Natural language installer setup for controller

• US 7,634,504 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Amundson, John B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US11/421,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 700275-285
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Controllers and methods for programming configuration information are disclosed. An illustrative controller can include an interview question generator adapted to generate questions relating to the installation or setup of the controller and/or one or more components controlled by the controller, a user interface including a display screen adapted to display interview questions to a user along with at least two answers for each interview question, and a memory unit for storing operational parameters of the controller based at least in part on user responses to the interview questions.

Claims

1. A method of programming configuration information of an HVAC controller, wherein the configuration information is related to characteristics of one or more system components of an HVAC system to be controlled by the HVAC controller, the HVAC controller is configured to use the configuration information to properly control the one or more system components of the HVAC system to be controlled by the HVAC controller, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more grammatically complete sentences on a user interface of the HVAC controller, the one or more grammatically complete sentences soliciting a response from a user related to configuration information of the HVAC system, wherein the configuration information is related to characteristics of one or more system components of the HVAC system to be controlled by the HVAC controller;

in response to displaying at least one of the grammatically complete sentences on the user interface, allowing the user to select between at least two responses simultaneously displayed on the user interface;

accepting a user selection;

modifying the configuration information of the HVAC controller based at least in part on said accepted user selection; and

using the modified configuration information of the HVAC controller when controlling one or more system components of the HVAC system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying step comprises displaying one or more grammatically complete sentences that include a natural language question.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying step comprises displaying one or more grammatically complete sentences that are phrases.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a touch screen, and where said step of allowing the user to select between at least two responses simultaneously displayed on the touch screen includes the step of allowing the user to select between responses directly on the touch screen.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user interface is an LCD or dot matrix screen, and wherein said step of allowing the user to select between at least two responses simultaneously displayed on the LCD or dot matrix screen includes the step of allowing the user to select between responses via a selector displayed on the user interface.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying step includes modifying configuration information related to a heating unit.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the modifying step includes modifying configuration information related to a cooling unit.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of varying the presentation of the one or more grammatically complete sentences to the user based at least in part on a previous user selected response.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the allowing step includes the step of providing a default response on the user interface for confirmation by the user.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the displaying step comprises displaying one or more grammatically complete sentences that include punctuation.

11. A method of programming configuration information of an HVAC controller, wherein the HVAC controller is configured to use the configuration information when controlling one or more system components of an HVAC system, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first query in the form of a grammatically complete sentence to a user via a user interface of the HVAC controller while not displaying a second query, the first query soliciting configuration information from the user, wherein the configuration information is related to characteristics of one or more system components of the HVAC system to be controlled by the HVAC controller;

accepting one or more user responses to the first query via the user interface;

after accepting the one or more user responses to the first query, displaying the second query in the form of a grammatically complete sentence to a user via a user interface of the HVAC controller while not displaying the first query, the second query soliciting different configuration information from the user;

accepting one or more user responses to the second query via the user interface;

modifying the configuration information of the HVAC controller based at least in part on the one or more user responses to the first and second queries; and

using the modified configuration information of the HVAC controller when controlling one or more HVAC components of an HVAC system.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein at least one of the first query and the second query include punctuation.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the user interface is a touch screen, and where the step of accepting one or more user responses includes the step of allowing the user to select between two or more responses directly on the touch screen.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the user interface is an LCD or dot matrix screen, and wherein said step of accepting one or more user responses includes the step of allowing the user to select between two or more responses via a selector displayed on the user interface.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the modifying step includes modifying configuration information related to a heating unit.

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the modifying step includes modifying configuration information related to a cooling unit.

17. A method of programming configuration information for an HVAC controller, wherein the HVAC controller is configured to control different types of HVAC system components and to use the programmed configuration information to properly control the one or more HVAC system components, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first query in the form of a grammatically complete sentence to a user via a user interface of the HVAC controller while not displaying a second query, the first query requesting information regarding a type of system component to be controlled by the controller;

allowing the user to select between at least two types of system components to be controlled by the controller;

accepting a first selection by the user;

after accepting the first selection, displaying a second query in the form of a grammatically complete sentence to a user via the user interface while not displaying the first query, the second query requesting additional information regarding the selected type of system component selected in the first selection;

allowing the user to select between at least two second responses relating to additional information regarding the selected type of system component made by the user in the first selection;

accepting a second selection by the user;

modifying the configuration information of the HVAC controller based at least in part on said first and second selections; and

using the modified configuration information of the HVAC controller when controlling one or more HVAC components of an HVAC system.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein at least one of the first query and the second query include punctuation.