Hvac controller with context sensitive help screens

Abstract

An HVAC controller is described that is configured to be more intuitive and user friendly to program and operate than convention HVAC controllers. In some instances, the HVAC controller may include a touch screen interface that provides greater flexibility in displaying information to the user and/or soliciting information from the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermostat configured to control one or more components of a Heating, Ventilation, and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, the thermostat comprising:
 a touch screen display;   a plurality of terminals each for receiving a control wire from an HVAC system;   a controller operatively coupled to the touch screen display and the plurality of terminals, the controller configured to operate a control algorithm that at least partially controls one or more components of an HVAC system by applying one or more control signals to the plurality of terminals, the control algorithm configured to reference a plurality of programmable parameters including a system mode parameter and a fan mode parameter;   the controller further configured to display a navigation bar along the top of the touch screen display, the navigation bar including a system mode button and a fan mode button;   wherein when the system mode button of the navigation bar is selected by a user via the touch screen display, the controller is configured to simultaneously display three or more selectable settings for the system mode parameter, and to accept a selection between the three or more selectable settings for the system mode parameter via the touch screen display, the three or more selectable settings for the system mode parameter including a heat setting, a cool setting and an off setting, the controller is further configured to display on the touch screen display three or more textual descriptions, one for each of the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter to aid the user in making a selection between the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter; and   wherein when the fan mode button of the navigation bar is selected by a user via the touch screen display, the controller is configured to simultaneously display two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter, and to accept a selection between the two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter via the touch screen display, the two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter including an on setting and an automatic setting, the controller is further configured to display on the touch screen display two or more textual descriptions, one for each of the two or more selectable settings of the fan mode parameter to aid the user in making a selection between the two or more selectable settings of the fan mode parameter.   
     
     
         2 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein a current setting of the system mode parameter is simultaneously displayed with one or more of the textual descriptions of the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter. 
     
     
         3 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein a current setting of the fan mode parameter is simultaneously displayed with one or more of the textual descriptions of the two or more selectable settings of the fan mode parameter. 
     
     
         4 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to display the three or more textual descriptions of the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter simultaneously on the touch screen display. 
     
     
         5 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to display the two or more textual descriptions of the two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter simultaneously on the touch screen display. 
     
     
         6 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the heat setting of the system mode parameter indicates that selecting the heat setting will allow a heating system of the HVAC system to be activated. 
     
     
         7 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the cool setting of the system mode parameter indicates that selecting the cool setting will allow a cooling system of the HVAC system to be activated. 
     
     
         8 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the off setting of the system mode parameter indicates that selecting the off setting will not allow either a heating system or a cooling system of the HVAC system to be activated. 
     
     
         9 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the on setting of the fan mode parameter indicates that selecting the on setting will cause a fan of the HVAC system to be always on. 
     
     
         10 . The thermostat of  claim 1 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the automatic setting of the fan mode parameter indicates that selecting the automatic setting will cause a fan of the HVAC system to be on when either a heating or a cooling system of the HVAC system is activated. 
     
     
         11 . A thermostat configured to control one or more components of a Heating, Ventilation, and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, the thermostat comprising:
 a touch screen display;   a controller operatively coupled to the touch screen display, the controller configured to operate a control algorithm that at least partially controls one or more components of an HVAC system, the control algorithm configured to reference a plurality of programmable parameters including a system mode parameter; and   the controller is further configured to simultaneously display three or more selectable settings for the system mode parameter, and to accept a selection between the three or more selectable settings for the system mode parameter via the touch screen display, the three or more selectable settings for the system mode parameter including a heat setting, a cool setting and an off setting, the controller is further configured to display on the touch screen display three or more textual descriptions, one for each of the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter to aid a user in making a selection between the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter.   
     
     
         12 . The thermostat of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to display the three or more textual descriptions of the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter simultaneously on the touch screen display. 
     
     
         13 . The thermostat of  claim 11 , wherein a current setting of the system mode parameter is simultaneously displayed with one or more of the textual descriptions of the three or more selectable settings of the system mode parameter. 
     
     
         14 . The thermostat of  claim 11 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the heat setting of the system mode parameter indicates that selecting the heat setting will allow a heating system of the HVAC system to be activated. 
     
     
         15 . The thermostat of  claim 11 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the cool setting of the system mode parameter indicates that selecting the cool setting will allow a cooling system of the HVAC system to be activated. 
     
     
         16 . The thermostat of  claim 11 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the off setting of the system mode parameter indicates that selecting the off setting will not allow either a heating system or a cooling system of the HVAC system to be activated. 
     
     
         17 . A thermostat configured to control one or more components of a Heating, Ventilation, and/or Air Conditioning (HVAC) system, the thermostat comprising:
 a touch screen display;   a controller operatively coupled to the touch screen display, the controller configured to operate a control algorithm that at least partially controls one or more components of an HVAC system, the control algorithm configured to reference a plurality of programmable parameters including a fan mode parameter;   the controller is further configured to simultaneously display two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter, and to accept a selection between the two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter via the touch screen display, the two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter including an on setting and an automatic setting, the controller is further configured to display on the touch screen display two or more textual descriptions, one for each of the two or more selectable settings of the fan mode parameter to aid a user in making a selection between the two or more selectable settings of the fan mode parameter.   
     
     
         18 . The thermostat of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to display the two or more textual descriptions of the two or more selectable settings for the fan mode parameter simultaneously on the touch screen display. 
     
     
         19 . The thermostat of  claim 17 , wherein a current setting of the fan mode parameter is simultaneously displayed with one or more of the textual descriptions of the two or more selectable settings of the fan mode parameter. 
     
     
         20 . The thermostat of  claim 17 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the on setting of the fan mode parameter indicates that selecting the on setting will cause a fan of the HVAC system to be always on. 
     
     
         21 . The thermostat of  claim 17 , wherein the textual description that corresponds to the automatic setting of the fan mode parameter indicates that selecting the automatic setting will cause a fan of the HVAC system to be on when either a heating or a cooling system of the HVAC system is activated.