HVAC controller
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An HVAC controller comprising:
- two or more switches that control one or more HVAC control parameters;
a movable member;
a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved; and
wherein the movable member further includes a second plurality of detents configured to engage one or more detent engagement members to selectively fix a position of the movable member at one of a plurality of positions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An HVAC controller with a simplified and/or lower cost user interface. In one illustrative embodiment, the HVAC controller includes two switches, a movable member, and a plurality of detents. The detents are configured to cause the two switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved. In some cases, a controller is coupled to the two switches, and may change an HVAC control parameter based on the switch sequence.
285 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An HVAC controller comprising:
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two or more switches that control one or more HVAC control parameters; a movable member; a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved; and wherein the movable member further includes a second plurality of detents configured to engage one or more detent engagement members to selectively fix a position of the movable member at one of a plurality of positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An HVAC controller comprising:
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two or more switches that control one or more HVAC parameters, wherein one or more of the switches are optical switches; a movable member; and a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved.
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7. An HVAC controller comprising:
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two or more switches that control one or more HVAC parameters; a movable member; and a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved; wherein the two or more switches are positioned such that the first plurality of detents activate the two or more switches out of phase relative to one another.
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8. An HVAC controller comprising:
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two or more switches that control one or more HVAC parameters; a movable member; and a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved; wherein the two or more switches are positioned such that the first plurality of detents activate the switches 90 degrees out of phase relative to one another.
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9. An HVAC controller comprising:
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two or more switches that control one or more HVAC parameters; a movable member; and a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved, and a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved, and wherein the first plurality of detents have a first detent pattern; a second plurality of detents having a second detent pattern; a member adapted to move relative to the first and second plurality of detents; a first detent engagement member fixed relative to the member and adapted to effect one or more sensing means that control one or more parameter settings based on the position of the first detent engagement member relative to the first plurality of detents; and a second detent engagement member fixed relative to the member and adapted to slide along the second plurality of detents to selectively fix the position of the member at one of a plurality of positions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An HVAC controller comprising:
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two or more switches that control one or more HVAC parameters, wherein the two or more switches include a first detent switch and a second detent switch; a movable member; a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved; a first detent tab adjacent the first detent switch and a second detent tab adjacent the second detent switch; and a first detent ring having the first plurality of detents, the first detent ring extending in rotational engagement with the first detent tab and the second detent tab; wherein, rotational movement of the first detent ring relative to the first and second detent tabs, is adapted to selectively deflect the first detent tab to activate the first detent switch and to selectively deflect the second detent tab to activate the second detent switch. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method for causing two or more switches to be switched in a sequence, the method comprising:
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providing two or more switches; providing a movable member; providing a plurality of detents, wherein the plurality of detents are configured to engage the two or more switches in a predetermined sequence when the movable member is moved, wherein each switch is engaged by a different one of the plurality of detents; and moving the movable member to cause the two or more switches to be switched in the predetermined sequence, wherein the moving step includes sliding the movable member. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An HVAC controller comprising:
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two or more switches; a movable member; a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved; a display; and a controller, wherein the controller receives signals from the two or more switches, and is adapted to initially display a first HVAC parameter on the display, and once the movable member is moved, to display a second HVAC parameter on the display. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for displaying a first parameter and then a second parameter on a display, the method comprising:
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providing two or more switches; providing a movable member; providing a plurality of detents, wherein the plurality of detents are configured to engage the two or more switches in a predetermined sequence when the movable member is moved; moving the movable member to cause the two or more switches to be switched in the predetermined sequence; displaying a first parameter on the display; and displaying a second parameter on the display after the movable member is moved. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for adjusting a control parameter using a display, the method comprising:
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providing two or more switches; providing a movable member; providing a plurality of detents, wherein the plurality of detents are configured to engage the two or more switches in a predetermined sequence when the movable member is moved; moving the movable member to cause the two or more switches to be switched in the predetermined sequence; displaying a first parameter on the display; and adjusting the first parameter on the display after the movable member is moved. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. An HVAC controller for use by a user, the HVAC controller adapted to provide one or more control signals to an HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:
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a movable member adapted to be moved by the user; two or more switches that are adapted to indicate a change in one or more control parameters of the HVAC controller; a first plurality of detents, wherein the first plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved by the user, and the HVAC controller is adapted to change a value of one or more control parameters based on the sequence that the two or more switches are switched when the movable member is moved by the user. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A thermostat for providing one or more control signals to an HVAC system of a building, wherein the HVAC system is adapted to control one or more environmental conditions inside of the building, the thermostat comprising:
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a movable member adapted to be moved by a user; two or more switches that are adapted to indicate a change in one or more control parameters of the thermostat; a plurality of detents, wherein the plurality of detents are configured to cause the two or more switches to be switched in a sequence when the movable member is moved by the user, and the thermostat is adapted to change a value of one or more control parameters based on the sequence that the two or more switches are switched.
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38. A method for causing two or more switches to be switched in a sequence, the method comprising:
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providing two or more switches; providing a movable member, wherein the movable member includes a first series of detents that extend in a pattern along an arc, wherein when the movable member is moved, the two or more switches move along the arc of the first series of detents such that the two or more switches engage the first series of detents in a predetermined sequence; and moving the movable member to cause the two or more switches to be switched in the predetermined sequence. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method for changing a value of a parameter of an HVAC controller, the method comprising:
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providing two or more switches; providing a movable member, wherein the movable member includes a first series of detents that extend in a first detent pattern, wherein when the movable member is moved, the two or more switches move along the first detent pattern such that the two or more switches engage the first series of detents in a predetermined sequence; moving the movable member to cause the two or more switches to be switched in at least part of the predetermined sequence; and changing a value of the parameter of the HVAC controller based on the sequence that the two or more switches are switched when the movable member is moved.
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Specification