Rapid programming of thermostat with multiple programming mode conditions

• US 8,517,088 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braeburn Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Braeburn Systems LLC
• Inventors: Moore, Glenn A., Rados, Robert M., Poplawski, Daniel S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, RAMESH B
• Application Number:
  US13/045,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 700 17- 18, 700276-278, 700299-300, 165/238, 165/254, 236/1.C, 236/91.D, 236/91.E, 236/91.R, 236/94, 715700-702
• US Class Current: 165/238
• 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 11/34 by opening air passages
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means

Abstract

The invention provides for a controller such as a thermostat for an HVAC System comprising a housing having a circuit board and a display screen, the display screen having at least one alpha-numeric icon and a group of input control areas. A microprocessor is provided for control on the display screen. Buttons are pressed in order to program set-points of the thermostat so that seven days may be programed simultaneously. The display includes a seven-day icon so that the user can program the thermostat set-points rapidly (e.g. setting time and temperature settings with minimal steps). The user may activate a first programming mode wherein the activating occurs by depressing a programming-mode button for a first pre-selected duration in order to select a first day for setting the conditioning mode. The user may activate a second programming mode wherein such activating occurs by depressing the programming-mode button for a second pre-selected duration that is longer than the first pre-selected duration in order to select programming for all seven days simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method for programming a thermostat comprising the steps of:

providing a thermostat having a display and buttons for controlling at least two modes of the thermostat including a heating mode and a cooling mode and the thermostat capable of controlling the heating and cooling conditioning modes for every day of the week;

activating a first programming mode, wherein such activating occurs by depressing a programming mode button for a first preselected duration in order to select a first day for setting the conditioning mode;

activating a second programming mode, wherein such activating occurs by depressing the programming mode button for a second preselected duration that is longer than the first preselected duration in order to select programming for all seven days for setting the cooling mode for all seven days simultaneously; and

displaying a seven day icon on the display during the conditioning mode selection.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the buttons are mechanical buttons disposed on a housing of the thermostat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the buttons are touch sensitive areas displayed on a display screen of the thermostat.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the buttons are a combination of a mechanical button and touch sensitive area button.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:

the mechanical button is a rocker switch.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

selecting the temperature and duration of a fractional day period including one of a morning period, a daytime period, an evening period, a night period, or an occupied period or an unoccupied period.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

selecting a fan setting.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first programming mode is activated by depressing a program button and the program button includes a predetermined time trigger of 3.0 seconds so that pressing the program button for a period of time greater than 3.0 seconds results in activation of a seven day programming mode and pressing the program button for a period of time less than 3.0 seconds results in activation of an individual day programming mode.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the system button and program button are touch sensitive areas on the display screen of the thermostat.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the seven day programming is for setting one of the heating and the cooling modes.

11. A method for programming a thermostat comprising the steps of:

providing a thermostat having a display and buttons for controlling at least two modes of the thermostat and the thermostat capable of controlling the heating and cooling conditioning modes for every day of the week;

activating a first programming mode button having a first pre-selected duration trigger in order to select a first day for setting the conditioning mode;

activating a second programming mode button having a second pre-selected duration trigger that is longer than the first pre-selected duration trigger in order to select programming for all seven days simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the buttons are mechanical buttons disposed on a housing of the thermostat.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the buttons are touch sensitive areas displayed on a display screen of the thermostat.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the buttons are a combination of a mechanical button and a touch sensitive area button.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the mechanical button is a rocker switch.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

selecting the temperature and duration of a fractional day period including one of a morning period, a daytime period, an evening period, a night period, or an occupied period or an unoccupied period.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the conditioning mode includes selection of one of a heating mode, cooling mode, on period, off period, fan period and fan recirculation period.