Looking for breakthrough ideas for innovation challenges? Try Patsnap Eureka!

Display apparatus and method having multiple day programming capability for an environmental control system

a technology of environmental control system and display apparatus, which is applied in lighting and heating apparatus, heating types, instruments, etc., can solve the problems of cumbersome use of some features, insufficient detail of control units used with hvac systems, and complex hvac systems, so as to facilitate the interface and limit flexibility in programming or display capabilities.

Inactive Publication Date: 2011-01-06
LENNOX IND
View PDF77 Cites 34 Cited by
  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a display apparatus for an environmental control system that allows multiple days to be programmed with a single button. The display includes multiple loci that are responsive to pressure for effecting a response, as well as fixed segment data format and dot matrix data format loci for programming. The display also includes a clean screen feature that allows certain parameters to be turned on or off. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a more efficient and user-friendly way to program the environmental control system.

Problems solved by technology

HVAC systems have become more complex in recent years.
Control units for use with HVAC systems have not been sufficiently detailed and varied in the information provided for a user to permit efficient use of features of the HVAC system.
Complexity in programming and displaying information has caused some confusion to the extent that some users do not employ all of the features of an HVAC system, or find that the employment of some features is cumbersome.
Some attempts at facilitating the interface between a user and an HVAC control unit have involved limiting flexibility in the programming or display capabilities of the control unit.
Such oversimplification of a control unit may also limit employment of features or capabilities of a HVAC system.

Method used

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
View more

Image

Smart Image Click on the blue labels to locate them in the text.
Viewing Examples
Smart Image
  • Display apparatus and method having multiple day programming capability for an environmental control system
  • Display apparatus and method having multiple day programming capability for an environmental control system
  • Display apparatus and method having multiple day programming capability for an environmental control system

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

Embodiment Construction

[0060]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a thermostat display configured according to the teachings of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a thermostat display 10 may be appropriate for use with a control unit in an environmental control system such as, by way of example and not by way of limitation, a Heating Ventilating Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. Display 10 may include a plurality of touch responsive loci configured to respond to pressure applied to respective touch responsive loci for effecting respective responses.

[0061]In the exemplary display 10 illustrated FIG. 1, touch responsive loci 12 may be generally indicated by delineated directional areas 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 20n annotated with directional symbols indicating alteration or adjustment of a parameter up or down. Actuation may be carried out in any known manner, preferably by pressing or depressing an individual locus 20n in the manner of a touch screen input device known by those skilled in the art of design of control devi...

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

PUM

No PUM Login to View More

Abstract

A display apparatus for a control unit in an environmental control system; the display apparatus including: a display area presenting a plurality of first loci, a plurality of second loci and at least one third locus; each respective first locus of the plurality of first loci being responsive to pressure for effecting a respective response; each respective second locus of the plurality of second loci presenting information using a fixed segment data format; at least one third locus of the at least one third locus presenting information using a dot matrix data format; the display apparatus configured to allow multiple days to be programmed with a single button.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 197,078, filed by Thorson, et al., on Aug. 22, 2008, entitled “Display Apparatus and Method for a Control Unit for an Environmental Control System,” commonly assigned with this application and incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 197,127, filed by Mirza on Aug. 22, 2008, entitled “Display Apparatus and Method for Entering a Reminder in a Control Unit for an Environmental Control System,” commonly assigned herewith and incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]This application is directed to heating ventilating air conditioning (HVAC) system controller devices, and especially to a display apparatus and method having multiple day programming capability for an environmental control system.BACKGROUND[0003]HVAC systems have become more complex in recent years. Control units for use with HVAC ...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More

Application Information

Patent Timeline
no application Login to View More
Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06F3/048G06F3/01
CPCB60H1/00985F24F2011/0091B60H1/00657G05D23/1902F24F11/00G05D23/1951B60H1/0065F24F11/001F24F11/0086G06F3/04847G06F3/0484F24F2011/0057F24F11/0012G05D23/00B60H1/00642F24F11/0009F24F2221/32F24F2011/0068G06F3/048F24F11/30F24F2110/00F24F2110/10F24F2120/20F24F11/56F24F11/52F24F11/523F24F11/63F24F11/65
Inventor WALLAERT, TIMOTHY E.
Owner LENNOX IND
Who we serve
  • R&D Engineer
  • R&D Manager
  • IP Professional
Why Patsnap Eureka
  • Industry Leading Data Capabilities
  • Powerful AI technology
  • Patent DNA Extraction
Social media
Patsnap Eureka Blog
Learn More
PatSnap group products