Programmable controllers and schedule timers
First Claim
1. A user interface system for programming schedules of a programmable device, the user interface system comprising:
- processor means;
a display unit coupled to the processor means;
wherein the processor means configured to provide a graphical display on the display unit;
a time select region for programming on and off time periods for a water heating schedule and a room temperature schedule,characterised in that the time select region is displayed on the display unit as at least two dials, each representing at Rill twenty-four hour day, in which one of the at least two dials is configured for setting the water heating schedule and the other of the at least two dials is configured for setting the room temperature schedule, in which each dial is divided into a plurality of individual segments, each individual segment representing a specific programmable period of time in the twenty-four hour period of time for the respective water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule;
wherein the time select region is interactively operable to enable a user to select one or more segments on each dial to program the respective water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, in which a selected segment triggers an on-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule and an unselected segment triggers an off-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, andone or more segments of each dial are selected by a user positioning and dragging pointing means over unselected segments of the dials and segments are deselected by a user positioning and dragging pointing means over selected segments of the dials,wherein the processor means is further configured to display graphically on the display unit a temperature setting region which is interactively operable to enable a target temperature to be set for a time period set by a user for the schedules; and
wherein the schedules are programmable by accessing the user interface system via an Internet website, via an application executing on a mobile computing device, and/or via a control panel for the device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a user interface system and method for programming a schedule of a programmable device. The system comprises processor means and a display unit coupled to the processor means, whereby the processor means is configured to provide a graphical display on the display unit for displaying a time select region for programming at least one time period for the schedule. The time select region is displayed on the display unit as a dial (350) divided into a plurality of segments and each segment represents a period of time in a day, such as fifteen minutes, for an operating parameter, such as a temperature setting for the device. The time select region is interactively operable (354) to enable a user to select one or more segments (351) on the dial to correspond to a selected time period for the schedule. The present invention is directed to a user interface system and method that allows adjustment of multiple schedules in an easy and efficient manner allowing a user to easily view and switch between schedules.
45 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A user interface system for programming schedules of a programmable device, the user interface system comprising:
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processor means; a display unit coupled to the processor means; wherein the processor means configured to provide a graphical display on the display unit; a time select region for programming on and off time periods for a water heating schedule and a room temperature schedule, characterised in that the time select region is displayed on the display unit as at least two dials, each representing at Rill twenty-four hour day, in which one of the at least two dials is configured for setting the water heating schedule and the other of the at least two dials is configured for setting the room temperature schedule, in which each dial is divided into a plurality of individual segments, each individual segment representing a specific programmable period of time in the twenty-four hour period of time for the respective water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule; wherein the time select region is interactively operable to enable a user to select one or more segments on each dial to program the respective water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, in which a selected segment triggers an on-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule and an unselected segment triggers an off-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, and one or more segments of each dial are selected by a user positioning and dragging pointing means over unselected segments of the dials and segments are deselected by a user positioning and dragging pointing means over selected segments of the dials, wherein the processor means is further configured to display graphically on the display unit a temperature setting region which is interactively operable to enable a target temperature to be set for a time period set by a user for the schedules; and wherein the schedules are programmable by accessing the user interface system via an Internet website, via an application executing on a mobile computing device, and/or via a control panel for the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of programming schedules of a programmable device using a user interface system having a processor means and a display unit coupled to the processor means, the processor means configured to provide a graphical display on the display unit including an interactively operable temperature setting region and a time select region for programming on and off time periods for a water heating schedule and a room temperature schedule, the time select region displayed on the display unit as at least two dials representing a full twenty-four hour day, in which one of the at least two dials is configured for setting the water heating schedule and the other of the at least two dials is configured for setting the room temperature schedule, in which each dial is divided into a plurality of individual segments, each individual segment representing a specific programmable period of time in the twenty-four hour period of time for the respective water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, the time select region is interactively configured to enable a user to select one or more segments on each dial to program the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, in which a selected segment triggers an on-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule and an unselected segment triggers an off-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting and deselecting one or more segments on each dial to program the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, wherein the step of selecting segments of the dials involves a user positioning and dragging pointing means over selected segments of the dials and the step of deselecting segments of the dials involves a user positioning and dragging pointing means over selected segments of the dials, setting a target temperature for a time period set by a user on the interactively operable temperature setting region displayed graphically on the display unit by the processor means, and programming the schedules by accessing the user interface system via an Internet website, via an application executing on a mobile computing device, and/or via a control panel for the device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification