Programmable thermostat incorporating a liquid crystal display selectively presenting adaptable system menus including changeable interactive virtual buttons

• US 7,156,318 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• 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:
  US10/654,235
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 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 23/1905 associated with tele control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A programmable thermostat, with a touch screen liquid crystal display having the capability to add to or remove virtual buttons to the display depending on the items of space conditioning equipment connected with and controlled by the thermostat.

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 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 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 liquid crystal display;

a) a representation of a first virtual button at a first predetermined position on the liquid crystal display; and

b) a first legend indicative of a first control function of said thermostat, which first control function is for controlling a first space conditioning equipment component, which first control function is active when the first legend is viewable;

2) read the position on the touch pad juxtaposed with said first predetermined position on said liquid crystal display to determine if the representation of said first virtual button has been touched;

3) if the first virtual button has been touched;

a) determining that the thermostat has been directed to control a second space conditioning equipment component;

b) activating a second control function for controlling the second space conditioning equipment component; and

c) displaying on said liquid crystal display a second legend indicative of said second control function of said thermostat, which second control function is for controlling the second space conditioning equipment component, which second control function is active when the second legend is viewable.

2. The programmable thermostat system of claim 1 in which said touch screen comprises means for input by a user through the touch screen to establish in said memory which space conditioning equipment components are controllable by said thermostat.

3. The programmable thermostat system of claim 1 in which the space conditioning equipment components include at least one of:

a heater, a compressor type air conditioner and a heat pump.

4. The programmable thermostat system of claim 3 in which if the first virtual button is been touched again after step D)3), determining that the thermostat controls a third space conditioning equipment component, activating a third control function for controlling the third space conditioning equipment component, and changing the second legend to a third legend indicative of the third control function of the thermostat.

5. The programmable thermostat system of claim 4 in which one of the space conditioning equipment components is a heater and the graphic includes the word “

heat”

associated with said virtual button when the heater is controlled.

6. The programmable thermostat system of claim 5 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

7. The programmable thermostat system of claim 4 in which one of the space conditioning equipment components is an air conditioning system and the graphic includes the word “

cool”

associated with said virtual button when the air conditioning system is controlled.

8. The programmable thermostat system of claim 7 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

9. The programmable thermostat system of claim 4 in which one of the space conditioning equipment components is a heat pump and the graphic includes the word “

heat”

associated with said virtual button when the heat pump is controlled while operating in its heating mode.

10. The programmable thermostat system of claim 9 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

11. The programmable thermostat system of claim 4 in which one of the space conditioning equipment components is a heat pump and the graphic includes the word “

cool”

associated with said virtual button when the heat pump is controlled while operating in its cooling mode.

12. The programmable thermostat system of claim 11 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

13. The programmable thermostat system of claim 4 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

14. The programmable thermostat system of claim 1 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

15. The programmable thermostat system of claim 2 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

16. 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 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 program stored in said memory for causing said central processing unit to communicate through said input/output unit to selectively;

1) establish on said liquid crystal display;

a) a representation of a first virtual button at a first predetermined position on the liquid crystal display; and

b) a first legend indicative of a first control function of said thermostat, which first control function is for controlling a first space conditioning equipment component, which first control function is active when the first legend is viewable;

2) read the position on the touch pad juxtaposed with said first predetermined position on said liquid crystal display to determine if the representation of said first virtual button has been touched;

3) if the first virtual button has been touched a predetermined number of times;

a) determining that the thermostat has been directed to control a plurality of space conditioning equipment components;

b) activating a second control function for controlling the plurality of space conditioning equipment components; and

c) displaying on said liquid crystal display a second legend indicative of said second control function of said thermostat, which second control function is for controlling in coordination the plurality of space conditioning equipment component, which second control function is active when the second legend is viewable.

17. The programmable thermostat system of claim 16 in which the plurality of space conditioning equipment components comprise a heating component and a cooling component.

18. The programmable thermostat system of claim 16 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.

19. 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 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 program stored in said memory for causing said central processing unit to communicate through said input/output unit to selectively;

1) establish on said liquid crystal display;

a) a representation of a first virtual button at a first predetermined position on the liquid crystal display; and

b) a first legend indicative of a first control function of said thermostat, which first control function is for controlling a first space conditioning equipment component, which first control function is active when the first legend is viewable;

2) read the position on the touch pad juxtaposed with said first predetermined position on said liquid crystal display to determine if the representation of said first virtual button has been touched;

3) if the first virtual button has been touched a predetermined number of times;

a) determining that the thermostat has been directed to refrain from controlling any space conditioning equipment components;

b) activating a second control function which prevents controlling any space conditioning equipment components; and

c) displaying on said liquid crystal display a second legend indicative of said second control function of said thermostat, which second control function is active when the second legend is viewable.

20. The programmable thermostat system of claim 19 in which said liquid crystal display is a dot matrix type.