ADAPTIVE USER INTERFACE FOR AN HVAC SYSTEM

• US 20170051932A1
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Harry M., Akode, Nilesh, Parks, Mary
• Application Number:
  US14/831,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20170051932A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/526 giving audible indications
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2130/40 Noise
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use

Abstract

An adaptive user interface for an HVAC system is described herein. One device includes a user interface configured to display information associated with a component of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a wireless interface, wherein the wireless interface is configured to receive a voice communication from a user, wherein the voice communication includes information associated with the component of the HVAC system, a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to enter the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user in the display on the user interface.

Claims

1. A computing device for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:

a user interface configured to display information associated with a component of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system;

a wireless interface, wherein the wireless interface is configured to receive a voice communication from a user, wherein the voice communication includes information associated with the component of the HVAC system;

a memory; and

a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to enter the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user in the display on the user interface.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein:

the voice communication from the user includes background noise; and

the processor is configured to execute the instructions to filter out the background noise from the voice communication to recognize the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to:

determine a distance between the computing device and the user based on the voice communication from the user; and

select a visualization format for the display on the user interface based on the determined distance between the computing device and the user.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to provide an audio communication to the user, wherein the audio communication includes a confirmation that the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user has been entered in the display on the user interface.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to provide an audio communication to the user, wherein the audio communication includes information from the display related to the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the voice communication includes a command to active the wireless interface.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the user interface is configured to receive information associated with the component of the HVAC system from the user.

8. A method for controlling an HVAC system, comprising:

receiving, by a wireless interface of a computing device for controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, a voice communication from a user, wherein the voice communication includes information associated with a component of the HVAC system;

determining, by the computing device, a distance between the computing device and the user based on the voice communication from the user;

selecting, by the computing device, a visualization format for a display on a user interface of the computing device based on the determined distance between the computing device and the user; and

entering, in the display on the user interface, the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the visualization format for the display on the user interface includes adjusting the visualization format for the display from a first visualization format to a second visualization format.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the visualization format for the display on the user interface includes selecting a density for the information displayed in the display.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting the visualization format for the display on the user interface includes selecting a color for the information displayed in the display.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes determining the distance between the computing device and the user based on a strength of the voice communication from the user.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes determining the distance between the computing device and the user based on a quality of the voice communication from the user.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the method includes providing, by the computing device, an audio communication to the user after entering the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user in the display, wherein a dialog format of the audio communication is selected based on the determined distance between the computing device and the user.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the voice communication from the user includes background noise; and

the method includes selecting the visualization format for the display on the user interface based on the background noise.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to:

receive a voice communication from a user, wherein the voice communication includes;

information associated with a component of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system; and

background noise;

recognize the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user by filtering out the background noise from the voice communication; and

enter the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user in a display on a user interface.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein:

the background noise includes a number of different types of background noise; and

filtering out the background noise from the voice communication includes distinguishing between each of the different types of background noise in the voice communication.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable to provide an audio communication to the user after entering the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user in the display, wherein a dialog format of the audio communication is selected based on the background noise.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable to provide an audio communication to the user after entering the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user in the display, wherein a volume of the audio communication is selected based on the background noise.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable to:

provide an audio communication to the user after entering the information associated with the component of the HVAC system included in the voice communication from the user in the display; and

repeat the audio communication to the user if the background noise meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold.