GB2536495A

GB2536495A - Remote temperature control unit

Info

Publication number: GB2536495A
Application number: GB1504767.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thonley Julian
Original assignee: Ideal Boilers Ltd
Current assignee: Ideal Boilers Ltd
Priority date: 2015-03-20
Filing date: 2015-03-20
Publication date: 2016-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-20
Also published as: GB201504767D0; GB2536495B

Abstract

A remote temperature control unit 1 comprises a polychrome display screen 15 and a monochrome display screen 17. The unit 1 may be a central heating control unit or thermostat connected to a temperature sensor and may comprise a wireless transmitter and receiver. The unit 1 may have a first mode where settings are displayed on the polychrome screen and a second mode in which status information is displayed on the monochrome screen 17. The monochrome screen 17 may be located in front of the polychrome screen 15 and there may be a touch screen 9 in front of the monochrome screen 17. A further reflective layer 16 may allow light from the polychrome screen to pass through it and a backlight 14 may be located behind the polychrome screen 15. Polychrome screen 15 may be a TFT screen and monochrome screen 17 an LCD screen. A central heating control system and a method of displaying temperature control system information are also claimed.

Description

Remote Temperature Control Unit Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote temperature control unit, in particular to a thermostat for controlling central heating/air conditioning in a building.

Background to the Invention

Conventionally, central heating controls have been hard-wired from a position in which the thermostat is located, to a boiler. Recently, such central heating control units have been provided with screens and even colour touch-screens which allow for central control of the temperature in a number of different zones (e.g. the rooms of a house).

Colour (polychrome) touchscreens are considered desirable and indicative of a high-quality product, which are capable of displaying more information than a black and white (monochrome) display. However colour screens tend to require a sign ficant amount of power. Wireless remote thermostats are also known which communicate with a receiver connected to a boiler to control the central heating, in view of the power consumption of colour screens, such thermostats typically have monochrome displays.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a remote temperature control unit comprising a polychrome screen and a monochrome screen.

By providing a polychrome screen and a monochrome screen, the different screens can be used for different operations in order to save power. For example, for adjusting settings using the device, options can be displayed on the polychrome screen, this can be done in the same format as a mobile phone "app", which is particularly advantageous if the system includes a mobile phone "app" for additionally controlling the system via a mobile phone, as the same program can operate on both devices. On the other hand, for continual display of status information (e.g. current temperature or set temperature), the monochrome display can be used.

Preferably the temperature control unit is a central heating control unit.

Preferably the temperature control unit is a thermostat.

Preferably the temperature control unit comprises a controller connected to a temperature sensor and the display screens.

Preferably the temperature control unit is battery-powered.

Battery powered screens can be located at any position within an environment (e.g. a house) without the need to run wires to the screen to power it. However, the amount of power drawn by polychrome screens could quickly use up the stored power in a battery, so the potential to use a monochrome screen for certain operations offers a significant advantage.

I5 Preferably the temperature control unit comprises a wireless transmitter for transmitting instructions to a boiler controller.

With the ability to transmit data wirelessly, a boiler can be controlled by the central heating control unit without the need for a wired connection between the unit and the boiler controller.

Preferably the temperature control unit comprises a wireless receiver.

This allows information from the boiler controller to be received and optionally displayed without the need for a wired connection.

Preferably the temperature control unit comprises two modes, a first mode, in which information is displayed on the polychrome screen and a second mode in which information is displayed on the monochrome screen.

Preferably the first mode is a user adjustment mode in which information relating to settings is displayed using the polychrome screen.

Preferably the second mode is a status display mode, in which status information is displayed using the monochrome screen.

Preferably the temperature control unit comprises a touch screen to receive inputs based on a user touching the screen.

Preferably the polychrome screen, the monochrome screen and optionally the touchscreen overlap. With the screens overlapping less space is required for the screens.

Preferably the monochrome screen is located in front of the polychrome screen, more preferably directly in front of the polychrome screen. Preferably the touch screen is located in front of, more preferably directly in front of the monochrome screen I5 Preferably the monochrome screen, the polychrome screen and optionally the touch screen substantially completely overlap. With the screens substantially completely overlapping (such that substantially all of at least one screen overlaps with the screen in front or behind it) the screens only take up the space required by one screen.

Preferably a further layer is provided between the polychrome screen and the monochrome screen. Preferably the further layer is configured to allow passage of light from the polychrome screen. Preferably the reflective layer is a one-way reflective layer and preferably it reflects light from in front of the monochrome screen and allows light from the polychrome screen to pass through it. The reflective layer may or example be a mirrored layer or a white layer. This is particularly advantageous when the polychrome screen is black when turned off and when the monochrome screen is an LCD, because LCD displays rely on light reflected (or illuminated) from behind them to be visible.

