User interface for an environmental control system

• US 10,295,210 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2015
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Gas Trading Limited (Centrica PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Gas Trading Limited (Centrica PLC)
• Inventors: Combe, Nicola, Collinsworth, Curtis John, Middleton, Brett Derek, Matsui, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Kenneth M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Michael W
• Application Number:
  US14/797,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20170016643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 700276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/00 Controlling members, e.g. knobs or handles; Assemblies or arrangements thereof; Indicating position of controlling members means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism G05G5/00; providing feel, e.g. means to create a counterforce G05G5/03; specially adapted for programme control G05G21/00; vibration damping G05G25/02; joysticks G05G9/04; steering wheels for motor vehicles B62D
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 37/00 Thermally-actuated switches

Abstract

A method of configuring a control schedule for an environmental control system using a control device is disclosed. The control device has a display and a directional input element such as a rotary dial. The method involves performing a time period configuration process for a sequence of time periods. A time period is added to the control schedule and a representation of the added time period is displayed. In response to directional activation of the directional input element, a duration of the added time period is adjusted, with the representation being updated to indicate the adjusted duration. The adjusted duration is stored in response to a confirmation input signal. The time period configuration process is repeated until it is determined that no more time periods are to be added to the control schedule.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a control schedule to control an environmental control system using a control device, the control device having a display and a directional input element, wherein the directional input element comprises a single, discrete input component for receiving user input corresponding to at least two distinct activation directions of the directional input element, and wherein the control schedule is configurable to define a sequence of time periods, the method comprising:

the control device performing a time period configuration process for each of a plurality of time periods of the control schedule, for each time period being configured the control device;

adding a time period to the control schedule;

displaying on the display a representation of the added time period, the representation being displayed adjacent a representation of a temporally preceding time period of the control schedule if the added time period is not an earliest configured time period of the control schedule;

in response to directional activation of the directional input element, adjusting a duration of the added time period, and updating the representation to indicate the adjusted duration of the added time period; and

in response to receiving a confirmation input signal, storing the adjusted duration of the given time period in the control schedule;

wherein the control device associates control information with the control schedule designating respective time periods as one of;

an ON period during which the environmental control system is to be activated and operating in accordance with a target temperature value configured in the control schedule; and

an OFF period during which the environmental control system is to be one or more of;

deactivated; and

operating in a protection mode, wherein, in the protection mode, the environmental control system is generally off but is activated below a protection threshold temperature to prevent damage to the system;

wherein the control device allows the user to configure additionally the target temperature value based on directional activation of the directional input element when performing the time period configuration process for any ON periods but not for any OFF periods;

the control device repeating the time period configuration process sequentially for a temporal sequence of time periods starting with an earliest time period whilst alternating automatically between adding one of the ON periods and one of the OFF periods to the control schedule, until it is determined that no more time periods are to be added to the control schedule;

the method further comprising controlling the environmental control system in dependence on the control schedule.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the directional input element is a rotary input element for receiving rotary input corresponding to two distinct rotation directions.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising repeating the time configuration process sequentially for a temporal sequence of time periods starting with an earliest time period, the method comprising at least one of:

for a first time period of the schedule to be added, configuring a start time of the first time period based on user input provided by directional activation of the directional input element, the time period configuration process adding the first time period with the configured start time; and

for a time period other than the first configured time period, setting a start time of the time period to an end time of the temporally preceding time period when adding the time period.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein adjusting the duration of the added time period comprises adjusting an end time of the added time period.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising associating control information with one or more of the configured time periods, wherein associating control information with one or more time periods comprises associating with each time period at least one of:

an indication that the environmental control system is to be one or more of;

deactivated during the time period; and

in a protection mode during the time period, wherein, in the protection mode, the environmental control system is generally off but is activated below a protection threshold temperature to prevent damage to the system;

an indication that the environmental control system is to be activated during the time period; and

a temperature parameter indicating a target temperature to be used during the time period.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising at least one of:

when one of the ON periods is added to the schedule, setting a target temperature value for the period to a default value, displaying an indication of the default value, and allowing a user to adjust the target temperature value based on directional input from the directional input element, the method further comprising storing the default value or adjusted value in response to a confirmation input signal; and

when one of the OFF periods is added to the schedule, allowing a user to adjust only the duration of the time period based on directional input from the directional input element.

