Interview programming for an HVAC controller

• US 9,733,653 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2014
• Issued: 08/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Amundson, John B., Finch, Heidi J., Vick, Brent D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elamin, M
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAMIN, ABDELMONIEM I
• Application Number:
  US14/556,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• 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 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0426 Programming the control sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Controllers and methods are disclosed for aiding a user in programming a schedule of a programmable controller. In an illustrative embodiment, a guided programming routine can be activated by a user, which then guides a user through two or more screens that are designed to collect sufficient information from the user to generate and/or update at least some of the schedule parameters of the controller.

Claims

1. An HVAC controller, comprising:

a user interface;

a memory for storing an HVAC schedule, wherein the HVAC schedule includes a number of schedule parameters including time parameters related to two or more time periods, and a number of temperature parameters related to one or more temperature set points for each of the two or more time periods;

a controller operatively coupled to the memory and the user interface, the controller configured to provide one or more control signals to control, at least in part, one or more HVAC components of an HVAC system in accordance with the HVAC schedule;

the controller further configured to execute a guided programming routine, wherein the guided programming routine is configured to;

display one or more first solicitations via the user interface that solicit sufficient information to divide the HVAC schedule into two or more different groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more first solicitations;

divide the HVAC schedule into two or more different groups based on the user response to the one or more first solicitations;

once the HVAC schedule is divided into two or more different groups, and for each of the two or more different groups, display one or more second solicitations via the user interface that solicit specific times and/or temperature set points;

accept a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations for each of the two or more different groups; and

the controller is further configured to determine one or more schedule parameters of the HVAC schedule from the accepted user responses to the one or more first and second solicitations, and to update the schedule parameters in the memory, resulting in an updated HVAC schedule.

2. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the number of schedule parameters include time parameters related to one or more time periods for each of at least two days of a week, and wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit sufficient information to divide the at least two days of the week of the HVAC schedule into two or more different day groups.

3. The HVAC controller of claim 2, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together.

4. The HVAC controller of claim 2, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped together.

5. The HVAC controller of claim 2, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped separately.

6. The HVAC controller of claim 2, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together in a first group, and both weekend days should be grouped together in a second group.

7. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the controller uses the specific times and/or temperature set points solicited by the one or more second solicitations for each group to determine one or more schedule parameters for that group.

8. The HVAC controller of claim 7, wherein each group comprises one or more days, and the controller applies the same one or more schedule parameters to each day of a group.

9. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein once the HVAC schedule is divided into two or more different groups:

display one or more second solicitations via the user interface that solicit specific times for a first/next group of the two or more different groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations that solicit specific times for the first/next group;

display one or more second solicitations via the user interface that solicit temperature set points for the first/next group of the two or more different groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations that solicit temperature set points for the first/next group; and

repeat for each of the two or more groups.

10. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the HVAC controller is a programmable thermostat having a housing, with an internal temperature sensor positioned within housing.

11. The HVAC controller of claim 1, wherein the HVAC controller is configured to send one or more control signals to control the one or more HVAC components of the HVAC system in accordance with the updated HVAC schedule.

12. An HVAC controller, comprising:

a user interface;

a memory for storing an HVAC schedule, wherein the HVAC schedule includes two or more days, each day having a number of schedule parameters including time parameters related to two or more time periods and a number of temperature parameters related to one or more temperature set points for each of the two or more time periods;

a controller operatively coupled to the memory and the user interface, the controller configured to provide one or more control signals to control, at least in part, one or more HVAC components of an HVAC system in accordance with the HVAC schedule;

the controller further configured to execute a guided programming routine, wherein the guided programming routine is configured to;

display one or more first solicitations via the user interface that solicit sufficient information to divide the two or more days of the HVAC schedule into two or more different day groups;

accept a user response to each of the one or more first solicitations;

divide the two or more days of the HVAC schedule into two or more different day groups based on the user response to the one or more first solicitations;

once the two or more days of HVAC schedule are divided into two or more different day groups, and for each of the two or more different day groups, display one or more second solicitations via the user interface that solicit specific times and/or temperature set points;

accept a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations for each of the two or more different day groups; and

the controller is further configured to determine one or more schedule parameters for each of the two or more days of the HVAC schedule from the accepted user responses to the one or more first and second solicitations, and to update the schedule parameters in the memory, resulting in an updated HVAC schedule.

13. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together.

14. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped together.

15. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether both weekend days should be grouped separately.

16. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein the one or more first solicitations solicit whether all weekdays should be grouped together in a first group, and both weekend days should be grouped together in a second group.

17. The HVAC controller of claim 12, wherein the controller uses the specific times and/or temperature set points solicited by the one or more second solicitations for each day group to determine the one or more schedule parameters for those days in that day group.

18. A method of programming a programmable schedule of a building controller having a user interface including a display screen, the programmable schedule stored in a memory and having two or more programmable set points, with each set point having a time parameter and a corresponding set point parameter, the method comprising the steps of:

activating a guided programming routine via the user interface of the building controller, wherein once activated;

displaying One or more first solicitations via the user interface that solicit sufficient information to divide the programmable schedule into two or more different groups;

accepting a user response to each of the one or more first solicitations;

dividing the programmable schedule into two or more different groups based on the user response to the one or more first solicitations;

once the programmable schedule is divided into two or more different groups, and for each of the two or more different groups, displaying one or more second solicitations via the user interface that solicit specific time parameters and/or set point parameters;

accepting a user response to each of the one or more second solicitations for each of the two or more different groups;

determining two or more of the programmable set points of the programmable schedule from the accepted user responses to the one or more first and second solicitations, and to update the two or more of the programmable set points in the memory, resulting in an updated programmable schedule; and

sending one or more control signals to control a building control system in accordance with the updated programmable schedule.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the programmable schedule includes two or more days, with each day having one or more programmable set point, and wherein the programmable schedule is divided into two or more groups of days based on the user response to the one or more first solicitations.