HVAC controller with quick select feature

• US 8,087,593 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Leen, Cary
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US12/323,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20090140056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 236/49.3, 236/91.D, 236/46.R, 236/47, 236/94, 700/17, 700/83, 700/275, 700/276
• US Class Current: 236/91.D
• 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 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• 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 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

An HVAC controller is described that is configured to be more intuitive and user friendly to program and operate than convention HVAC controllers. In some instances, the HVAC controller may include a touch screen interface that provides greater flexibility in displaying information to the user and/or soliciting information from the user.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller comprising:

a controller configured to operate an algorithm that at least partially controls one or more components of an HVAC system; and

a touch screen dot matrix display coupled to the controller, the controller configured to display on the touch screen dot matrix display a first menu that includes a plurality of selection options that are each independently selectable by a user on the touch screen dot matrix display such that multiple selection options may be selected at the same time, wherein selection of an additional selection option does not cancel selection of a first selection option, the controller further simultaneously displaying one or more quick select touch buttons on the first menu that permit a user to quickly select two or more of the plurality of selection options by simply pressing one of the one or more quick select touch buttons displayed on the touch screen dot matrix display.

2. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein each of the selection options has an associated algorithm parameter, and wherein the controller is configured to permit the user to simultaneously change the associated algorithm parameters for each of the two or more of the plurality of selection options that are selected by pressing one of the one or more quick select touch buttons.

3. The HVAC controller of claim 2, wherein the controller displays a second menu that permits the user to simultaneously change the associated algorithm parameters for each of the two or more of the plurality of selection options that are selected by pressing one of the one or more quick select touch buttons.

4. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the first menu comprises a schedule menu, and each of the plurality of selection options of the schedule menu correspond to a corresponding day of a week.

5. The HVAC controller of claim 4, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKDAY button that, when pressed, selects Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for scheduling.

6. The HVAC controller of claim 5, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKEND button that, when pressed, selects Saturday and Sunday for scheduling.

7. The HVAC controller of claim 6, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises an ALL button that, when pressed, selects all days of the week for scheduling.

8. The HVAC controller of claim 4, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKEND button that, when pressed, selects Saturday and Sunday for scheduling.

9. The HVAC controller of claim 4, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises an ALL button that, when pressed, selects all days of the week for scheduling.

10. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the first menu comprises a schedule menu, and each of the plurality of selection options of the schedule menu correspond to a PERIOD of a day of a week.

11. The HVAC controller of claim 10, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a wake button that, when pressed, selects the wake period for all or selected days of the week.

12. The HVAC controller of claim 10, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a leave button that, when pressed, selects the leave period for all or selected days of the week.

13. The HVAC controller of claim 10, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a return button that, when pressed, selects the return period for all or selected days of the week.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 10, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a sleep button that, when pressed, selects the sleep period for all or selected days of the week.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein when one of the plurality of selection options is independently selected by a user, a display indicator indicator is displayed indicating that the selection option has been selected.

16. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selection of options and the one or more quick select touch buttons are simultaneously displayed on a single screen of the touch screen dot matrix display.

17. An HVAC controller comprising:

a controller configured to operate an algorithm that at least partially controls one or more components of an HVAC system;

a touch screen dot matrix display coupled to the controller, the controller configured to display on the touch screen dot matrix display a plurality of available selection options that are each independently selectable by a user, the controller further simultaneously displaying one or more quick select touch buttons on the touch screen dot matrix display that permit a user to select two or more of the plurality of selection options by pressing one of the one or more quick select touch buttons, wherein each of the plurality of selection options correspond to a corresponding day of a week and wherein upon selection of one of the quick select touch buttons by a user, two or more of the plurality of selection options that correspond to the selected quick select touch button include an display indication designating selection on the touch screen dot matrix display; and

wherein each of the selection options has an associated algorithm parameter, and wherein the controller is configured to permit the user to simultaneously change the associated algorithm parameters for each of the two or more of the plurality of selection options that are selected by pressing one of the one or more quick select touch buttons.

18. The HVAC controller of claim 17, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKDAY button that, when pressed, selects Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for scheduling.

19. The HVAC controller of claim 18, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKEND button that, when pressed, selects Saturday and Sunday for scheduling.

20. The HVAC controller of claim 19, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises an ALL button that, when pressed, selects all days of the week for scheduling.

21. The HVAC controller of claim 17, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKEND button that, when pressed, selects Saturday and Sunday for scheduling.

22. The HVAC controller of claim 17, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises an ALL button that, when pressed, selects all days of the week for scheduling.

23. A method for selecting two or more of a plurality of selection options of an HVAC controller, comprising:

displaying on a touch screen dot matrix display a first menu that includes a plurality of selection options that are each independently selectable by a user on the touch screen dot matrix display such that multiple selection options may be selected at the same time, wherein selection of an additional selection option does not cancel selection of a first selection option;

displaying one or more quick select touch buttons on the first menu simultaneously with the plurality of selection options that permit a user to quickly select two or more corresponding ones of the plurality of selection options by simply pressing one of the one or more quick select touch buttons; and

wherein upon selection of one of the one or more quick select touch buttons by a user, displaying on the touch screen dot matrix display selection indicators that indicate that the two or more selection options that correspond to the selected quick select touch button have been selected.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein each of the selection options has an associated algorithm parameter, comprising:

permitting the user to simultaneously change the associated algorithm parameters for each of the two or more of the plurality of selection options that are selected by pressing one of the one or more quick select touch buttons.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKDAY button that, when pressed, selects selection options Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for scheduling.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises a WEEKEND button that, when pressed, selects selection options Saturday and Sunday for scheduling.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein one of the quick select touch buttons comprises an ALL button that, when pressed, selects all days of a week for scheduling.