. The at least one server is configured to receive information regarding work performed on at least one component of an HVAC system, generate a first report regarding the work performed, receive information regarding subsequent work performed on the at least one component of the HVAC system, generate a second report regarding the subsequent work performed, and perform a comparison between the first report and the second report. The at least one server is further configured to generate a comparison report that indicates differences between the first report and the second report and forward the generated comparison report to at least one of the programmable thermostat and at least one communication device.

Abstract: A thermostat includes a front housing, a rear housing interoperably coupled to the front housing, at least one sensor integrated with the front housing, a display integrated with the front housing, and processing circuitry interoperably coupled to the at least one sensor and the display. The processing circuitry is configured to periodically activate the at least one sensor, receive data from the at least one sensor and determine, from the received data, whether movement has occurred. Responsive to a determination that the movement has occurred, determine whether the movement is by a human and responsive to a determination that the movement was not by the human, adjust display attributes.

Abstract: A thermostat includes a front housing, a rear housing interoperably coupled to the front housing, at least one sensor integrated with the front housing, a display integrated with the front housing, and processing circuitry interoperably coupled to the at least one sensor and the display. The display is a touch-screen display and is configured to demonstrate a user-interface screen. The user-interface screen comprises a horseshoe-shaped temperature scale, a heat set-point control, and a cool set-point control. The heat set-point control and the cool set-point control are positioned on the horseshoe-shaped temperature scale. The horseshoe-shaped temperature scale can be adjusted by dragging at least one of the heat set-point control and the cool set-point control along circumferential edges of the horseshoe-shaped temperature scale.

Abstract: The present invention enables the use of a single passive adaptor (1500, 1800) for multiple types of flash media cards. The present invention provides this by implementing form factors with a detection scheme (1410, 1610) that notifies a host controller of the type of media card that has been inserted. The form factors and detection scheme can be designed to meet PCMCIA CardBus Plus standards.

Abstract: A system and method for securing the initialization of a Smartcard controller and a Smartcard terminal incorporating the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a firmware loader associated with a Smartcard controller and configured to receive and authenticate firmware and provide an associated Smartcard driver digital signature and (2) a Smartcard driver associated with the Smartcard controller and configured to be authenticated using the Smartcard driver digital signature and authenticate the firmware.

Abstract: The present invention enables the use of a single passive socket for multiple types of flash media cards. The present invention provides this by implementing circuitry with a detection scheme (1410, 1610) that notifies a host controller of the type of media card that has been inserted. The form factors and detection scheme can be designed to meet PCMCIA CardBus Plus standards.

Abstract: A card controller for a computer system allows the insertion of flash memory cards which share a common socket into a computer system for which there is no standardized driver for at least one of the card types. The system can accommodate MMC, SD and SDIO cards in personal computers by having two controllers within the card control circuit, one of which is a standardized controller having a standardized software driver, which can support at least one of the card types that can be inserted into the socket. The other controller is a non-standardized controller which has its own non-standardized software driver, and supports at least another card type that can be inserted into the socket. The non-standardized controller powers up the card upon receiving a card detect signal and determines if it's a card type that it supports. If it is, it supports the card in a normal fashion. If it is not, it sets a switch bit, and powers down the card.

Abstract: A fast resume of a computer from a low power mode to a normal operating mode captures a power down message from the operating system of the computer to devices connected thereto. In response to the captured message, the device manager is instructed to remove the device from the operating system. The computer is powered down with the device removed. The system is later powered up with the device removed, allowing for faster resume to normal operation. After the computer has returned to normal operation, the device manager reinstates the removed device. The program to capture the power down message can be above the device driver in the driver stock or be an application running in the user mode of the operating system.

Abstract: The present invention enables the use of a single passive socket for multiple types of flash media cards. The present invention provides this by implementing circuitry with a detection scheme (1410, 1610) that notifies a host controller of the type of media card that has been inserted. The form factors and detection scheme can be designed to meet PCMCIA CardBus Plus standards.

Abstract: The present invention enables the use of a single passive adaptor (1500, 1800) for multiple types of flash media cards. The present invention provides this by implementing form factors with a detection scheme (1410, 1610) that notifies a host controller of the type of media card that has been inserted. The form factors and detection scheme can be designed to meet PCMCIA CardBus Plus standards.