System and method of use for a user interface dashboard of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning network

• US 8,615,326 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Filbeck, Amanda, Spencer, Christopher W., Stanbouly, Souhel H., Thorson, Timothy H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US12/603,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 705/412, 380/201
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 22/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 27/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity. The dashboard further includes an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen. The dashboard still further include an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided, wherein a programs screen includes a display of a plurality of pre-populated program schedule settings.

Claims

1. An HVAC system, comprising:

one or more HVAC demand units and one or more subnet controllers coupled via a data bus wherein each of said one or more subnet controllers is capable of independently operating as a separate logical unit;

one or more comfort sensors wherein each of said one or more comfort sensors is capable of independently operating as a separate logical unit; and

a graphical interface dashboard capable of operating as a separate logical unit, said graphical interface including;

a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen;

an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which display at least a current indoor humidity;

an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen;

a help tab, wherein invoking the help tab advances to a help screen that provides context sensitive help that presents at least one dialog box related to a function of a current screen;

an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature;

a programs tab, wherein invoking the programs tab advances to a programs screen wherein the programs screen includes a display of a plurality of pre-populated program schedule settings for managing and controlling said HVAC system; and

a home tab, wherein invoking the home tab advances to a home screen which provides a summary of indoor conditions.

2. The dashboard of claim 1, wherein the programs screen has only one setpoint area that is selectable at one time, and once a setpoint is touched, the area turns an inverse of its current color.

3. The programs screen of claim 1, wherein the pre-populated program settings selection choices range from a maximum comfort to a maximum energy savings of the selection.

4. The program screens of claim 3, wherein the settings employ a slider between the maximum comfort setting to the maximum energy savings of the selection.

5. The indoor humidity tab of claim 1, wherein for a humidity setting to be offered in the program screen equipment relevant to said humidity setting must be present in said HVAC system.

6. The programs tab of claim 1, wherein for a program setting to be offered in the programs screen, equipment relevant to said program setting must be present in said HVAC system.

7. The indoor settings tab of claim 1, wherein for an indoor setting to be offered to a user, equipment relevant to said indoor setting must be present in said HVAC system.

8. The dashboard of claim 3, wherein to unlock the screen, the user presses and holds a lock-pad icon for a selected period of time.

9. The dashboard of claim 3, wherein the partially locked or fully locked mode display control parameters for an extended period of time.

10. An HVAC system comprising:

a graphical interface dashboard capable of operating as a separate logical unit and including;

a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen;

a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen;

an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity;

an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen;

a help tab, wherein invoking the help tab advances to a help screen that provides context sensitive help that presents at least one dialog box related to a function of a current screen;

an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature;

a programs tab, wherein invoking the programs tab advances to a programs screen wherein the programs screen includes a display of a plurality of pre-populated program schedule settings for managing and controlling said HVAC system; and

a home tab, wherein invoking the home tab advances to a home screen which provides a summary of indoor conditions; and

at least one HVAC demand unit coupled to said graphical interface dashboard, said HVAC demand unit selected from the group including;

a) an air handler;

b) a furnace;

c) an evaporator coil;

d) a condenser coil; and

e) a compressor;

wherein said at least one HVAC demand unit is viewable from at least one of the tabs.

11. The programs screen of claim 10, wherein the pre-populated program settings selection choices range from a maximum comfort to a maximum energy savings of the selection.

12. The programs screen of claim 10, wherein the settings employ a slider between the maximum comfort setting to the maximum energy savings of the selection.

13. The indoor humidity tab of claim 10, wherein for a humidity setting to be offered in the program screen equipment relevant to said humidity setting must be present in said HVAC system.

14. The programs tab of claim 10, wherein for a program setting to be offered in the programs screen, equipment relevant to said program setting must be present in said HVAC system.

15. A method of operating an HVAC system, comprising:

coupling one or more HVAC demand units and one or more subnet controllers via a data bus wherein each of said one or more subnet controllers is capable of independently operating as a separate logical unit;

providing one or more comfort sensors wherein each of said one or more comfort sensors is capable of independently operating as a separate logical unit; and

providing a graphical interface dashboard capable of operating as a separate logical unit, said graphical interface including;

a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen;

an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity;

an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen;

a help tab, wherein invoking the help tab advances to a help screen that provides context sensitive help that presents at least one dialog box related to a function of a current screen;

an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature;

a programs tab, wherein invoking the programs tab advances to a programs screen wherein the programs screen includes a display of a plurality of pre-populated program schedule settings for managing and controlling said HVAC system;

a home tab, wherein invoking the home tab advances to a home screen which provides a summary of indoor conditions; and

invoking one of the screens.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pre-populated program settings selection choices range from a maximum comfort to a maximum energy savings of the selection.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the settings employ a slider between the maximum comfort setting to the maximum energy savings of the selection.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein for a humidity setting to be offered in the programs screen, equipment relevant to said humidity setting must be present in said HVAC system.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein for a program setting to be offered in the programs screen, equipment relevant to said program setting must be present in said HVAC system.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein if a change of parameters is made in the program screen while a current program is running which employs previous parameters, a hold time can be programmed, wherein the hold time is entered at exactly what time the previous parameters are to stop taking effect.