INTERVIEW PROGRAMMING FOR AN HVAC CONTROLLER

• US 20170300073A1
• Filed: 06/30/2017
• Published: 10/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Amundson, John B., Finch, Heidi J., Vick, Brent D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,579,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Controllers and methods are disclosed for aiding a user in programming a schedule of a programmable controller. In an illustrative embodiment, a guided programming routine can be activated by a user, which then guides a user through two or more screens that are designed to collect sufficient information from the user to generate and/or update at least some of the schedule parameters of the controller.

Claims

1. A user interface for programming an HVAC schedule of an HVAC system, wherein the HVAC schedule includes two or more time periods, the user interface is configured to:

display one or more first solicitations via the user interface that solicit sufficient information from a user to divide the HVAC schedule into two or more different groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more first solicitations;

divide the HVAC schedule into two or more different groups based on the user response to the one or more first solicitations;

once the HVAC schedule is divided into two or more different groups, allowing a user to enter sufficient information via the user interface to program each of two or more time periods for each of at least two of the two or more different groups; and

outputting one or more signals for use in controlling, at least in part, the HVAC system in accordance with the programmed HVAC schedule.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein once the HVAC schedule is divided into two or more different groups, and for each of the two or more different groups, the user interface is configured to:

display one or more second solicitations that solicit specific time and/or temperature values sufficient to program each of two or more time periods for that group; and

accept a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations for each of the two or more different groups.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the HVAC schedule includes one or more time periods for each of at least two days of a week, and wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit sufficient information to divide the at least two days of the week of the HVAC schedule into two or more different day groups.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together.

5. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped together.

6. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped separately.

7. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together in a first group, and both weekend days should be grouped together in a second group.

8. The user interface of claim 3, wherein each group comprises one or more days, and wherein the two or more time periods of each of the one or more days of a group are programmed the same.

9. The user interface of claim 1, wherein once the HVAC schedule is divided into two or more different groups, the user interface is configured to:

display one or more second solicitations via the user interface that solicit one or more specific time values for a first/next group of the two or more different groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations that solicit specific time values for the first/next group;

display one or more second solicitations via the user interface that solicit one or more specific temperature values for the first/next group of the two or more different groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations that solicit specific temperature values for the first/next group; and

repeat for each of the two or more groups.

10. The user interface of claim 1 comprising a touch screen display, wherein the one or more first solicitations are displayed via the touch screen display, and the user responses to each of the one or more first solicitations are accepted via the touch screen display.

11. The user interface of claim 10, wherein the user enters sufficient information via the touch screen display to program each of two or more time periods for each of at least two of the two or more different groups.

12. A user interface for programming an HVAC schedule of an HVAC system, wherein the HVAC schedule includes two or more time periods, the user interface is configured to execute a guided programming routine, wherein the guided programming routine is configured to:

display one or more first solicitations via the user interface that solicit sufficient information from a user to divide the HVAC schedule into two or more different groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more first solicitations;

divide the HVAC schedule into two or more different groups based on the user response to the one or more first solicitations;

allowing a user to enter sufficient information via the user interface to program each of two or more time periods for each of at least two of the two or more different groups; and

outputting one or more signals for use in controlling, at least in part, the HVAC system in accordance with the programmed HVAC schedule.

13. The user interface of claim 12, wherein the HVAC schedule includes one or more time periods for each of at least two days of a week, and wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit sufficient information to divide the at least two days of the week of the HVAC schedule into two or more different day groups.

14. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together.

15. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped together.

16. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped separately.

17. The user interface of claim 13, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together in a first group, and both weekend days should be grouped together in a second group.

18. The user interface of claim 13, wherein each group comprises one or more days, and wherein the two or more time periods of each of the one or more days of a group are programmed the same.

19. A user interface for programming an HVAC schedule of an HVAC system, the HVAC schedule having two or more programmable set points each having a time parameter and a corresponding temperature parameter, the user interface is configured to:

allow a user to manually select a particular programmable set point and set the time parameter and/or temperature parameter of the corresponding set point of the HVAC schedule;

allow a user to activate a guided programming routine via the user interface, wherein once activated, the guided programming routine providing a programmed sequence of two or more screens on a display of the user interface from a first screen to a last screen, wherein the sequence of the two or more screens solicit information directed to a user'"'"'s activities and/or user'"'"'s comfort without directly referencing each of the two or more programmable set points of the HVAC schedule from which at least two of the two or more programmable set points can be determined; and

output one or more signals for use in controlling, at least in part, the HVAC system in accordance with the programmed HVAC schedule.

20. The user interface of claim 19, wherein at least one of the sequence of two or more screens request a selection of one or more days of the week.