Controller interface with multiple day programming

• US 20060030954A1
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Colin T. Ferguson, Eugene J. Takach, Gabriel A. Bergman, George J. Mcleod, Ian Thomson, James A. Wolfbauer, Jeff D. Boll, John B. Amundson, Marcus D. Stoner, Paul G. Schwendinger, Philip O. Readio
• Inventors: Schwendinger, Paul G., Stoner, Marcus D., Readio, Philip O., Boll, Jeff D., Bergman, Gabriel A., Thomson, Ian, Takach, Eugene J., Amundson, John B., Ferguson, Colin T., Wolfbauer, James A., McLeod, George J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/106 for selecting a programme, variable or parameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A controller equipped with a user interface having multiple-day programming capabilities, including methods of programming such devices, are disclosed. The user interface may include one or more menus or screens that can be used to program a schedule for one or more selected days during the week. An illustrative method of programming the controller may include the steps of entering a scheduling routine, selecting multiple days for schedule modification, changing the schedule parameters for one or more periods during the selected days, and then exiting the scheduling routine.

Claims

1-81. -81. (canceled)

82. A thermostat comprising:

a touch screen; and

a controller adapted to display a display image on the touch screen, the display image having a portion that coincides with a touch region, wherein when the touch region is touched, at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region changes from a first display image to a second display image to indicate a first setting change of the thermostat.

83. The thermostat of claim 82 wherein the first display image includes a first setting indicator and the second display image includes a second setting indicator.

84. The thermostat of claim 82 wherein the display image displays a boundary that traverses around at least part of the touch region.

85. The thermostat of claim 84 wherein the boundary traverses around all or substantially all of the touch region.

86. The thermostat of claim 82 wherein at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region changes from the second display image to the first display image when the touch region is touched a predetermined number of times.

87. The thermostat of claim 82 wherein at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region changes from the second display image to a third display image when the touch region is again touched to indicate a second setting change of the thermostat.

88. The thermostat of claim 87 wherein at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region changes from the third display image to the first display image when the touch region is again touched.

89. The thermostat of claim 87 wherein at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region changes from the third display image to a fourth display image when the touch region is again touched to indicate a third setting change of the thermostat.

90. The thermostat of claim 89 wherein at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region changes from the fourth display image to the first display image when the touch region is again touched.

91. The thermostat of claim 83 wherein the first setting indicator corresponds to a heat mode of the thermostat, and the second setting indicator corresponds to a cool mode of the thermostat.

92. The thermostat of claim 83 wherein the first setting indicator corresponds to a fan on mode of the thermostat, and the second setting indicator corresponds to a fan auto mode of the thermostat.

93. A method for changing a setting of a thermostat that has a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying a display image on the touch screen;

monitoring a touch region for a touch by a user; and

changing at least part of a portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region to indicate a first setting change of the thermostat when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has been touched by the user.

94. The method of claim 93 further comprising the step of:

changing at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region to indicate a second setting change of the thermostat when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has again been touched by the user.

95. A method for changing a setting of a thermostat between a number of setting options including a first setting option and a last setting option, the thermostat having a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying a display image on the touch screen;

monitoring a touch region on the touch screen for a touch by a user, a portion of the display image coinciding with the touch region; and

changing at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region to indicate the setting has been changed to a next setting option each time the monitoring step detects that the touch region has been touched by the user.

96. The method of claim 95 further comprising:

changing at least part of the portion of the display image to indicate the setting has been changed to the last setting option when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has been touched by the user a sufficient number of times to reach the last setting option.

97. The method of claim 96 further comprising:

changing at least part of the portion of the display image to indicate the setting has been changed to the first setting option when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has been touched a next time.

98. The method of claim 97 wherein the setting options correspond to thermostat system modes.

99. The method of claim 97 wherein the setting options correspond to thermostat fan modes.

100. A method for selecting a setting of a thermostat from a number of setting options including a first setting option and a last setting option, the thermostat having a touch screen, the method comprising:

displaying a first setting indicator on the touch screen, the first setting indicator corresponding to the first setting option;

monitoring a touch region for a touch by a user; and

removing the first setting indicator and displaying a second setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has been touched by the user, the second setting indicator corresponding to a second setting option of the thermostat.

101. The method of claim 100 further comprising removing the second setting indicator and displaying the first setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has again been touched by the user.

102. The method of claim 100 further comprising:

removing the second setting indicator and displaying a third setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has again been touched by the user, the third setting indicator corresponding to a third setting option.

103. The method of claim 102 further comprising

removing the third setting indicator and displaying the first setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has again been touched by the user.

104. The method of claim 102 further comprising:

removing the third setting indicator and displaying a fourth setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has again been touched by the user, the fourth setting indicator corresponding to a fourth setting option.

105. The method of claim 104 further comprising removing the fourth setting indicator and displaying the first setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has again been touched by the user.

106. The method of claim 100 further comprising:

removing a next to last setting indicator and displaying the last setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has been touched a sufficient number of times to reach the last setting indicator.

107. The method of claim 106 further comprising:

removing the last setting indicator and displaying the first setting indicator when the monitoring step detects that the touch region has again been touched by the user.

108. A thermostat comprising:

a touch screen;

a controller adapted to display a display image on the touch screen, the display image having a portion that coincides with a touch region, wherein when the touch region is touched, at least part of the portion of the display image that coincides with the touch region changes from a first display image to a second display image to indicate a first setting change of the thermostat; and

the display image displays a boundary that traverses around at least part of the touch region, wherein the boundary is generally rectangular in shape.

109. The thermostat of claim 108 wherein the boundary is generally rectangular in shape.

110. The thermostat of claim 109 wherein the generally rectangular shaped boundary includes rounded off corners.

111. The thermostat of claim 110 wherein the generally rectangular shaped boundary includes one or more gaps in the boundary.

112. The thermostat of claim 110 wherein the generally rectangular shaped boundary includes a first region and a second region, wherein a line is displayed between the first region and the second region.

113. The thermostat of claim 112 wherein the first display image includes a first setting indicator and the second display image includes a second setting indicator, wherein the first setting indicator and the second setting indicator are displayed in the second region of the generally rectangular shaped boundary, and wherein the first display image and the second display image both display a common header in the first region of the generally rectangular boundary.

114. The thermostat of claim 113 wherein the first setting indicator and the second setting indicator relate to thermostat fan mode settings, and the common header is a fan mode heading.

115. The thermostat of claim 113 wherein the first setting indicator and the second setting indicator relate to thermostat system mode settings, and the common header is a system mode heading.