Patents by Inventor Heidi Finch
Heidi Finch 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).
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Patent number: 11543143Abstract: An HVAC controller controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat and may include a housing that at least partially houses a control module, a microphone, a speaker, a display, and a voice recognition module. The voice recognition module recognizes a predetermined audible trigger from a recorded voice message or streamed voice message, and in response, provide one or more audio clips via the speaker and/or video clips via the display to assist users in operating the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the thermostat and/or a remote device.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2020Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Ademco Inc.Inventors: Jay Nelson, Hari Thiruvengada, Preston Gilmer, Thomas Gessner, Martin Adamek, Martin Skala, Juraj Buno, Soumitri Kolavennu, Max Peterschmidt, Libor Horky, Cary Leen, Heidi Finch
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Patent number: 10837667Abstract: A method of controlling an HVAC system can include receiving audio that includes a predefined trigger phrase followed by a voice command to change a set point temperature of the HVAC system to a requested set point value, converting the audio into a natural language audio stream, identifying the predefined trigger phrase in the natural language audio stream, transmitting a part of the natural language audio stream that includes the voice command to a remote web service for identifying the voice command therein, receiving a first building control device command generated by and from the remote web service at a building control device when the requested set point value is within a predetermined range, and receiving a second building control command generated by and from the remote web service at the building control device when the requested set point value is outside of the predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Ademco Inc.Inventors: Jay Nelson, David Bures, Petr Kasparik, Soumitri Kolavennu, Roman Konecny, Amit Kulkarni, Daniel Becvar, Martin Adamek, Juraj Buno, Steven Hoglund, Libor Horky, Jan Malek, Adam Nemcek, Martin Skala, Tomas Losak, Josef Novotny, Thomas Gessner, Preston Gilmer, Ix, Hari Thiruvengada, Christopher Goh, Robert D. Juntunen, David Mulhouse, Cary Leen, Heidi Finch
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Patent number: 10767884Abstract: A wiring configuration tool may be configured to determine a new wiring configuration for a replacement HVAC controller based, at least in part, on the existing wiring configuration for a current HVAC controller and, for example, the make and model of the replacement HVAC controller. The wiring configuration tool may be hosted by a server that provides a user interface for interacting with the user. The user may access the wiring configuration tool via a web services interface, a smart phone application or in any other suitable manner.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2018Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Ademco Inc.Inventors: Hari Thiruvengada, Patrick Tessier, Heidi Finch
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Publication number: 20200256575Abstract: An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat and may include a housing that at least partially houses a control module, a microphone, a speaker, a display, and a voice recognition module. The voice recognition module recognizes a predetermined audible trigger from a recorded voice message or streamed voice message, and in response, provide one or more audio clips via the speaker and/or video clips via the display to assist users in operating the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the thermostat and/or a remote device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2020Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: Jay Nelson, Hari Thiruvengada, Preston Gilmer, Thomas Gessner, Martin Adamek, Martin Skala, Juraj Buno, Soumitri Kolavennu, Max Peterschmidt, Libor Horky, Cary Leen, Heidi Finch
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Publication number: 20180347840Abstract: An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat including a housing that houses a temperature sensor, a microphone, and a controller. The controller may identify a trigger phrase in an audio stream provided by the microphone. In response to identifying the trigger phrase, the controller initiates processing of the audio stream to identify a command following the trigger phrase and to generate a command understandable by the thermostat that instructs the controller to perform the identified command. The controller then executes the generated command understandable by the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the microphone of the thermostat and/or a remote device having a microphone.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: Jay Nelson, David Bures, Petr Kasparik, Soumitri Kolavennu, Roman Konecny, Amit Kulkarni, Daniel Becvar, Martin Adamek, Juraj Buno, Steven Hoglund, Libor Horky, Jan Malek, Adam Nemcek, Martin Skala, Tomas Losak, Josef Novotny, Thomas Gessner, Preston Gilmer, Ix, Hari Thiruvengada, Christopher Goh, Robert D. Juntunen, David Mulhouse, Bas Timmers, Cary Leen, Heidi Finch
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Patent number: 10054327Abstract: An HVAC controller may be controlled in response to a natural language audio message that is not recognizable by the HVAC controller as a command, where the natural language audio message is translated into a command recognizable by the HVAC controller. The HVAC controller may be a thermostat including a housing that houses a temperature sensor, a microphone, and a controller. The controller may identify a trigger phrase in an audio stream provided by the microphone. In response to identifying the trigger phrase, the controller initiates processing of the audio stream to identify a command following the trigger phrase and to generate a command understandable by the thermostat that instructs the controller to perform the identified command. The controller then executes the generated command understandable by the thermostat. A user may communicate with the thermostat via the microphone of the thermostat and/or a remote device having a microphone.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2014Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Jay Nelson, David Bures, Petr Kasparik, Soumitri Kolavennu, Roman Konecny, Amit Kulkarni, Daniel Becvar, Martin Adamek, Juraj Buno, Steven Hoglund, Libor Horky, Jan Malek, Adam Nemcek, Martin Skala, Tomas Losak, Josef Novotny, Thomas Gessner, Preston Gilmer, Ix, Hari Thiruvengada, Christopher Goh, Robert D. Juntunen, David Mulhouse, Cary Leen, Heidi Finch
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Publication number: 20180128509Abstract: A wiring configuration tool may be configured to determine a new wiring configuration for a replacement HVAC controller based, at least in part, on the existing wiring configuration for a current HVAC controller and, for example, the make and model of the replacement HVAC controller. The wiring configuration tool may be hosted by a server that provides a user interface for interacting with the user. The user may access the wiring configuration tool via a web services interface, a smart phone application or in any other suitable manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2018Publication date: May 10, 2018Inventors: Hari Thiruvengada, Patrick Tessier, Heidi Finch
