This application is directed, in general, to a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and, more specifically, to an HVAC system having a user interface, such as a thermostat.
Users interact with HVAC systems through user interfaces. The most common user interface employed today is the thermostat. The most basic thermostats feature one or more dials, switches or levers and allow users to set temperatures. More elaborate thermostats feature a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, perhaps even of the touchscreen variety, and allow users to program their HVAC systems for automatic temperature settings, configure and maintain their HVAC systems and records of historical operation data, allowing the users to gauge the performance and efficiency of their HVAC systems.
Thermostats necessarily include both temperature sensors and control circuitry within their housings. Some user interfaces do not qualify as thermostats, because while they communicate with temperature sensors and control circuitry, they do not include both within their housings.
One aspect provides a user interface. In one embodiment, the user interface includes: (1) a display configured to provide information to a user, (2) a touchpad configured to accept input from the user and (3) a processor and memory coupled to the display and the touchpad and configured to drive the display, the display further configured to display a manual mode screen and a programming mode screen that is separate from the manual mode screen.
Another aspect provides a method of providing separate programming and manual mode screens of a user interface of an HVAC system. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) providing information to a user with a display, (2) accepting input from the user with a touchpad and (3) causing the display to display a manual mode screen and a programming mode screen that is separate from the manual mode screen.
Yet another aspect provides an HVAC system. In one embodiment, the HVAC system includes: (1) a heat pump or a compressor having at least one stage, (2) at least one condenser coil, (3) an expansion valve, (4) at least one evaporator coil, (5) a loop of pipe interconnecting the heat pump or compressor, the at least one condenser coil, the expansion valve and the at least one evaporator coil and containing a refrigerant, (6) at least one fan configured to cause outdoor air and indoor air to blow over the at least one condenser coil and the least one evaporator coil and (7) a user interface, including: (7a) a display configured to provide information to a user, (7b) a touchpad configured to accept input from the user and (7c) a processor and memory coupled to the display and the touchpad and configured to drive the display, the display further configured to display a manual mode screen and a programming mode screen that is separate from the manual mode screen.
Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although unreferenced, the screen 220 shown in
Introduced herein are various embodiments of a user interface having separate manual and programming mode screens. This separate-screen feature addresses a confusing transition between programming mode and manual mode in today's user interfaces in which buttons or information associated with both modes are present on a single screen. With this feature, the programming mode is visually decoupled from the manual mode: programs are hidden in the manual mode, and manual modes are hidden in the programming mode. In conventional user interfaces, even if a user interface is running a program, a user can still see manual settings and is at least a few button clicks away from turning programming off.
In various embodiments, a user can control the mode, easily toggling between programming mode and manual mode. The screen 220 shows one embodiment of a home screen from which a user can, in the illustrated embodiment, select separate manual mode or programming mode screens. A button 320 indicates that the HVAC system is currently operating according to a program, specifically a summer program.
If the user has selected the programming mode, the user can cycle through programs. In the embodiment of
Those skilled in the art to which this application relates will appreciate that other and further additions, deletions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the described embodiments.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/569,859, filed by Bias, et al., on Dec. 13, 2011, entitled “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning System User Interface Having One or More of One-Touch Away Feature, Adjustable Fonts, Proportional Animation Graphics, Service Reminders on a Single Screen, Separate Programming and Manual Mode Screens, Integrated Screen/Housing Skin, Low-Profile Housing, Secure Functional Upgrade Feature and Remote Platform Access Application Associated Therewith,” commonly assigned with this application and incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61569859 | Dec 2011 | US |