Thermostat with touch-screen display

• US 7,302,642 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Issued: 11/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tim Simon, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tim Simon, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Blaine M., Simon, Timothy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuong; Truc T.
• Application Number:
  US10/453,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20040245352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/784, 715/786, 236/94, 236/1.C, 236/91.R
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A thermostat is programmable by entering input through a large-format touch-screen display. The touch-screen display displays different sets of icons depending on the mode the thermostat is in. A set of icons is displayed in one mode that allows the user to put the thermostat in a temporary operating mode. Another set of icons is displayed when programming the thermostat. Displaying several sets of icons at once allows a user to quickly and intuitively operate the thermostat, which in turn facilitates using energy-saving functions of the thermostat.

Claims

1. A thermostat comprising:

a programmable memory;

a touch-screen display capable of displaying a plurality of icons;

a first set of icons being displayed on the touch-screen display at a first level;

the touch-screen display displaying a second set of icons in response to a first user entry when a user touches a touch icon in the first set of icons;

the second set of icons including a target temperature icon, a first temporary mode touch icon, a second temporary mode touch icon, and target temperature adjustment touch icons;

a third set of icons displayed on the touch-screen display in response to second user entry, the second set of icons comprising at least one icon found in the third set of icons, the third set of icons including a third plurality of touch icons for entering at least time and temperature information into the programmable memory to create a thermostat operating program, the second user entry performable while the touch-screen display is displaying the first set of icons, the second user entry carried out by touching a first button separate from the touch screen display; and

a fourth set of icons displayed on the touch-screen display in response to a third user entry, the fourth set of icons including a fourth plurality of touch icons for setting at least a current day and a current time, the third user entry performable when the touch-screen display is displaying the first set of icons, the third user entry carried out by touching a second button separate from the touch screen display.

2. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the touch icon in the first set of icons is a room temperature icon.

3. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the room temperature icon is larger than any other icon in the first set of icons.

4. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein touching the first temporary mode touch icon a first time sets the thermostat to maintain a target temperature, and touching the first temporary mode touch icon a second time sets the thermostat to operate according to the thermostat operating program.

5. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein touching the second temporary mode touch icon a first time sets the thermostat to maintain a temperature between an upper temperature set point and a lower temperature set point, and touching the second temporary mode touch icon a second time sets the thermostat to operate according to the thermostat operating program.

6. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the fourth set of icons includes a lock touch icon, the lock touch icon:

locking the thermostat operating program in response to a user touching the lock touch icon a first time so that the thermostat operating program cannot be changed by touching any one of the third plurality of touch icons, and

unlocking the thermostat operating program in response to a user touching the lock touch icon a second time so that the thermostat operating program can be changed by touching one of the third plurality of touch icons.