DISPLAY FOR HVAC SYSTEMS IN REMOTE CONTROL UNITS

• US 20090140057A1
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Leen, Cary
• Granted Patent: US 9,151,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/49.300
• 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 11/56 Remote control
• 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: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

An HVAC remote controller for use in an HVAC system is described. In some instances, the HVAC remote controller may include a wireless interface for communicating with one or more HVAC controllers and/or other HVAC devices. The HVAC remote control unit may be configured to display two or more option on a display, wherein the user may be allowed to select one of the two or more options resulting in a selected option. The HVAC remote control unit may display a visual cue for the selected option that visually distinguishes the selected option from the remaining options. The visual cue may include a different border for the selected option than the remaining options and/or a marker within or adjacent to the border. It is also contemplated that a similar visual cue may be used in conjunction with an HVAC controller display, if desired.

Claims

1. A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with an HVAC system, the wireless remote control unit comprising:

a wireless interface;

a touch screen display;

a controller in communication with the wireless interface and with the touch screen display, the controller configured to communicate with the HVAC system via the wireless interface; and

the controller further configured to simultaneously display two or more options on the display with each of the two or more options having a border that defines a button on the touch screen display, wherein the user is allowed to select one of the two or more options by touching a corresponding defined button resulting in a selected option, wherein the controller displays a different border for the selected option than the remaining two or more options to visually distinguish the selected option from the remaining two or more options.

2. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the controller further displays a marker within the confines of the border of the selected option to further visually distinguish the selected option from the remaining two or more options.

3. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 2, wherein the marker is a dot.

4. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 3, wherein the dot is positioned adjacent the top left corner of the button of the selected option.

5. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the different border for the selected option is a highlighted border relative to the remaining two or more options.

6. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the touch screen display is a fixed segment touch screen display.

7. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 1, wherein the touch screen display is a dot matrix touch screen display.

8. A portable wireless remote control unit for use in conjunction with an HVAC system, the wireless remote control unit comprising:

a wireless interface;

a display;

a controller in communication with the wireless interface and with the display, the controller configured to communicate with the HVAC system via the wireless interface; and

the controller is configured to simultaneously display two or more options on the display, wherein the user is allowed to select one of the two or more options resulting in a selected option, wherein the controller displays a visual cue for the selected option that visually distinguishes the selected option from the remaining two or more options.

9. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 8, wherein the visual cue includes a highlighted border around the selected option.

10. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 9, wherein the visual cue further includes a marker displayed in or adjacent the highlighted border.

11. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 10, wherein the marker includes a dot positioned inside the highlighted border.

12. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 8, wherein the visual cue includes a marker displayed in or adjacent the selected option.

13. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 12, wherein the marker includes a dot.

14. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 9, wherein each of the two or more options include a border.

15. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 8, wherein the display is a fixed segment display.

16. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 8, wherein the display is a dot matrix display.

17. The portable wireless remote control unit of claim 8, wherein the display is a touch screen display.

18. An HVAC controller comprising:

a display;

a controller in communication with the display; and

the controller configured to display a selection option on the display, wherein the selection option includes a border defining the selection option on the display, wherein the controller changes the border to indicate that the selection option has been selected by a user.

19. The HVAC controller of claim 18, wherein the controller highlights the border to indicate that the selection option has been selected by a user.

20. The HVAC controller of claim 18, wherein the controller changes the border from a un-bolded border to a bolded border to indicate that the selection option has been selected by a user.

21. The HVAC controller of claim 18, wherein the controller further provides a marker within the confines of the border to indicate that the selection option has been selected by a user.

22. An HVAC controller comprising:

a display;

a controller in communication with the display; and

the controller is configured to display a selection option on the display, wherein the selection option includes a border defining the selection option on the display, wherein the controller adds a marker within or adjacent to the border to indicate that the selection option has been selected by a user.

23. The HVAC controller of claim 22, wherein the marker includes a dot.