GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE SYSTEM FOR A THERMAL COMFORT CONTROLLER

• US 20080161978A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shah, Dipak J.
• Application Number:
  US12/051,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20080161978A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/04 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/38 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/20 with a time programme acting through electrical means, e.g. using time-delay relays
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/203 using electronic means
• 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 11/62 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 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/102 for input of programme steps, i.e. setting up sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23197 Curve entered with pen on touchscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23377 Touch screen, with representation of buttons, machine on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23385 Programming pencil, touch probe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24055 Trace, store a working, operation history
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25403 Compare real clock time with programmed time, if equal execute next command
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25419 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 : Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

A graphical user interface system for a thermal comfort controller. The user interface system has a central processing unit coupled to a memory and a touch sensitive display unit. The memory stores a temperature schedule data structure and perhaps a temperature history data structure. The temperature schedule data structure is made up of at least one set-point. The temperature history data structure is made up of at least one Actual-Temperature-Point. The display presents the set-points and/or the Actual-Temperature-Points. One representation of the display is a graphical step-function. The user uses a finger or stylus to program the set-points by pointing and dragging a portion of the step-function.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information on a programmable thermostat that is adapted to sense a temperature at the location of the programmable thermostat and to control an HVAC system in accordance with two or more scheduled set points, the programmable thermostat having a touch screen display, a temperature sensor, and a memory, wherein the memory stores the two or more schedule set points, and wherein each schedule set point associates a time value and a corresponding temperature value, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving two or more of the schedule set points from the memory; and

simultaneously displaying two or more of the retrieved schedule set points as a listing of set points on the touch screen display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the listing of set points displayed on the touch screen display includes the corresponding temperature value for each of the displayed schedule set points.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the corresponding temperature values are displayed in a numerical format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the listing of set points displayed on the touch screen display includes the time value for each of the displayed schedule set points.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the time values are displayed in a numerical format.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the listing of set points displayed on the touch screen display includes the time value and the corresponding temperature value for each of the displayed schedule set points.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the time values and the corresponding temperature values are displayed in a numerical format.

8. A method for displaying information on a programmable thermostat that is adapted to sense a temperature at the location of the programmable thermostat and to control an HVAC system in accordance with two or more scheduled set points, the programmable thermostat having a touch screen display, a temperature sensor, and a memory, wherein the memory stores the two or more schedule set points, and wherein each schedule set point includes a time value and a corresponding temperature value, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving two or more schedule set points from the memory; and

simultaneously displaying two or more retrieved schedule set points on the touch screen display, wherein for each retrieved schedule set point, the time value and the corresponding temperature value are displayed, wherein at least the temperature value is displayed in a numerical format.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the time value is also displayed in a numerical format.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the two or more retrieved schedule set points are displayed as a listing of set points.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

allowing the user to modify one or more of the schedule set points through user interaction with the touch screen display; and

storing any modified schedule set point to the memory.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a sensed temperature from the temperature sensor of the thermostat; and

displaying a measure of the received sensed temperature on the touch screen display in a numerical format.

13. A programmable thermostat having two or more schedule set points, where each schedule set point includes a time value and a corresponding temperature value, the programmable thermostat comprising:

a touch screen display;

a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature at the location of the programmable thermostat;

a memory for storing the two or more schedule set points;

a controller coupled to the memory, the touch screen display and the temperature sensor, the controller configured to retrieve two or more of the schedule set points from the memory, and to simultaneously display two or more of the retrieved schedule set points as a listing of set points on the touch screen display.

the controller further configured to allow a user to change one or more of the schedule set points through user interaction with the touch screen display; and

the controller further adapted to display a measure of the sensed temperature on the touch screen display.

14. The programmable thermostat of claim 13, wherein the listing of set points displayed on the touch screen display includes the corresponding temperature value for each of the displayed schedule set points.

15. The programmable thermostat of claim 14 wherein the corresponding temperature values are displayed in a numerical format.

16. The programmable thermostat of claim 13, wherein the listing of set points displayed on the touch screen display includes the time value for each of the displayed schedule set points.

17. The programmable thermostat of claim 16 wherein the time values are displayed in a numerical format.

18. The programmable thermostat of claim 13, wherein the listing of set points displayed on the touch screen display includes the time values and the corresponding temperature values for each of the displayed schedule set points.

19. The programmable thermostat of claim 18 wherein the time values and the corresponding temperature values are displayed in a numerical format.

20. The programmable thermostat of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to retrieve three or more of the schedule set points from the memory, and simultaneously display three or more of the retrieved schedule set points as a listing of set points on the touch screen display.