IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0982959
(2010-12-31)
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등록번호 |
US-8690074
(2014-04-08)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Moore, Glenn A.
- Soderlund, Ernest E.
- Poplawski, Daniel S.
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출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
10 인용 특허 :
52 |
초록
▼
The invention provides for a controller such as a thermostat for an air handler including a housing having a circuit board and a display screen, the display screen having at least one alpha-numeric icon and a group of touch sensitive areas having at least two displayable touch sensitive areas. A mic
The invention provides for a controller such as a thermostat for an air handler including a housing having a circuit board and a display screen, the display screen having at least one alpha-numeric icon and a group of touch sensitive areas having at least two displayable touch sensitive areas. A microprocessor provided for the display screen. A sole mechanical button or switch is mounted in the housing and the button has a first end and second end and a touch surface extending between the first end and second end. The sole mechanical button signals the microprocessor in order to adjust the alpha-numeric icon, so that the combination of inputs received by the microprocessor from the group of touch pad sensitive areas and sole mechanical button provide for each and every adjustment required for all of the operational functions of the controller. The mechanical button may be a rocker switch.
대표청구항
▼
1. A thermostat including a microprocessor for controlling an air handler using multiple modes of operation, the thermostat comprising: a housing having a circuit board and a display screen;the display screen having a first and second alpha-numeric icon and a group of touch sensitive areas;a rocker
1. A thermostat including a microprocessor for controlling an air handler using multiple modes of operation, the thermostat comprising: a housing having a circuit board and a display screen;the display screen having a first and second alpha-numeric icon and a group of touch sensitive areas;a rocker switch mounted in the housing adjacent the display screen, the rocker switch having a bar having a unitary body extending between a first end and a second end and the bar is pivotally mounted so that the bar may rock between a first position where the first end is depressed and a second position where the second end is depressed;a first receptor mounted on the circuit board adjacent the first end and a second receptor mounted on the circuit board adjacent the second end;the first and second receptors for signaling the microprocessor in order to adjust the first and second alpha-numeric icon on the display screen during at least a first and a second mode of operation of the thermostat;during the first mode of operation moving the rocker switch to the first or second position to cause an adjustment of the first alpha-numeric icon in relation to the first mode of operation; andduring the second mode of operation moving the rocker switch to the first or second position in order to adjust the first or second alpha-numeric icon in relation to the second mode of operation and the rocker switch being a sole mechanical button so that the combination of inputs received by the microprocessor from the group of touch sensitive areas and sole mechanical button provide for each and every adjustment required for all of the operational functions of the thermostat. 2. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the first mode of operation comprises one of adjusting the temperature setting, time of day setting, day of week setting, programming set point time, installer setting configuration or user setting and the second mode of operation comprises one of adjusting the temperature setting, time of day setting, day of week setting, programming set point time, installer setting configuration or user setting. 3. The thermostat of claim 2, wherein the first mode is different than the second mode. 4. The thermostat of claim 3, wherein the second mode of operation is a set point that is adjusted when the first end contacts the first receptor. 5. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes the at least one alpha-numeric icon that represents one of a programming, configuration, system, fan, hold, day, time, clean, humidity, outdoor, installer or user modes. 6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the rocker switch adjusts one of a time, day, temperature, fan or humidity value. 7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the first receptor is a shorting finger provided on the circuit board. 8. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the first position increments a set point of the first mode of operation. 9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the second position decrements a set point of the first mode of operation. 10. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a pocket and the rocker switch is mounted within the pocket, so that the bar may be rocked therein. 11. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the rocker switch includes a first actuator extending from the first end, a second actuator extending from the second end, and a pivot member disposed between the first and second actuator and the pocket includes a first aperture and the first actuator extends from the bar through the first aperture to the first receptor; the second actuator extends from the bar through the first aperture to the second receptor; and the pivot member extends from the bar through the first aperture to the circuit board. 12. The thermostat of claim 11, wherein the pivot member abuts the circuit board to provide a pivot point and the rocker switch rocking so that the first actuator actuates the first receptor and the second actuator actuates the second receptor. 13. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a graphical icon and upon depressing the first or second end of the bar, the graphical icon on the display is adjusted in order to reflect depressing of the rocker switch. 14. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the icon is numeric and the adjustment by depressing the rocker switch either decrements or increments the numeric. 15. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a touch sensitive area for selecting the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation and the rocker switch for adjusting set points for the modes selected by the touch sensitive area. 16. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the display screen includes a first touch sensitive area for selecting the first mode of operation, wherein the bar is depressed to adjust a set point to a first value for the first mode of operation, a first icon on the display is adjusted to reflect the first value; and a second touch sensitive area provided by the display screen and at least one of the first touch sensitive area or the second touch sensitive area is activated to select the second mode of operation, wherein the bar is depressed to adjust a set point to a second value for the second mode of operation and a second icon on the display is adjusted to reflect the second value. 17. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the first and second icons are displayed simultaneously on the display. 18. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the first value is interdependent on the second value. 19. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the first and second touch sensitive area are activated simultaneously in order to select the first mode of operation. 20. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the first touch sensitive area allows for selection of both the first and second mode of operation. 21. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein multiple icons are displayed on the display screen simultaneously, and upon activation of the touch sensitive area, the first icon is modified to indicate it is the icon being adjusted, while the other icons remain unchanged. 22. The thermostat of claim 21, wherein the modification includes display of a halo around the first icon. 23. The thermostat of claim 22, wherein following display of the halo and depression of the bar; the halo is deactivated and the first icon is adjusted to reflect the first value. 24. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the display screen is an LCD segmented screen. 25. The thermostat of claim 1 wherein the bar is a rigid member. 26. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein by continuously depressing the bar, the icon will sequentially decrement or increment until the bar is released. 27. A controller for an air handler comprising: a housing having a circuit board and a display screen, the display screen having at least one alpha-numeric icon and a group of touch sensitive areas comprising at least two displayable touch sensitive areas;a microprocessor for controlling the display screen;a sole mechanical button mounted in the housing and the button having a first end and second end and a touch surface extending between the first end and second end; andthe sole mechanical button for signaling the microprocessor in order to increment or decrement the alpha-numeric icon, so that the combination of inputs received by the microprocessor from the group of touch sensitive areas and sole mechanical button provide for each and every adjustment required for all of the operational functions of the controller. 28. The controller of claim 27, wherein the mechanical button is a pivotally mounted rocker switch, having a first and second position. 29. The controller of claim 28, wherein the button is mounted in an aperture formed in a front face of the housing so that the touch sensitive area surface is completely exposed at the front face and upon operation of the mechanical button a user may slide her finger, without interruption, from the first end to the second end of the button along the touch sensitive area surface in order to displace the button from the first position to the second position. 30. The controller of claim 29, wherein the button is a rocker switch pivotally mounted within the housing. 31. The controller of claim 29, wherein the button is a rigid member molded of a single integrated bar.
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