System and method of use for a user interface dashboard of a heating, ventilation and air conditioning network

• US 8,239,066 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lennox Industries Incorporated (Lennox International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jennings, Jacob, Filbeck, Amanda, Spencer, Christopher W., Pavlak, Thomas Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ramesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, ANTHONY T
• Application Number:
  US12/603,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 700/276, 700/153, 700/202, 700/205, 715/777
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

The disclosure provides systems and methods of use of an HVAC graphical interface dashboard. In various embodiments, the dashboard includes a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen. The dashboard also includes an indoor humidity tab. A programs tab and a home tab are also provided. The dashboard further comprises: a) a screen that employs a backlight to display information to a user; b) a backlight, and c) a motion detector, wherein the backlight is turned on by the motion detector upon a detection of motion.

Claims

1. An HVAC graphical interface dashboard, comprising:

a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen;

an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity;

an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen;

a help tab, wherein invoking the help tab advances to a help screen that provides context sensitive help that presents at least one dialog box related to a function of a current screen;

an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature;

a programs tab, wherein invoking the programs tab advances to a programs screen which is configured to program at least one of;

a) a time;

b) temperature setpoints; and

c) heating/cooling setpoints;

a home tab, wherein invoking the home tab advances to a home screen which provides a summary of indoor conditions,

said dashboard further comprising;

a) a screen that employs a backlight to display information to a user;

b) a backlight; and

c) a motion detector, wherein the backlight is turned on by the motion detector upon a detection of motion.

2. The dashboard of claim 1, wherein the dashboard has a screensaver that activates after a selected amount of inactivity from a user.

3. The dashboard of claim 1, wherein, in order to access an installer screen from the home screen, an installer is to press and hold an icon with a finger for a given time period and then drag the finger across the interface.

4. The programs tab of claim 1, wherein the programming screen for programming a time invokes both:

a) a display of an analog clock; and

b) six interface boxes, each including indicia of one of;

i) an hour;

ii) a minute;

iii) an AM/PM;

iv) a day;

v) a month; and

vi) a year.

5. The program screen of claim 4, wherein at least one value of at least one interface box is changed as a user drags at least one clock hand of the analog clock.

6. The program screen of claim 4, wherein at least one value of at least one interface box is adjusted by a user using a number on a clock face as a button to enter a time for the clock.

7. The dashboard of claim 1, wherein at least one device coupled to the HVAC has a coarse adjustment and a fine adjustment displayed to set the device.

8. The dashboard of claim 1, further comprising an installer dashboard with an installer screen, wherein a device within the HVAC to be diagnosed is moved as text by a finger movement from a more left part of a diagnostic interface to a more right part of a diagnostic interface.

9. The installer screen of claim 8, further comprising pushing a start button to begin diagnostics, and removing selected text by dragging the text back to the more left part of the diagnostic interface.

10. An HVAC system including a graphical interface dashboard and at least one coupled device, comprising:

the dashboard, including;

a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen;

an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity;

an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen;

a help tab, wherein invoking the help tab advances to a help screen that provides context sensitive help that presents at least one dialog box related to a function of a current screen;

an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances a user to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature;

a programs tab, wherein pressing the programs tab invokes a programs screen which is configured to program at least one of

i) a time;

ii) temperature setpoints; and

iii) heating/cooling setpoints;

a home tab, wherein invoking the home tab advances a user to a home screen which provides a summary of indoor conditions; and

the at least one coupled device selected from the group including;

a) an air handler;

b) a furnace;

c) an evaporator coil;

d) a condenser coil; and

e) a compressor;

wherein the at least one coupled device is viewable from at least one of the tabs,

said dashboard further comprising;

a) a screen that employs a backlight to display information to a user;

b) a backlight; and

c) a motion detector, wherein the backlight is turned on by the motion detector upon a detection of motion.

11. The dashboard of claim 10, wherein the dashboard has a screensaver that activates after a selected amount of inactivity from a user.

12. The dashboard of claim 10, further comprising allowing a partially locked or fully locked mode.

13. The dashboard of claim 12, wherein the partially locked mode deactivates all buttons except for up-down arrows.

14. The dashboard of claim 13, wherein the fully locked mode deactivates all buttons and removes the up-down arrows from screen.

15. The dashboard of claim 13, wherein to unlock the screen, the user presses and holds a lock-pad icon for a selected period of time.

16. An HVAC graphical interface dashboard, comprising:

a weather tab, wherein invoking the weather tab advances to a weather screen;

an indoor humidity tab, wherein invoking the indoor humidity tab advances to a humidity screen which displays at least a current indoor humidity;

an alerts tab, wherein invoking the alerts tab advances to an alerts screen;

a help tab, wherein invoking the help tab advances to a help screen that provides context sensitive help that presents at least one dialog box related to a function of a current screen;

an indoor settings tab, wherein invoking the indoor settings tab advances to an indoor settings screen which includes a current indoor temperature;

a programs tab, wherein invoking the programs tab advances to a programs screen which is configured to program at least one of;

a) a time;

b) temperature setpoints; and

c) heating/cooling setpoints;

wherein a program schedule of the program tab is divided into a plurality of time zones wherein, upon a time a time zone being invoked for a set period of time;

a) a temperature setpoint for that time period is deactivated,

b) a display of the deactivated setpoints of the deactivated time period appears dim relative to a display of the time period'"'"'s setpoints before deactivation; and

c) the deactivated time period'"'"'s setpoints appear dimmer relative to an active time period'"'"'s setpoints; and

a home tab, wherein invoking the home tab advances to a home screen which provides a summary of indoor conditions,

said dashboard further comprising;

a) a screen that employs a backlight to display information to a user;

b) a backlight; and

c) a motion detector, wherein the backlight is turned on by the motion detector upon a detection of motion.

17. The dashboard of claim 16, wherein the dashboard has a screensaver that activates after a selected amount of inactivity from a user.

18. The home tab of claim 16, wherein the home screen has an alert icon that gives a user an indication that there is at least one alert present in the dashboard.

19. The home screen of claim 18, wherein pressing the alert icon directly navigates to a display page on the thermostat giving a user:

a) more information about the at least one alert;

b) the ability to clear the at least one alert;

or

c) to set a reminder time for a later date for the at least one alert.

20. The home screen of claim 19, wherein the alert icon is one of three colors:

a) a first color to indicate that the HVAC dashboard is currently running in an energy efficient mode;

b) a second color to indicate that a filter needs to be replaced; and

c) a third color to indicate that a piece of equipment is no longer working.