Graphical user interface system for a thermal comfort controller

• US 7,306,165 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 12/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Shah, Dipak J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US11/248,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20060027671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 790 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46.R, 236/94, 236/1.C, 236/91.R, 345/970, 345/173, 345/702
• US Class Current: 236/46.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/04 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/38 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/20 with a time programme acting through electrical means, e.g. using time-delay relays
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/203 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/102 for input of programme steps, i.e. setting up sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23197 Curve entered with pen on touchscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23377 Touch screen, with representation of buttons, machine on screen
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23385 Programming pencil, touch probe
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24055 Trace, store a working, operation history
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25403 Compare real clock time with programmed time, if equal execute next command
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25419 Scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 : Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel

Abstract

A graphical user interface system for a thermal comfort controller. The user interface system has a central processing unit coupled to a memory and a touch sensitive display unit. The memory stores a temperature schedule data structure and perhaps a temperature history data structure. The temperature schedule data structure is made up of at least one set-point. The temperature history data structure is made up of at least one Actual-Temperature-Point. The display presents the set-points and/or the Actual-Temperature-Points. One representation of the display is a graphical step-function. The user uses a finger or stylus to program the set-points by pointing and dragging a portion of the step-function.

Claims

1. A method for programming a scheduled set point of a programmable thermostat having a touch screen as part of the thermostat, the thermostat adapted to sense a temperature at the location of the thermostat and to control an HVAC system in accordance with the scheduled set point, the scheduled set point having a time value and a corresponding temperature value, the method comprising the steps of:

providing one or more touch regions at predefined known locations on the touch screen for use in setting a time value and a corresponding temperature value for the scheduled set point, both the time value and the temperature value for the scheduled set point being simultaneously displayed in a numerical format at predefined known locations on the touch screen;

monitoring the one or more touch regions for touching by a user;

changing the time value for the scheduled set point if the monitoring step determines that the one or more touch regions associated with the time value have been touched; and

changing the temperature value for the scheduled set point at the predefined known location on the touch screen for the temperature value while simultaneously displaying the time value if the monitoring step determines that the one or more touch regions associated with the temperature value have been touched.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one or more first control elements are displayed at the predefined known locations of the one or more touch regions that are associated with the time value.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes a scroll bar.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes a slider bar.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein one or more second control elements are displayed at the predefined known locations of the one or more touch regions that are associated with the temperature value.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the one or more second control elements includes a scroll bar.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the one or more second control elements includes a slider bar.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein at least one of the one or more second control elements includes an icon representing a temperature increase and at least one other of the one or more second control elements includes an icon representing a temperature decrease.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes an icon representing a time increase and at least one other of the one or more first control elements includes an icon representing a time decrease.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes a scroll bar or a slider bar.

11. A programmable thermostat, comprising:

a thermostat having one or more scheduled set points, wherein each of the one or more scheduled set points includes a time value and a corresponding temperature value, the thermostat further having a touch screen as part of the thermostat, and a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature at the location of the thermostat;

a memory for storing at least one temperature schedule that includes the one or more scheduled set points; and

a controller coupled to the memory, the touch screen and the temperature sensor, the controller adapted accept a signal from the temperature sensor, and control an HVAC system in accordance with the at least one scheduled set points,

the controller providing one or more touch regions at predefined known locations on the touch screen for use in setting a time value and a corresponding temperature value for a scheduled set point, both the time value and the temperature value for the scheduled set point being simultaneously displayed in a numerical format at predefined known locations on the touch screen,

the controller further adapted to monitor the one or more touch regions of the touch screen for touching by a user, and changing the time value for the scheduled set point if the controller determines that the one or more touch regions associated with the time value have been touched, and changing the temperature value for the scheduled set point at the predefined known location on the touch screen for the temperature value while simultaneously displaying the time value if the controller determines that the one or more touch regions associated with the temperature value have been touched.

12. The programmable thermostat of claim 11 wherein one or more first control elements are displayed at the predefined known locations of the one or more touch regions that are associated with the time value.

13. The programmable thermostat of claim 12 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes a scroll bar.

14. The programmable thermostat of claim 12 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes a slider bar.

15. The programmable thermostat of claim 12 wherein one or more second control elements are displayed at the predefined known locations of the one or more touch regions that are associated with the temperature value.

16. The programmable thermostat of claim 15 wherein at least one of the one or more second control elements includes a scroll bar.

17. The programmable thermostat of claim 15 wherein at least one of the one or more second control elements includes a slider bar.

18. The programmable thermostat of claim 15 wherein at least one of the one or more second control elements includes an icon representing a temperature increase and at least one other of the one or more second control elements includes an icon representing a temperature decrease.

19. The programmable thermostat of claim 12 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes an icon representing a time increase and at least one other of the one or more first control elements includes an icon representing a time decrease.

20. The programmable thermostat according to claim 12 wherein at least one of the one or more first control elements includes a scroll bar or a slider bar.

21. The programmable thermostat of claim 11 wherein the controller is adapted to ensure that the one or more scheduled set points of at least one temperature schedule conform to a step type function.

22. The programmable thermostat of claim 11 wherein the one or more scheduled set points of at least one temperature schedule are expressed in a temperature schedule data structure stored in said memory.

23. The programmable thermostat of claim 22 wherein the controller modifies the temperature schedule data structure to include the changed time value and temperature value of the scheduled set point.

24. A method for programming a scheduled set point of a programmable thermostat having a touch screen as part of the thermostat, the thermostat adapted to sense a temperature at the location of the thermostat and to control an HVAC system in accordance with the scheduled set point, the scheduled set point having a time value and a corresponding temperature value, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a display image on the touch screen, wherein the display image includes one or more touch regions at predefined known locations on the touch screen for use in setting a time value and a corresponding temperature value for the scheduled set point, the time value having one or more associated touch regions at predefined known locations and the temperature value having one or more associated touch regions at predefined different known locations, the display image simultaneously displaying the time value and the temperature value for the scheduled set point in a numerical format at predefined known locations on the touch screen;

monitoring the one or more touch regions for touching by a user; and

on a first touch of the one or more touch regions associated with the time value, changing the time value to a different value; and

on a first touch of the one or more touch regions associated with the temperature value, changing the temperature value to a different value while simultaneously displaying the time value.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the time value is changed to the different value on the first touch of the one or more touch regions associated with the time value, without requiring the user to first perform a separate touch step to select the time value.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the temperature value is changed to the different value on the first touch of the one or more touch regions associated with the temperature value, without requiring the user to first perform a separate touch step to select the temperature value.