Programmable thermostat incorporating a liquid crystal display and having a feature for mounting horizontally, vertically and any intermediate orientation

• US 7,152,806 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosen Technologies LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Howard Rosen
• Inventors: Rosen, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US10/654,230
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 236/1.C, 236/94, 621/26, 621/29, 165/11.1, 345/173, 700/276
• US Class Current: 236/94
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A programmable thermostat having a touch screen dot matrix LCD in which the pictorial presenting information and virtual buttons on the touch screen is user configurable to be correctly oriented whether the thermostat is mounted horizontally or vertically.

Claims

1. A programmable thermostat system for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:

A) at least one environmental condition sensor providing an electrical signal indicative of the ambient temperature of a conditioned space in which said environmental condition sensor is situated;

B) a transparent touch pad juxtaposed with a generally rectangular dot matrix liquid crystal display to constitute a generally rectangular touch screen for interactive interface with a user, said touch screen having a long dimension and a short dimension;

C) a processor, said processor including;

1) a central processing unit;

2) a real time clock;

3) a memory coupled to said central processing unit for storing program and data information; and

4) an input/output unit coupled between said processor and said touch screen for carrying out information transfer therebetween, said input/output unit further including;

a) a sensor input coupled to each said environmental condition sensors for receiving said electrical signal therefrom; and

b) a control output coupled to the space conditioning equipment for issuing control signals thereto; and

D) a housing for said central processing unit, said real time clock, said memory and said input/output unit with said touch screen being disposed on one face thereof;

E) a control program stored in said memory for causing said central processing unit to communicate through said input/output unit to selectively;

1) establish on said touch screen;

a) a representation of a first virtual button; and

b) a first legend indicative of said first virtual button, if touched, invoking a setup function of said thermostat, which setup function is for reorienting a pictorial presented on said touch screen between horizontal and vertical;

2) read the touch screen to determine if the representation of said first virtual button has been touched; and

3) if the first virtual button has been touched, reorienting the pictorial presented on said touch screen between horizontal and vertical to facilitate respective horizontal and vertical mounting of said housing.

2. The programmable thermostat system of claim 1 which substep E)3) is carried out by remapping column and row drive signals to individual pixels of said dot matrix liquid crystal display.

3. The programmable thermostat system of claim 1 in which substep E)3) is invoked only if said the virtual button is touched continuously for a predetermined period.

4. The programmable thermostat system of claim 2 in which substep E)3) is invoked only if said the virtual button is touched continuously for a predetermined period.

5. A programmable thermostat system for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:

A) at least one environmental condition sensor providing an electrical signal indicative of the ambient temperature of a conditioned space in which said environmental condition sensor is situated;

B) a transparent touch pad juxtaposed with a dot matrix liquid crystal display to constitute a touch screen for interactive interface with a user;

C) a processor, said processor including;

1) a central processing unit;

2) a real time clock;

3) a memory coupled to said central processing unit for storing program and data information; and

4) an input/output unit coupled between said processor and said touch screen for carrying out information transfer therebetween, said input/output unit further including;

a) a sensor input coupled to each said environmental condition sensors for receiving said electrical signal therefrom; and

b) a control output coupled to the space conditioning equipment for issuing control signals thereto; and

D) a housing for said central processing unit, said real time clock, said memory and said input/output unit with said touch screen being disposed on one face thereof;

E) a control program stored in said memory for causing said central processing unit to communicate through said input/output unit to selectively;

1) establish on said touch screen;

a) a representation of a first virtual button; and

b) a first legend indicative of said first virtual button, if touched, invoking a setup function of said thermostat, which setup function is for angularly reorienting a pictorial presented on said touch screen;

2) read the touch screen to determine if the representation of said first virtual button has been touched; and

3) if the first virtual button has been touched, angularly reorienting the pictorial presented on said touch screen.

6. The programmable thermostat system of claim 5 which substep E)3) is carried out by remapping column and row drive signals to individual pixels of said dot matrix liquid crystal display.

7. The programmable thermostat system of claim 5 in which substep E)3) is invoked only if said the virtual button is touched continuously for a predetermined period.

8. The programmable thermostat system of claim 6 in which substep E)3) is invoked only if said the virtual button is touched continuously for a predetermined period.