Generic user interface system

• US 9,726,392 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2007
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wacker, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Everett, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US11/747,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,742 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25257 Microcontroller
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25265 Flash memory
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control

Abstract

A generic user interface for rapid application development on a stand-alone control platform. A user interface may be designed using generic menu methodology consisting of predefined tables, fonts, and templates, such that table entries and menu selections are made based on the platform. An example platform may be designed from function blocks from a function block engine. An application may be developed to run on the control platform (within the constraints of the hardware and function block engine), and a corresponding user interface may be automatically generated by populating the generic tables of the user interface methodology based on simple user input during placement of the function blocks, as an example.

Claims

1. A controller system comprising:

a building environment control platform having a display screen; and

a user interface including a display, the user interface connected to the control platform; and

wherein the user interface is configurable for the control platform; and

the control platform comprises a function block engine including two or more function blocks as the control platform, each function block of the function blocks having a pre-defined function and including one or more parameters and/or variables, wherein the function blocks are unconnected and displayed in a source area, wherein the function blocks are configured to be selected and interconnected to create a variety of different controller programs including different function blocks for controlling a building environment;

the control platform further comprises a block execution list to direct an order of execution of the function blocks by the function block engine and the order is selected via the display screen to create the variety of the controller programs; and

the display screen is configured to display the selected function blocks and the interconnecting of the selected function blocks of at least one of the controller programs of the variety of different controller programs;

wherein the user interface is configurable for the variety of different controller programs and selected function blocks of a controller program populate the user interface for use with the controller program; and

wherein values for control parameters and/or variables of the function blocks of the control program are set by interacting with the populated user interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the user interface has a display box that is accessible;

the display box has a first level of one or more icons that displays information about the one or more parameters and/or variables; and

the one or more icons have a second level of one or more icons that provides for selecting and/or adjusting properties of the one or more parameters and/or variables.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the user interface is for providing a display of information specific to the two or more function blocks.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the two or more function blocks have a display box that is accessible;

the display box has a first level of one or more icons that displays information about one or more parameters and/or variables; and

the one or more icons have a second level of one or more icons that provides for selecting and/or adjusting properties of the one or more parameters and/or variables.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the user interface display provides for at least one variable related to one or more function blocks, an entry of a label, a value field, a number of digits field, a decimal place field and/or a name.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the user interface display has provisions for sequencing through a plurality of display tables, including a category list table, an items table for one or more categories of the category list table, and/or for setting values for items in the items table; and

the plurality of display tables are populated by the selected function blocks of the control program.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the categories of the category list table can be sequenced through, the items of the categories can be sequenced through, and one or more values for each item may be inserted, incremented, decremented, or not affected, as appropriate.

8. A control system comprising:

a building environment control platform having a display screen, the control platform including a listing of a plurality of unconnected parameters and/or variables that can be individually selected and combined to create a control program; and

at least a portion of the listing of a plurality of unconnected parameters and/or variables and individually selected and combined parameters and/or variables are displayed on the display screen; and

a user interface connected to the control platform, the user interface having one or more tables with rows and columns displaying information in the rows and columns about selected and combined parameters and/or variables at a first level of the one or more tables; and

wherein the control platform further comprises a block execution list to direct an order of execution of the parameters and/or variables and the order is selected via the display screen to create the controller program;

wherein the user interface is configurable for the control platform;

wherein the user interface is configured with a generic menu methodology of the control platform, the generic menu methodology implementing the one or more tables and is configurable for a plurality of different control programs;

wherein the one or more tables of the user interface are populated by combining two or more of the plurality of unconnected parameters and/or variables in the control platform to create the control program; and

the user interface provides a selectable and/or adjustable display format for selecting and adjusting values of the various parameters and/or variables of the control platform at a second level of the one or more tables.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a specific design of the control platform and the user interface is transferable as software to another device to implement the specific design.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the control platform comprises one or more function blocks of a function block engine, wherein each function block of the function blocks includes one or more of the parameters and/or variables.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

at least one or more function blocks are shown as one or more icons on the control platform display; and

the one or more icons are configurable to show one or more of the parameters and/or variables of their respective function blocks.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more icons are configurable to provide or change a name for the display of one or more parameters and/or variables, to select a type of units that the value of the parameter or variable will be displayed in, and/or to adjust a number of digits indicating a value of the parameter or variable.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the user interface comprises a display having provisions for sequencing through a plurality of display tables, including a category list table, an items table for one or more categories of the category list table, and/or for setting values for items in the items table;

the items represent the various parameters and/or variables; and

the categories of the category list table can be sequenced through, the items of the categories can be sequenced through, and one or more values at each item may be inserted, incremented, decremented, or not affected, as appropriate.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein:

at least one column lists one of category numbers and item numbers; and

a row provides information about an associated listed category number or a listed item number.