HVAC controller with parameter clustering

• US 8,346,396 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Amundson, John, Boll, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Bahta, Kidest
• Application Number:
  US12/323,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20090143879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 700/3, 700/17, 700/83, 700276-278, 700/299, 700/90, 715/702, 715/771, 715/772, 236/51, 236/94
• US Class Current: 700/276
• 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 configured to control at least part of an installed HVAC system, wherein the installed HVAC system has an installed subset of one or more HVAC components selected from a set of possible HVAC components, the HVAC controller comprising:

a memory storing an algorithm referencing a plurality of setup parameters that setup the algorithm to at least partially control the installed subset of one or more HVAC components of the HVAC system;

a controller in communication with and programmed to at least partially control one or more HVAC components of the installed subset of HVAC components, the controller operating in accordance with the algorithm stored in the memory;

a touch screen display coupled to the controller; and

the controller configured to display on a single screen of the touch screen display of the HVAC controller two or more of the plurality of setup parameters and to permit a user of the HVAC controller to change the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters via the touch screen display, wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters that are displayed on the single screen are part of a common setup category.

2. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category includes a number of stages of the HVAC system.

3. The HVAC controller of claim 2, wherein the HVAC system includes a heating unit and a cooling unit, and the common setup category includes number of stages, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a number of stages parameter for the heating unit and a number of stages parameter for the cooling unit.

4. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system includes a first stage and a second stage, and the common setup category includes cycles per hour (CPH), and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a CPH parameter for a first stage of the HVAC system and a CPH parameter for a second stage of the HVAC system.

5. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system includes a heat pump, and the common setup category includes heat pump lockout temperatures, wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a compressor lockout temperature and an auxiliary lockout temperature.

6. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system includes a humidifier, and the common setup category includes humidity control, wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a humidification enable parameter and a window frost protection enable parameter.

7. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system is installed in a house, and the common setup category includes ventilation, wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a number of bedrooms parameter and a house size parameter.

8. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category includes ventilation, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a ventilation level parameter and a maximum ventilation limit parameter.

9. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the HVAC system includes a number of replaceable elements, and the common setup category includes replacement reminders, wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a replaceable time reminder parameter for at least two of the replaceable elements.

10. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category includes temperature set point stop limits, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a maximum heat set point stop limit parameter and a minimum cool set point stop limit parameter.

11. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category includes minimum off times, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a minimum off time parameter for non-compressor stages and a minimum off time parameter for compressor stages.

12. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category includes minimum on times, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a minimum on time parameter for non-compressor stages and a minimum on time parameter for compressor stages.

13. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category includes extended fan on times, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include an extended fan on time parameter for use when heating and an extended fan on time parameter for use when cooling.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category includes display temperature offsets, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a display offset parameter for use in displaying indoor temperature, a display offset parameter for use in displaying outdoor temperature, and/or a display offset parameter for use in displaying indoor humidity.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the common setup category is associated with indoor air quality equipment, and wherein the two or more of the plurality of setup parameters include a humidifier enable parameter, a dehumidifier enable parameter and/or a ventilator enable parameter.

16. An HVAC controller configured to control at least two separate HVAC components that are part of an HVAC system, the HVAC controller comprising:

a memory storing an algorithm referencing a plurality of setup parameters that setup the algorithm to at least partially control the two separate HVAC components of the HVAC system;

a controller coupled to and configured to generate one or more output signals that at least partially control the two separate HVAC components of the HVAC system, the controller configured to operate according to the algorithm stored in the memory, the algorithm referencing one or more first setup parameters that define at least in part the algorithm for controlling the first HVAC component, and one or more second setup parameters that define a least in part the algorithm for controlling the second HVAC component;

at least one temperature sensor coupled to the controller;

a touch screen display coupled to the controller; and

the controller configured to simultaneously display on the touch screen display of the HVAC controller a menu for modifying a first one of the first setup parameters and a first one of second setup parameters, wherein the first one of the first setup parameters and the first one of the second setup parameters are part of a common setup category.

17. The HVAC controller of claim 16, wherein the first HVAC component is a cooling unit and the second HVAC component is a heating unit.

18. The HVAC controller of claim 17, wherein the common setup category includes number of stages, and wherein the first one of the first setup parameters corresponds to a number of stages of the cooling component, and the first one of the second parameters corresponds to a number of stages of the heating component.

19. The HVAC controller of claim 16, wherein the first HVAC component is a first stage of a heating component and the second HVAC component is a second stage of the heating component.

20. The HVAC controller of claim 19, wherein the common setup category includes cycles per hour (CPH), and wherein the first one of the first parameters corresponds a cycles per hour parameter for the first stage of the heating component and the first one of the second parameters corresponds to a cycles per hour parameter for the second stage of the heating component.

21. The HVAC controller of claim 16, wherein the first HVAC component is a first stage of a cooling component unit and the second HVAC component is a second stage of the cooling component.

22. The HVAC controller of claim 21, wherein the common setup category includes cycles per hour (CPH), and wherein the first one of the first parameters corresponds a cycles per hour parameter for the first stage of the cooling component and the first one of the second parameters corresponds to a cycles per hour parameter for the second stage of the cooling component.

23. A method for displaying setup parameters of an HVAC system, the method comprising:

displaying two or more setup parameters values on a single screen of a thermostat user interface, the thermostat having at least one temperature sensor, the thermostat coupled to and configured to generate one or more output signals that at least partially control one or more components of an HVAC system, wherein the two or more setup parameter values that are displayed on the single screen of the thermostat are part of a common setup category and setup a control algorithm for generating the one or more output signals that at least partially control the one or more components of the HVAC system; and

permitting a user to change the two or more setup parameters values via the user interface of the thermostat.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the HVAC system includes at least two separate HVAC components, and wherein a first one of the two or more setup parameters that are displayed are associated with a first one of the HVAC components and a second one of the two or more setup parameters that are displayed are associated with a second one of the HVAC components.

25. A thermostat configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system, the thermostat comprising:

a memory storing an algorithm that at least partially controls the one or more components of the HVAC system;

a controller operating the algorithm that at least partially controls the one or more components of the HVAC system; and

a touch screen display coupled to the controller, the controller configured to display displaying on the touch screen display a first parameter setup screen where upon a user can set one or more first parameter values, and subsequently display on the touch screen display a second parameter setup screen where upon a user can set one or more second parameter values, the second parameter setup screen having one or more parameters that are or are not displayed depending on the one or more of the first parameter values set via the first parameter setup screen, and wherein the algorithm uses the one or more first parameter values and the one or more second parameter values to at least partially control the one or more components of the HVAC system.

26. The thermostat of claim 25, wherein the first parameter setup screen includes a number of heating stages parameter, where upon a user can set the number of heating stages of the HVAC system, and the second parameter setup screen includes a number of cycles per hour for each of the number heating stages set via the first parameter setup screen.

27. The thermostat of claim 25, wherein the first parameter setup screen includes a number of cooling stages parameter, where upon a user can set the number of cooling stages of the HVAC system, and the second parameter setup screen includes a number of cycles per hour for each of the number cooling stages set via the first parameter setup screen.