GENERIC USER INTERFACE SYSTEM

• US 20080004725A1
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wacker, Paul C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,726,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25257 Microcontroller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25265 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control

Abstract

A generic user interface for rapid application development on a stand-alone control platform. A user interface may be designed using generic menu methodology consisting of predefined tables, fonts, and templates, such that table entries and menu selections are made based on the platform. An example platform may be designed from function blocks from a function block engine. An application may be developed to run on the control platform (within the constraints of the hardware and function block engine), and a corresponding user interface may be automatically generated by populating the generic tables of the user interface methodology based on simple user input during placement of the function blocks, as an example.

Claims

1. A controller system comprising:

a building environment control platform; and

a user interface connected to the control platform; and

wherein the user interface is configurable for the platform.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the user interface has a display box that is accessible;

the display box has a first level of one or more icons that displays information about one or more parameters and/or variables; and

the one or more icons have a second level of one or more icons that provides for selecting and/or adjusting properties of the one or more parameters and/or variables.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the control platform comprises one or more function blocks interconnected as the platform; and

the user interface is for providing a display of information specific to the one or more function blocks.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the one or more function blocks have a display box that is accessible;

the display box has a first level of one or more icons that displays information about one or more parameters and/or variables; and

the one or more icons have a second level of one or more icons that provides for selecting and/or adjusting properties of the one or more parameters and/or variables.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a display having provisions for sequencing through a plurality of display tables, including a category list table, an items table for one or more categories of the category list table, and/or for setting values for items in the items table.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the categories of the category list table can be sequenced through, the items of the categories can be sequenced through, and one or more values for each item may be inserted, incremented, decremented, or not affected, as appropriate.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the display provides for at least one variable related to one or more function blocks, an entry of a label, a value field, a number of digits field, a decimal place field and/or a name.

8. A method for obtaining a user interface for a platform, comprising:

providing a stand-alone building environment control platform; and

using generic menu methodology for developing a user interface for the platform; and

wherein the user interface is configurable for the platform.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

accessing a display box from the user interface relevant to the platform; and

wherein;

the display box has a first level of one or more icons which displays information about one or more parameters and/or variables about the platform; and

the one or more icons have a second level of one or more icons which provides for selecting and/or adjusting properties of the one or more parameters and/or variables for display.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the control platform comprises one or more function blocks interconnected as the platform; and

the user interface is for providing a display of information specific to the one or more function blocks.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more function blocks have a display box that is accessible;

the display box has a first level of icons that display information about one or more parameters and/or variables; and

the one or more icons have a second level of icons that provide for selecting and/or adjusting properties of the one or more parameters and/or variables.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the generic menu methodology comprises implementing templates, tables and/or fonts for configuring a display relative to the platform.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the platform comprises one or more function blocks from a function block engine; and

the user interface is generated by making the entries relative to the templates, tables and/or fonts based on the one or more function blocks.

14. A control system comprising:

a building environment control platform; and

a user interface connected to the platform; and

wherein the user interface is configurable for the platform.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interface provides a selectable and/or adjustable display format for various parameters and/or variables of the platform.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein a specific design of the platform and the user interface is transferable as software to another device to implement the specific design.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the platform comprises one or more function blocks of a function block engine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

at least one or more function blocks are shown as one or more icons on a display; and

the one or more icons are configurable to show one or more parameters and/or variables of their respective function blocks.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more icons are configurable to provide or change a name for the display of one or more parameters and/or variables, to select a type of units that the value of the parameter or variable will be displayed in, and/or to adjust a number of digits indicating a value of the parameter or variable.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the user interface comprises a display having provisions for sequencing through a plurality of display tables, including a category list table, an items table for one or more categories of the category list table, and/or for setting values for items in the items table;

the items represent the various parameters and/or variables; and

the categories of the category list table can be sequenced through, the items of the categories can be sequenced through, and one or more values at each item may be inserted, incremented, decremented, or not affected, as appropriate.