Last year, Nest Labs introduced the Learning Thermostat. One of the minds behind the product was Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive. The New York Times reported Fadell “led iPod and iPhone development from 2001 to 2009.” News of Fadell’s involvement helped generate a great deal of buzz for the Learning Thermostat.
Last week Honeywell brought some new media attention to the Learning Thermostat in the form of a patent infringement suit against Nest Labs. Honeywell accused the headline-grabbing company of infringement on no fewer than seven thermostat patents.
According to a Honeywell news release, “The patents are related to, among other things, simplified methods for operating and programming a thermostat including the use of natural language, user interfaces that facilitate programming and energy savings, a thermostats inner design, an electric circuit used to divert power from the users home electrical system to provide power to a thermostat, and controlling a thermostat with information stored in a remote location.”
Honeywell also named Best Buy in its legal action, reportedly seeking to stop the retail chain from selling Nest Labs’ product.
Nest Labs responded last week saying that it will fight the suit.
Recently, Honeywell also filed lawsuits against Venstar Inc. and ICM Controls for “infringing thermostat and combustions controls patents.”
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