Thermal Comfort controller with Touch Screen Display

Abstract

A programmable controller such as an HVAC controller that provides a confirmation message to a user indicating that a parameter that has been modified by the user has been or will be saved. Such a confirmation message may help assure a user that their program modifications have been accepted and/or saved by the controller, thereby reducing the anxiety some users feet when programming such controllers.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . A thermal comfort controller comprising:
 a touch screen display;   a memory for storing a programmable schedule, wherein the programmable schedule includes:
 two or more days or groups of days, 
 two or more periods for each of the two or more days or groups of days; 
 a set-point for each of the two or more periods, wherein each set-point includes a set-point time and a set-point temperature; 
   a controller coupled to the memory and the touch screen display, the controller configured to control one or more parts of an HVAC system in accordance with the programmable schedule, the controller further configured to display on the touch screen display:   a first touch region for selecting a particular day or group of days of the programmable schedule;   a first period select touch region defined as a button for selecting a first period of the two or more periods of the programmable schedule;   a second period select touch region defined as a button for selecting a second period of the two or more periods of the programmable schedule, wherein the controller deselects the first period when the second period is selected, and deselects the second period when the first period is selected;   a set-point time display region for displaying the set-point time of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected first or second period;   a set-point temperature display region for displaying the set-point temperature of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected first or second period;   a first up button and a first down button for adjusting the set-point time that is displayed in the set-point time display region; and   a second up button and a second down button for adjusting the set-point temperature that is displayed in the set-point temperature display region.   
   
   
       22 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 21 , wherein the first up button and the first down button, when touched by a user, adjust the set-point time that is displayed in the set-point time display region. 
   
   
       23 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 22 , wherein the first up button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point time ahead. 
   
   
       24 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 23 , wherein the first down button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point time back. 
   
   
       25 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 21 , wherein the second up button and the second down button, when touched by a user, adjust the set-point temperature that is displayed in the set-point temperature display region. 
   
   
       26 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 25 , wherein the second up button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point temperature up. 
   
   
       27 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 26 , wherein the second down button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point temperature down. 
   
   
       28 . A thermal comfort controller comprising:
 a touch screen display;   a memory for storing a programmable schedule, wherein the programmable schedule includes:
 two or more days or groups of days, 
 two or more periods for each of the two or more days or groups of days; 
 a set-point for each of the two or more periods, wherein each set-point includes a set-point time, a set-point heat temperature and a set-point cool temperature; 
   a controller coupled to the memory and the touch screen display, the controller configured to control one or more parts of an HVAC system in accordance with the programmable schedule, the controller further configured to display on the touch screen display:   a first touch region for selecting a particular day or group of days of the programmable schedule;   a first period select touch region defined as a button for selecting a first period of the two or more periods of the programmable schedule;   a second period select touch region defined as a button for selecting a second period of the two or more periods of the programmable schedule, wherein the controller deselects the first period when the second period is selected, and deselects the second period when the first period is selected;   a set-point time display region for displaying the set-point time of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected first or second period;   a set-point heat temperature display region for displaying the set-point heat temperature of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected first or second period;   a set-point cool temperature display region for displaying the set-point cool temperature of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected first or second period;   a first up button and a first down button for adjusting the set-point time that is displayed in the set-point time display region;   a second up button and a second down button for adjusting the set-point heat temperature that is displayed in the set-point heat temperature display region; and   a third up button and a third down button for adjusting the set-point cool temperature that is displayed in the set-point cool temperature display region.   
   
   
       29 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 28 , wherein the first up button and the first down button, when touched by a user, adjust the set-point time that is displayed in the set-point time display region. 
   
   
       30 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 29 , wherein the first up button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point time ahead. 
   
   
       31 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 30 , wherein the first down button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point time back. 
   
   
       32 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 29 , wherein the second up button and the second down button, when touched by a user, adjust the set-point heat temperature that is displayed in the set-point heat temperature display region. 
   
   
       33 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 32 , wherein the second up button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point heat temperature up. 
   
   
       34 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 33 , wherein the second down button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point heat temperature down. 
   
   
       35 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 34 , wherein the third up button and the third down button, when touched by a user, adjust the set-point cool temperature that is displayed in the set-point cool temperature display region. 
   
   
       36 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 35 , wherein the third up button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point cool temperature up. 
   
   
       37 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 36 , wherein the third down button, when touched by the user, adjusts the set-point cool temperature down. 
   
   
       38 . A thermal comfort controller comprising:
 a touch screen display;   a memory for storing a programmable schedule, wherein the programmable schedule includes:
 two or more days or groups of days, 
 each of the two or more days or groups of days including a wake period, a leave period, a return period and a sleep period; 
 a set-point for each of the wake period, the leave period, the return period and the sleep period, wherein each set-point includes a set-point time, a set-point heat temperature and a set-point cool temperature; 
   a controller coupled to the memory and the touch screen display, the controller configured to control one or more parts of an HVAC system in accordance with the programmable schedule, the controller further configured to display on the touch screen display:   a first touch region for selecting a particular day or group of days of the programmable schedule;   a wake period select touch region defined as a button that, which touched, selects the wake period of the programmable schedule;   a leave period select touch region defined as a button that, which touched, selects the leave period of the programmable schedule;   a return period select touch region defined as a button that, which touched, selects the return period of the programmable schedule;   a sleep period select touch region defined as a button that, which touched, selects the sleep period of the programmable schedule;   wherein the controller is configured to only allow one of the wake period, the leave period, the return period and the sleep period to be selected at any given time, and wherein the controller provides an indication on the touch screen display that indicates which of the wake period, the leave period, the return period and the sleep period is currently selected;   a set-point time display region for displaying the set-point time of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected wake period, leave period, return period or sleep period;   a set-point heat temperature display region for displaying the set-point heat temperature of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected wake period, leave period, return period or sleep period;   a set-point cool temperature display region for displaying the set-point cool temperature of the set-point that corresponds to the selected day or group of days and the selected wake period, leave period, return period or sleep period;   a first up button and a first down button positioned adjacent to the set-point time display region for adjusting the set-point time;   a second up button and a second down button positioned adjacent the set-point heat temperature display region for adjusting the set-point heat temperature; and   a third up button and a third down button positioned adjacent the set-point cool temperature display region for adjusting the set-point cool temperature.   
   
   
       39 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 38 , wherein the controller is configured to display on the touch screen display a fan button, that when touched, changes a fan setting. 
   
   
       40 . The thermal comfort controller of  claim 38 , wherein the controller is configured to display on the touch screen display an editing complete button, that when touched, exits an editing mode and saves any changes made.