12. A method according to claim 1, comprising displaying the control schedule in the form of a plurality of graphical elements corresponding to respective time periods, the graphical elements arranged in time order of the time periods in the schedule;

wherein the, or each, graphical element comprises one or more of;

a shape element;

an indication that the corresponding time period is an OFF period during which the environmental control system is configured to be deactivated or in a protection mode, wherein, in the protection mode, the environmental control system is generally off but is activated below a protection threshold temperature to prevent damage to the system; and

an indication of a target temperature value associated with the corresponding time period, where the time period is an ON period during which the environmental control system is to be activated to operate based on the target temperature value.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein a colour of the shape element is selected in dependence on one or both of an ON/OFF state and a target temperature value of the corresponding time period.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control schedule is for controlling environmental temperature control by an environmental control system, the environmental control system adapted for control of one or more of:

heating, cooling, ventilation, and air conditioning.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the control device further, for a time period during which the environmental control system is to be activated, associates the target temperature value with the time period based on directional input from the directional input element, wherein:

in a first stage of the time period configuration process, the control device allows a user to adjust one of the duration and the target temperature value for the time period based on directional input from the directional input element; and

responsive to a confirmation input signal, in a second stage of the time period configuration process, the control device allows the user to adjust the other one of the duration and target temperature value for the time period based on directional input from the directional input element.

7. A method of configuring a control schedule for an environmental control system using a control device, the control device having a display and a directional input element, wherein the directional input element comprises a single, discrete input component for receiving user input corresponding to at least two distinct activation directions of the directional input element, and wherein the control schedule comprises information defining a sequence of time periods and control information associated with one or more time periods for controlling the environmental control system, the method comprising:

performing, by the control device, an editing process for editing a given time period of the control schedule, the editing process comprising;

displaying a representation of the time period on the display;

modifying a plurality of parameters associated with the time period based on user input received responsive to directional activation of the directional input element, comprising;

in a time setting mode, modifying the start of the time period using the directional input element based on directional input from the directional input element;

responsive to receipt of a confirmation input signal, switching to a temperature setting mode;

in the temperature setting mode, modifying a temperature control parameter associated with the edited time period based on directional input from the directional input element, and

responsive to receipt of a further confirmation input signal, switching to the time setting mode and, in the time setting mode, modifying the end time of the time period based on directional input from the directional input element; and

updating the representation of the edited time period on the display in response to the modification; and

the method further comprising controlling the environmental control system in dependence on the control schedule.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the temperature control parameter is a target temperature value.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein the directional input element is arranged to provide directional input signals responsive to directional activation and a further input signal in response to a secondary form of activation, the confirmation input signal(s) being based on the secondary form of activation, wherein the directional input element is a rotary input element and the secondary activation comprises depressing the rotary input element.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein the displayed representation of a time period comprises a graphical element, wherein updating the representation comprises modifying an extent of the graphical element representing the time period in response to modification of a time parameter indicating a duration of the time period, such that the modified extent is representative of the duration of the time period.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein updating the representation comprises, in response to modification of a temperature parameter associated with a time period, modifying one or more of:

an indication of the value of the modified parameter; and

a colour or shading of the graphical element.

15. A control device for an environmental control system, the control device comprising:

a display;

a directional input element, wherein the directional input element comprises a single, discrete input component for receiving user input corresponding to at least two distinct activation directions of the directional input element, and

a user interface program configured to provide a user interface for configuring a control schedule for the environmental control system, when the user interface program is run on the control device, wherein the control schedule is configurable to define a sequence of time periods, the user interface program configured to;

perform a time period configuration process for each of a plurality of time periods, the time period configuration process including, for each time period being configured;

adding a time period to the control schedule;

displaying on the display a representation of the added time period, the representation being displayed adjacent a representation of a temporally preceding time period of the control schedule if the added time period is not an earliest configured time period of the control schedule;

in response to directional activation of the directional input element, adjusting a duration of the added time period, and updating the representation to indicate the adjusted duration of the added time period; and

in response to receiving a confirmation input signal, storing the adjusted duration of the given time period in the control schedule;

wherein the user interface program associates control information with the control schedule designating each time period as one of;

an ON period during which the environmental control system is to be activated and operating in accordance with a target temperature value configured in the control schedule; and

an OFF period during which the environmental control system is to be one or more of;

deactivated; and

operating in a protection mode, wherein, in the protection mode, the environmental control system is generally off but is activated below a protection threshold temperature to prevent damage to the system;

wherein the user interface program allows the user additionally to configure the target temperature value based on directional activation of the directional input element when performing the time period configuration process for any ON periods but not for any OFF periods;

wherein the user interface program is configured to repeat the time period configuration process sequentially for a temporal sequence of time periods starting with an earliest time period whilst alternating automatically between adding one of the ON periods and one of the OFF periods to the control schedule, until it is determined that no more time periods are to be added to the control schedule;

and wherein the control device is configured to store the control schedule to enable control of the environmental control system in dependence on the control schedule.