Patents by Inventor Grant M. ERICSON

Grant M. ERICSON has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • User-friendly, network-connected, smart-home controller and related systems and methods
    Patent number: 9740385
    Abstract: A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system in an enclosure may include a passive infrared sensor, an active infrared sensor, and an electronic display having a first mode and a second mode. The thermostat may also include one or more processors programmed to change a setpoint temperature of the thermostat to an energy-saving temperature upon detection of a non-occupancy condition for the enclosure. The processor(s) may detect the non-occupancy condition based at least in part on readings received from the passive infrared sensor. The processor(s) may also be programmed to change the electronic display from the first mode to the second mode upon detection of a person approaching the thermostat. The processor(s) may detect a person approaching the thermostat based at least in part on readings received from the active infrared sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony Michael Fadell, Matthew Lee Rogers, Edwin H. Satterthwaite, Jr., Ian C. Smith, Daniel Adam Warren, Joseph E. Palmer, Shigefumi Honjo, Grant M. Ericson, Jonathan Alan Dutra, Hugo Fiennes
  • USER-FRIENDLY, NETWORK CONNECTED LEARNING THERMOSTAT AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
    Publication number: 20160047569
    Abstract: A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system in an enclosure may include a passive infrared sensor, an active infrared sensor, and an electronic display having a first mode and a second mode. The thermostat may also include one or more processors programmed to change a setpoint temperature of the thermostat to an energy-saving temperature upon detection of a non-occupancy condition for the enclosure. The processor(s) may detect the non-occupancy condition based at least in part on readings received from the passive infrared sensor. The processor(s) may also be programmed to change the electronic display from the first mode to the second mode upon detection of a person approaching the thermostat. The processor(s) may detect a person approaching the thermostat based at least in part on readings received from the active infrared sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Applicant: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Michael FADELL, Matthew Lee ROGERS, Edwin H. SATTERTHWAITE, JR., Ian C. SMITH, Daniel Adam WARREN, Joseph E. PALMER, Shigefumi HONJO, Grant M. ERICSON, Jonathan Alan DUTRA, Hugo FIENNES