Thermostat with parameter adjustment

• US 7,264,175 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schwendinger, Paul G., Mulhouse, David P., Ableitner, Jason L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NORMAN, MARC E
• Application Number:
  US10/882,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20060000919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,160 Days
• Field of Search: 236/1.C, 236/1.R, 236/94, 621/26, 621/29, 622/281, 622/284, 622/29, 165/11.1
• US Class Current: 236/94
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

A thermostat includes a number of control parameters including a temperature set point, a selected cycle rate, a room temperature swing setting, and/or any other suitable control parameter. In one illustrative embodiment, the thermostat includes a push button for providing a signal each time it is depressed and a controller coupled to the push button. The controller is adapted to receive a sequence of one or more signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set a control parameter such as the cycle rate or room swing setting to a value that corresponds to the sequence of one or more signals. In another illustrative embodiment, the thermostat includes a mechanical user interface such as a rotating selector or slider. The thermostat is adapted to receive a signal that relates to the current position of the mechanical user interface, and sets a control parameter of the thermostat based thereon. In some cases, the mechanical user interface is adapted to set a temperature set point when the thermostat is in a first mode, and a different control parameter when the thermostat is in a second mode.

Claims

1. A thermostat for controlling an HVAC system, the thermostat having one or more control parameters, the thermostat comprising:

a push button for providing a signal each time it is depressed; and

a controller coupled to the push button, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a sequence of one or more signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set a control parameter to a value that corresponds to the sequence of the one or more signals;

wherein the control parameter is a maximum cycle rate parameter for the HVAC system.

2. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the one or more control parameters include a room temperature swing parameter.

3. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the one or more control parameters include a temperature set point.

4. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the one or more control parameters include an equipment type parameter.

5. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted to receive a number of signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set the control parameter to a value that corresponds to the number of signals received from the push button.

6. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the controller is adapted to receive a coded sequence of signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set the control parameter to a value that corresponds to the coded sequence of signals received from the push button.

7. A thermostat according to claim 1 wherein the thermostat does not include an LCD display.

8. A thermostat according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator that provides a visual, aural and/or tactile indication that indicates that the one or more control parameter has been set.

9. A thermostat according to claim 8, wherein the indicator includes a flashing light.

10. A thermostat according to claim 8, wherein the indicator includes a flashing light, and wherein the flashing light flashes in a sequence that corresponds to the sequence of one or more signals received from the push button.

11. A thermostat according to claim 8, wherein the thermostat includes a housing, a light source and a light pipe, and wherein the light source is located within the housing and the light pipe delivers at least some of the light to a location that is outside of the housing, the indicator includes flashing the light source.

12. A thermostat according to claim 1, further comprising a switch coupled to the controller, wherein the switch must be in a first position before the controller will set the control parameter to the value that corresponds to the sequence of one or more signals.

13. A method for setting a control parameter of a thermostat, the method comprising the steps of:

pushing a push button in a sequence that corresponds to a value for the control parameter;

setting the control parameter to a value that corresponds to the sequence; and

providing a visual indication of the value of the control parameter that has been set, the indication including a flashing light.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the control parameter is a cycle rate parameter.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the control parameter is a room temperature swing parameter.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the control parameters is a set point.

17. A method according to claim 13 wherein the one or more control parameters include an equipment type parameter.

18. A method according to claim 13 wherein the pushing step sequentially pushes the push button a number of times, and the setting step sets the value of the control parameter to a value that corresponds to the number of times that push button is pushed.

19. A method according to claim 13 wherein the pushing step pushes the push button in a coded sequence, and the setting step sets the control parameter to a value that corresponds to the coded sequence.

20. A method according to claim 13, wherein the flashing light flashes in a sequence that corresponds to the sequence that the push button was pushed.

21. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

selecting a position of a switch having two or more positions, wherein the switch must be in a first position before the control parameter will be set to the value that corresponds to the sequence that the push button was pushed.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising blinking a light, providing a beep and/or providing tactile feedback each time the push button is pressed when the switch is in the first position.

