Controller interface with multiple day programming

• US 7,693,582 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schwendinger, Paul G., Stoner, Marcus D., Readio, Philip O., Boll, Jeff D., Mcleod, George J., Bergman, Gabriel A., Thomson, Ian, Takach, Eugene J., Amundson, John B., Ferguson, Colin T., Wolfbauer, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr.; Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US11/532,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20070016311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/278, 700/17, 700/83, 700/284, 236/91, 236/94, 236/46.A, 236/46.R
• US Class Current: 700/17
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/106 for selecting a programme, variable or parameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A controller equipped with a user interface having multiple-day programming capabilities, including methods of programming such devices, are disclosed. The user interface may include one or more menus or screens that can be used to program a schedule for one or more selected days during the week. An illustrative method of programming the controller may include the steps of entering a scheduling routine, selecting multiple days for schedule modification, changing the schedule parameters for one or more periods during the selected days, and then exiting the scheduling routine.

Claims

1. A method for operating a programmable thermostat that includes a temperature sensor and a user interface, the user interface having a display, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment in accordance with a schedule, the schedule having a number of days and one or more time periods for each of at least some of the days, and wherein one or more adjustable control parameter values are associated with each of the time periods, the method comprising:

selecting a time period of the schedule using the user interface of the programmable thermostat;

displaying one or more of the adjustable control parameter values that are associated with the selected time period on the display of the user interface, while not displaying adjustable control parameter values associated with non-selected time periods;

sequentially selecting each of two or more days using the user interface of the programmable thermostat;

entering an adjustable control parameter value using the user interface of the programmable thermostat for at least one of the adjustable control parameter values that are displayed on the display; and

using the entered control parameter value for the selected time period on the two or more selected days of the schedule when subsequently operating the programmable thermostat.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the time period can be selected before, during or after the two or more days are selected.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the schedule includes seven days.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein each day has four time periods.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the number of days includes four time periods.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the four time periods include a wake time period, a leave time period, a return time period and a sleep time period.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjustable control parameter value that is entered is a set point.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the set point includes a heat temperature set point.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the set point includes a cool temperature set point.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the programmable thermostat displays a day indicator for each of the days of a week, and further displays a selection indicator that visually indicates which of the two or more days are selected during the selecting each of two or more days step.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the following steps are performed before the selecting a time period, selecting each of two or more days, entering and using steps:

activating a schedule button to enter a scheduling mode; and

once in the scheduling mode, activating a schedule edit button.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting a time period step is performed before the selecting each of two or more days step.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting a time period step is performed after the selecting each of two or more days step.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the entering an adjustable control parameter value step is performed after the selecting each of two or more days step.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the entering an adjustable control parameter value step is performed before the selecting each of two or more days step.

16. A programmable thermostat configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment, the programmable thermostat comprising:

a housing;

a user interface coupled relative to the housing, the user interface including a display;

a temperature sensor coupled relative to the housing;

a programmable controller situated in the housing, the programmable controller including;

a schedule having a number of days and one or more time periods for each of at least some of the days, wherein one or more adjustable control parameter values are associated with each of the time periods of the schedule;

a memory for storing the schedule, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to read the schedule from the memory and control the one or more pieces of HVAC equipment in accordance with the schedule;

the user interface configured to allow a user to select a time period of the schedule, and once selected to display one or more of the adjustable control parameter values that are associated with the selected time period on the display, while not displaying adjustable control parameter values associated with non-selected time periods, and further to enable a user to adjust an adjustable control parameter value for at least one of the adjustable control parameter values that are displayed on the display;

after the time period is selected and an adjustable control parameter value is adjusted via the user interface for the selected time period, the programmable controller is configured to store in the memory the adjusted adjustable control parameter value for the selected time period for two or more non-consecutive days of the schedule, resulting in a changed schedule;

the programmable controller further configured to subsequently control the one or more pieces of HVAC equipment in accordance with the changed schedule.

17. The programmable thermostat of claim 16 wherein the schedule includes seven days.

18. The programmable thermostat of claim 17 wherein each day has four time periods.

19. The programmable thermostat of claim 16 wherein each of the number of days includes four time periods.

20. The programmable thermostat of claim 19 wherein the four time periods include a wake time period, a leave time period, a return time period and a sleep time period.

21. The programmable thermostat of claim 16 wherein the adjustable control parameter value that is adjusted is a set point value.

22. The programmable thermostat of claim 21 wherein the set point includes a heat temperature set point.

23. The programmable thermostat of claim 21 wherein the set point includes a cool temperature set point.

24. The programmable thermostat of claim 16 wherein the user interface is further configured to enable a user to select the two or more non-consecutive days for which the adjusted adjustable control parameter value will be applied.

25. A method for operating a programmable thermostat that includes a temperature sensor and a user interface, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment in accordance with a schedule, the schedule having a number of days of a week and one or more time periods for each of at least some of the days, and wherein one or more control parameters are associated with each of the time periods, the method comprising:

receiving a first user input into the user interface;

entering a schedule mode in response to the first user input;

once in the schedule mode, receiving a second user input;

entering an edit mode in response to the second user input;

once in the edit mode, allowing the selection between;

any individual day of the week; and

a group of days of the week;

using the user interface of the programmable thermostat to select;

any individual day of the week;

or a group of days of the week;

using the user interface of the programmable thermostat to select a time period of the schedule;

using the user interface of the programmable thermostat to enter a control parameter value; and

using the entered control parameter value for the selected time period on the selected day(s) of the week when subsequently operating the programmable thermostat.

26. A method for operating a programmable thermostat that includes a temperature sensor and a user interface, the user interface having a display, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment in accordance with a schedule, the schedule having a number of days and one or more time periods for each of at least some of the days, and wherein one or more adjustable control parameter values are associated with each of the time periods, the method comprising:

selecting a time period of the schedule using the user interface of the programmable thermostat;

displaying the adjustable control parameter values for only the selected time period;

sequentially selecting each of two or more non-consecutive days using the user interface of the programmable thermostat without first requiring the user to assign the selected days to a group;

adjusting one or more of the adjustable control parameter values that are displayed for the selected time period using the user interface of the programmable thermostat; and

using the adjusted control parameter value for the selected time period on the two or more selected non-consecutive days of the schedule when subsequently operating the programmable thermostat.

27. A method for operating a programmable thermostat that includes a temperature sensor and a user interface, wherein the programmable thermostat is configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment in accordance with a schedule, the schedule having a number of days and one or more time periods for each of at least some of the days, and wherein one or more control parameters are associated with each of the time periods, the method comprising:

(a) selecting a first time period of the schedule using the user interface of the programmable thermostat;

(b) displaying control parameters for the selected first time period but not displaying control parameters for non-selected time periods;

(c) sequentially selecting each of two or more days using the user interface of the programmable thermostat without first requiring the user to assign the selected days to a group;

(d) entering a control parameter value for the first selected time period using the user interface of the programmable thermostat;

(e) selecting a next time period of the schedule using the user interface of the programmable thermostat;

(f) displaying control parameters for the selected next time period but not displaying control parameters for non-selected time periods;

(g) entering a control parameter value for the selected next time period using the user interface of the programmable thermostat;

(h) repeating steps (e) through (g) for additional desired time periods; and

(i) using the entered control parameter value for each selected time period on the two or more selected days of the schedule when subsequently operating the programmable thermostat.