HVAC controller having integrated comfort window display

• US 9,423,146 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley Steve Bruce, Daniel James Walter
• Original Assignee: Bradley Steve Bruce, Daniel James Walter
• Inventors: Bruce, Bradley Steve, Walter, Daniel James
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): AZAD, MD ABUL K
• Application Number:
  US13/804,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 706/12, 236/94, 236/51, 62/93
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/20 Humidity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/50 Air quality properties
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 22/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 27/02 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

A device configured to control one or more components of an HVAC system. The device includes a display, a controller in communication with the display, and wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more user defined environmental settings. Further, the controller communicates with one or more environmental sensors, wherein the environmental sensors detect one or more environmental conditions. In addition, the controller is further configured to provide a visual indication on the display for the detected environmental conditions with respect to the user defined environmental settings. This visual indication includes one or more bounded region having an interior space indicative of user comfort level, wherein the bounded regions have one or more borders, and wherein the borders at least partially represent the user defined environmental settings. In addition, the visual indication includes one or more icons that represents the detected environmental conditions and are displayed in relation to the bounded regions.

Claims

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

a display;

a controller in communication with the display, wherein the controller is configured to receive one or more user defined environmental settings;

one or more environmental sensors in communication with the controller, wherein the environmental sensors detect one or more environmental conditions;

the controller further configured to output a visual indication on the display for the detected environmental conditions with respect to the user defined environmental settings, wherein the visual indication comprises;

a bounded region, wherein the bounded region is comprised of one or more borders, and wherein the one or more borders at least partially represent the user defined environmental settings;

a node displayed within the bounded region indicating the detected environmental conditions, wherein a position of the node is configured to adjust relative to the bounded region; and

one or more icons representing the detected environmental conditions.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the bounded region represents user comfort level.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the detected environmental conditions and user defined environmental settings are comprised of temperature and humidity.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the node is displayed according to one or more of:

within the perimeter of the bounded region, outside the perimeter of the bounded region, and overlapping the bounded region.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the bounded regions define an enclosed parallelogram configuration.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the user defined environmental settings are comprised of one or more of:

a high temperature set point, low temperature set point, high relative humidity set point, and low relative humidity set point.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising user defined schedules indicating preferred temperature set points for one or more time periods within one or more days of a week.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising user defined schedules indicating preferred relative humidity set points for one or more time periods within one or more days of a week.

9. The device of claim 7 or 8 wherein the controller is configured to revert to the user defined environmental settings if there are no user defined schedules indicating preferred temperature set points for any given day of the week or time period during any given day of the week.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising an algorithm configured to control the entry of outdoor air into one or more indoor spaces, wherein the algorithm incorporates the user defined environmental settings and detected environmental conditions to regulate the flow of the outdoor air into the one or more indoor spaces.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the algorithm is configured to further control one or more dampers and one or more fans.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the algorithm is configured to operate the one or more dampers and one or more fans in lieu of one or more heaters or one or more compressors.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing thereon a program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform a method of controlling a HVAC system, the method comprising:

receiving one or more first environmental conditions;

receiving one or more second environmental conditions;

controlling one or more components of the HVAC system, wherein the controlling depends at least partially on the received first environmental conditions and the received second environmental conditions, and wherein the controlling is at least partially represented in a graphical display, wherein the graphical display comprises;

a bounded region, wherein the configuration of the bounded region is at least partially defined by the second environmental conditions;

a node displayed within the bounded region, wherein a position of the bounded region is adjustable relative to the node; and

one or more icons, wherein the one or more icons are at least partially defined by the first environmental conditions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the node is displayed according to one or more of:

within the one or more bounded regions, outside the one or more bounded regions, and overlapping the one or more bounded regions.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the node is at least one of:

a dot, circle, oval, ellipsoid, square, box, rectilinear shape, pyramid, polygon having three or more sides, photo, picture, image, video, or computer generated animation.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first environmental conditions are comprised of one or more of:

a temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and heat index.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling further comprises keeping the node within the perimeter of the one or more bounded regions.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the second environmental conditions are comprised of one or more of:

a high temperature set point, low temperature set point, high relative humidity set point, and low relative humidity set point.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving user defined schedules for one or more temperature set points for one or more time periods in one or more days of a week.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving user defined schedules for one or more relative humidity set points for one or more time periods in one or more days of a week.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling the entry of outdoor air into one or more indoor areas by at least partially using the first and second environmental conditions to regulate the flow of the outdoor air into the one or more indoor spaces.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising overriding the second environmental conditions by receiving one or more parameters, wherein the parameters are comprised of one or more of:

a time period, qualifying or conditional requirement, temperature set point, and temperature differential.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling of the one or more components at least partially depends on the position of the node with respect to the bounded regions.