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Patent number: 9885492Abstract: A wiring configuration tool may be configured to determine a new wiring configuration for a replacement HVAC controller based, at least in part, on the existing wiring configuration for a current HVAC controller and, for example, the make and model of the replacement HVAC controller. The wiring configuration tool may be hosted by a server that provides a user interface for interacting with the user. The user may access the wiring configuration tool via a web services interface, a smart phone application or in any other suitable manner.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2013Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Hari Thiruvengada, Patrick Tessier, Heidi Finch
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Patent number: 9768564Abstract: A wall mountable connector is used for securing a thermostat to a wall. The wall mountable connector provides an electrical connection between a plurality of field wires of an HVAC system and corresponding terminals of a removably mounted thermostat. The wall mountable connector includes a plurality of mounting features that are configured to provide good securement of the wall mountable connector relative to the wall, and in some instances facilitate aligning at least one of the mounting feature of the wall mountable connector with a stud within the wall.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Travis Read, Anthony P. Uttley, Eric Barton, Jonathan Sartwell, Heidi Finch, David J. Emmons, Nathaniel D. Kraft
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Publication number: 20170237210Abstract: A wall mountable connector to provide mechanical and electrical connections for a thermostat. The wall mountable connector may include a field wire receiving cavity, with a first column of wiring terminals and a second column of wiring terminals, with each of the wiring terminals configured to receive a field wire. Each of a first column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the first column of wiring terminals and each of a second column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the second column of wiring terminals. In some cases, the first column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from a first side edge of the housing, and the second column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from an opposing second side edge of the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2016Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Travis Read, David J. Emmons, Preston Gilmer, John Amundson, Heidi Finch, Eric Barton, Jiri Sapak
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Publication number: 20170237211Abstract: A wall mountable connector may be used for securing a thermostat to a wall. The wall mountable connector may provide an electrical connection between a plurality of field wires of an HVAC system and corresponding terminals of a removably mounted thermostat. The wall mountable connector may include a plurality of mounting features that are configured to provide good securement of the wall mountable connector relative to the wall, and in some instances facilitate aligning at least one of the mounting feature of the wall mountable connector with a stud within the wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2016Publication date: August 17, 2017Inventors: Travis Read, Anthony P. Uttley, Eric Barton, Jonathan Sartwell, Heidi Finch, David J. Emmons, Nathaniel D. Kraft
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Patent number: 9735518Abstract: A wall mountable connector to provide mechanical and electrical connections for a thermostat. The wall mountable connector may include a field wire receiving cavity, with a first column of wiring terminals and a second column of wiring terminals, with each of the wiring terminals configured to receive a field wire. Each of a first column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the first column of wiring terminals and each of a second column of pin terminals may be electrically coupled with each of the second column of wiring terminals. In some cases, the first column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from a first side edge of the housing, and the second column of pin terminals may be spaced a distance of 3 to 20 millimeters from an opposing second side edge of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2016Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Travis Read, David J Emmons, Preston Gilmer, John Amundson, Heidi Finch, Eric Barton, Jiri Sapak
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Publication number: 20150144705Abstract: A wiring configuration tool may be configured to determine a new wiring configuration for a replacement HVAC controller based, at least in part, on the existing wiring configuration for a current HVAC controller and, for example, the make and model of the replacement HVAC controller. The wiring configuration tool may be hosted by a server that provides a user interface for interacting with the user. The user may access the wiring configuration tool via a web services interface, a smart phone application or in any other suitable manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Hari Thiruvengada, Patrick Tessier, Heidi Finch
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Publication number: 20050119771Abstract: A controller and a method of programming a schedule of a controller having a user interface, the schedule having a number of schedule parameters, the method including the steps of: providing one or more interview questions to a user via the user interface; accepting one or more user responses to the one or more interview questions from the user via the user interface; and modifying one or more of the schedule parameters based on the user responses provided by the user interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2003Publication date: June 2, 2005Inventors: John Amundson, Heidi Finch, Brent Vick
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Publication number: 20050119766Abstract: A method of modifying a programmable schedule for a controller and a controller are disclosed having a user interface. The method includes the steps of providing, simultaneously or sequentially, two or more schedule override choices to a user via the user interface, accepting a selection of one of the two or more schedule override choices from the user via the user interface, and modifying temporarily the schedule based on the user responses provided by the user interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2003Publication date: June 2, 2005Inventors: John Amundson, Heidi Finch, Brent Vick
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Publication number: 20050119793Abstract: A programmable controller such as an HVAC controller that provides a confirmation message to a user indicating that a parameter that has been modified by the user has been or will be saved. Such a confirmation message may help assure a user that their program modifications have been accepted and/or saved by the controller, thereby reducing the anxiety some users feel when programming such controllers.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2003Publication date: June 2, 2005Inventors: John Amundson, Brent Vick, Gabriel Bergman, Heidi Finch
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Patent number: D666510Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2011Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Stephane Joseph Pierre Beland, Tomas Peciva, Tarik Khoury, Heidi Finch, Pavel Kalina