SIMPLIFIED SCHEDULE PROGRAMMING OF AN HVAC CONTROLLER

• US 20180023838A1
• Filed: 07/22/2016
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Tucker, Jaymeson
• Granted Patent: US 10,317,100 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 11/36 with provision for obtaining particular characteristics, e.g. proportional, integral, differential
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4155 characterised by programme execution, i.e. part programme or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a programme
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23377 Touch screen, with representation of buttons, machine on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23397 Set day, week
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

An HVAC controller may be configured to control one or more HVAC components within an HVAC system. The HVAC controller may include a user interface, such as but not limited to a touchscreen display, that enables a user to view and/or manipulate settings within the HVAC controller including but not limited to parameters within a programmable schedule. In some cases, the HVAC controller may provide the user with a better user experience when viewing or editing the programmable schedule.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more HVAC components in accordance with a programmable schedule, wherein the programmable schedule includes a plurality of schedule periods, the HVAC controller comprising:

a housing for housing;

a touch screen display accessible from outside of the housing;

a memory configured to store the programmable schedule;

a controller operably coupled to the memory and the touch screen display, the controller configured to control the one or more HVAC components in accordance with the programmable schedule;

the controller further configured to permit a user to navigate through a linearly ordered series of screens to display each of the plurality of schedule periods of the programmable schedule, wherein each displayed schedule period includes a plurality of schedule parameters concurrently displayed on the touch screen display that can be individually selected by the user for editing by touching the corresponding schedule parameter via the touch screen display;

the controller further configured to permit the user to edit the selected schedule parameter; and

the controller further configured to permit the user to navigate to another of the plurality of schedule periods of the programmable schedule after selecting and/or editing a selected schedule parameter.

2. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to display a back touch region and/or a next touch region that permit the user to navigate through the linearly ordered series of screens to display each of the plurality of schedule periods of the programmable schedule.

3. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein when the user selects one of the plurality of schedule parameters for editing, the controller is configured to highlight the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters and to display an increase touch region that the user can use to increase a value of the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters and a decrease touch region that the user can use to decrease the value of the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters.

4. The HVAC controller of claim 3, wherein in response to the user selecting one of the plurality of schedule parameters for editing, the controller is configured to not display other of the plurality of schedule parameters while displaying the increase touch region and the decrease touch region.

5. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of schedule periods includes a WAKE period, an AWAY period, a HOME period and a SLEEP period.

6. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of schedule parameters include a starting time for the corresponding schedule period and a current temperature setpoint for the corresponding schedule period.

7. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more HVAC components in accordance with a programmable schedule, wherein the programmable schedule includes a plurality of schedule periods, the HVAC controller comprising:

a fixed segment touch screen display;

a memory configured to store the programmable schedule;

a controller operably coupled to the memory and the fixed segment touch screen display, the controller configured to control the one or more HVAC components in accordance with the programmable schedule;

the controller including a schedule edit mode, wherein once in the schedule edit mode, the controller is configured to;

permit a user to navigate to a selected one of the plurality of schedule periods;

concurrently display a plurality of parameters for the selected one of the plurality of schedule periods on the fixed segment touch screen display;

permit the user to select any one of the concurrently displayed plurality of parameters for editing by touching the selected one of the plurality of parameters on the fixed segment touch screen display; and

permit the user to change a value of the selected one of the plurality of parameters by interacting with the fixed segment touch screen display.

8. The HVAC controller of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to display one or more touchable buttons that permit the user to enter the schedule edit mode.

9. The HVAC controller of claim 7, wherein when the user has not selected one of the plurality of parameters for editing, the controller is configured to display a back touch region and/or a next touch region that permit the user to navigate to a selected one of the plurality of schedule periods.

10. The HVAC controller of claim 7, wherein when the user selects one of the plurality of parameters for editing, the controller is configured to highlight the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters and to display an increase touch region that the user can use to increase the value of the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters and a decrease touch region that the user can use to decrease the value of the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters.

11. The HVAC controller of claim 10, wherein in response to the user selecting one of the plurality of schedule parameters for editing, the controller is configured to not display other of the plurality of schedule parameters while displaying the increase touch region and the decrease touch region.

12. The HVAC controller of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to display a touchable button on the fixed segment touch screen display that the user may touch to exit the schedule edit mode.

13. The HVAC controller of claim 7, wherein the plurality of schedule periods includes a WAKE period, an AWAY period, a HOME period and a SLEEP period.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 7, wherein the plurality of schedule parameters include a starting time for the corresponding schedule period and a current temperature setpoint for the corresponding schedule period.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 7, wherein the fixed segment touch screen display comprises eight of less touch regions at fixed locations on the fixed segment touch screen display.

16. An HVAC controller configured to control one or more HVAC components in accordance with a programmable schedule, wherein the programmable schedule includes a plurality of schedule periods, the HVAC controller comprising:

a touch screen display defining a plurality of individual touch regions each located at a fixed location on the touch screen display;

a memory configured to store a programmable schedule having a plurality of schedule periods, each of the plurality of schedule periods including a plurality of schedule parameters;

a controller operably coupled to the memory and the touch screen display, the controller configured to control the one or more HVAC components in accordance with the programmable schedule;

the controller further configured to permit a user to navigate through a linearly ordered series of screens using one or more of the plurality of individual touch regions to display each of the plurality of schedule periods of the programmable schedule, wherein each displayed schedule period includes a plurality of schedule parameters concurrently displayed on the touch screen display with at least one of the plurality of schedule parameters displayed at a location on the touch screen display that overlaps with a corresponding one of the plurality of individual touch regions;

the controller is further configured to permit a user to individually select one of the at least one of the plurality of schedule parameters for editing by touching the corresponding individual touch region; and

the controller is further configured to permit the user to edit the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters by touching one or more of the individual touch regions that are defined for that purpose.

17. The HVAC controller of claim 16, wherein one or more of the individual touch regions that are defined to permit the user to edit the selected one of the plurality of schedule parameters are the same as the one or more of the plurality of individual touch regions that are used by the user to navigate through the linearly ordered series of screens.

18. The HVAC controller of claim 16, wherein the at least one of the plurality of schedule parameters that are displayed at a location on the touch screen display that overlaps with a corresponding one of the plurality of individual touch regions comprises one or more of a starting time identifier for the currently displayed schedule period and a current temperature setpoint for the currently displayed schedule period.

19. The HVAC controller of claim 16, wherein two of the plurality of individual touch regions are used by the user to navigate through the linearly ordered series of screens, wherein a first one of the two of the plurality of individual touch regions includes a LEFT arrow and a second one of the two of the plurality of individual touch regions includes a RIGHT arrow.

20. The HVAC controller of claim 19, wherein when the user selects one of the schedule parameters for editing, the controller is configured to highlight the selected schedule parameter, and change the LEFT arrow of the first one of the plurality of individual touch regions to a MINUS sign and change the RIGHT arrow of the second one of the individual touch regions to a PLUS sign, wherein the first one of the two of the plurality of individual touch regions is usable to decrease a value of the selected schedule parameter and the second one of the plurality of individual touch regions is usable to increase the value of the selected schedule parameter.