23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising blinking the light, providing a beep, and/or providing tactile feedback a number of times that depends on the value set for the control parameter when the switch is switched to a second position.

24. A thermostat having a number of control parameters including a temperature set point, the thermostat comprising:

a mechanical user interface having a range of positions;

a mechanical to electrical translator for translating the current position of the mechanical user interface into a corresponding electrical signal;

a controller for setting the temperature set point based on the corresponding electrical signal received from the mechanical to electrical translator;

a push button for providing a signal each time it is depressed; and

the controller is coupled to the push button, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a sequence of one or more signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set a control parameter other than the temperature set point to a value that corresponds to the sequence of one or more signals.

25. A thermostat according to claim 24 wherein the control parameter is a cycle rate parameter.

26. A thermostat according to claim 24 wherein the control parameter is a room temperature swing parameter.

27. A thermostat according to claim 24 wherein the control parameters is a set point.

28. A thermostat according to claim 24 wherein the one or more control parameters include an equipment type parameter.

29. A thermostat according to claim 24 wherein the controller is adapted to receive a number of signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set the control parameter to a value that corresponds to the number of signals received from the push button.

30. A thermostat according to claim 24 wherein the controller is adapted to receive a coded sequence of signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set the control parameter to a value that corresponds to the coded sequence of signals received from the push button.

31. A thermostat according to claim 24, further comprising an indicator that provides feedback to a user related to the value that the control parameter has been set.

32. A thermostat according to claim 31, wherein the indicator includes a visual, audible and/or tactile indicator.

33. A thermostat having one or more control parameters, the thermostat comprising:

a push button for providing a signal each time it is depressed; and

a controller coupled to the push button, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a sequence of one or more signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set a control parameter to a value that corresponds to the sequence of the one or more signals;

wherein the one or more control parameters include a room temperature swing parameter.

34. A thermostat having one or more control parameters, the thermostat comprising:

a push button for providing a signal each time it is depressed; and

a controller coupled to the push button, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a sequence of one or more signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set a control parameter to a value that corresponds to the sequence of the one or more signals; and

an indicator including a flashing light, the indicator providing a visual indication that indicates that the one or more control parameter has been set.

35. A thermostat according to claim 34, wherein the flashing light flashes in a sequence that corresponds to the sequence of one or more signals received from the push button.

36. A thermostat according to claim 34, wherein the thermostat includes a housing, a light source and a light pipe, and wherein the light source is located within the housing and the light pipe delivers at least some of the light to a location that is outside of the housing, the light source providing the flashing light.

37. A thermostat having one or more control parameters, the thermostat comprising:

a push button for providing a signal each time it is depressed; and

a controller coupled to the push button, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a sequence of one or more signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set a control parameter to a value that corresponds to the sequence of the one or more signals; and

a switch coupled to the controller, wherein the switch must be in a first position before the controller will set the control parameter to the value that corresponds to the sequence of the one or more signals.

38. A thermostat according to claim 37, wherein the controller is adapted to blink a light or beep each time the push button is depressed when the switch is in the first position.

39. A thermostat according to claim 37, wherein the controller is adapted to blink the light or beep a number of times that depends on the value set for the control parameter when the switch is switched to a second position.

40. A thermostat according to claim 37, wherein the push button is used to set two or more control parameters.

41. A thermostat according to claim 40, wherein the switch has two or more positions, wherein the position of the switch dictates, at least in part, which control parameter is to be set by the push button.

42. A thermostat having one or more control parameters, the thermostat comprising:

a push button for providing a signal each time it is depressed; and

a controller coupled to the push button, wherein the controller is adapted to receive a sequence of one or more signals from the push button, and is further adapted to set a control parameter to a value that corresponds to the sequence of the one or more signals;

wherein the push button is used to set two or more control parameters.