Preferably a backlight is provided behind the polychrome screen. Preferably the backlight turns on and off in synchrony with the polychrome screen.

Preferably the polychrome screen is a thin-film-transistor (TFT) display screen and/or, the monochrome screen is a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen.

Preferably the TFT screen is a quarter video graphics array (QVGA) backlit colour TFT display. These screens are readily available and low-cost, but because of the backlight required they are unsuitable to being used continually for a long period, especially when powered by batteries.

Preferably the monochrome display screen is a twisted nematic (TN)LCD screen. Such screens are again low cost and also require very little power to maintain an image and can use reflected ambient light for Iluminat on. Accordingly they are well suited for continually displaying status information, even when battery powered.

Preferably the temperature control unit is programmed to operate the monochrome screen and the polychrome screen consecutively, not simultaneously.

A second aspect of the invention provides a central heating control system comprising a remote temperature control unit as set out above and a transceiver connectable to a boiler to receive signals from the remote central heating control unit and send control signals to the boiler.

The transceiver may be a radio frequency transceiver.

The central heating control system may further comprise a wired Ethernet gateway for connecting the transceiver and/or the remote central heating control unit to a network.

The central heating control system may further comprise a router for connecting a cell-phone to the network e.g. via wifi or mobile internet.

The system may further comprise a cell-phone having a central heating control app installed thereon.

The central heating control app may display the same images as are displayed on the polychrome screen.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of displaying information relating to a temperature control system comprising displaying status information on a first, monochrome screen, and displaying user adjustment information on a second, polychrome screen.

I5 This allows status information to be displayed in the absence of any user-input, using a low-energy display, but when a user input is detected, to display more information or make the information easier to understand, by using a superior, polychrome screen, with a higher energy usage.

Preferably the method comprises displaying user adjustment information in response to receiving an input from a user and displaying status information after a predetermined period has elapsed from the last input from the user.

Preferably the user adjustment information is displayed in colour on the polychrome screen.

Preferably the predetermined period is at least 5 seconds, more preferably at least 10 seconds and even more preferably at least 30 seconds.

In the method, the information is preferably displayed on a remote temperature control unit according to the first aspect of the invention (including any of its preferred features), or displays information concerning a central heating control system according to the second aspect of the invention (including any of its preferred features).

Detailed Description of the Invention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows schematically a central heating control system incorporating a central heating control unit according to the invention; Figure 2 shows schematically a cross section through the display screen of the central heating control unit of figure 1; Figure 3 shows an isometric view of the central heating control unit of figures 1 and 2 with the monochrome screen activated; and Figure 4 shows an isometric view of the central heating control unit of figures 1 to 3 with the polychrome screen activated.

As shown in figure 1, a temperature control unit 1, which is a central heating control unit can connect wirelessly with a radiofrequency transceiver 2, which is connected to a boiler 3, in order to pass instructions, from the central heating unit to the boiler 3, for example turning up the heat. The wireless connection may be for example radiofrequency, such as at 433Mhz The central heating control unit 1 and the radiofrequency transceiver 2 are also in communication with a wired Ethernet gateway 4, which can pass information signals via the Ethernet to a wireless router 5. The wireless router 5 can exchange information with a cell phone 6, or other wifi enabled device, such that with a suitable application, the cell-phone 6 or other device can also adjust the central heating. The router 5 is also connected via a phone line or the like to a web server 7, such that the cell phone 6 may send instructions via the mobile internet etc. The temperature control unit I is a thermostat and as is conventional, the thermostat includes an electronic memory, such as an electronically erasable programmable read-only-memory (EEPROM), in which settings are stored. The settings may include temperature set-points associated with the time of day etc. I5 The thermostat further includes an internal temperature sensor (not shown), which sensor allows for determining the sensed temperature within the space. The sensor preferably comprises a temperature responsive device that outputs a variable, value or signal that is indicative of the temperature in the space. The sensor may be any of a number of sensor types, and may comprise a crystal, oscillator or other electronic component having a frequency that responsively changes with temperature. Alternatively, the sensor may comprise a thermistor having a resistance value that changes in response to changes in temperature. The sensor could also be a device capable of communicating a voltage value that correlates to, or is indicative of, the temperature sensed in the space.

The sensor may include circuitry to permit the sensor to communicate an absolute value of the temperature to a tenth of degree Fahrenheit. Likewise, the sensor may also include circuitry to enable communication of temperature information on a periodic basis, or upon request, such as when prompted by a microprocessor of the thermostat.

Accordingly, in the various embodiments, the temperature sensor is configured to sense and provide information that is indicative of the sensed temperature in the space.

Referring to figure 2, the thermostat further includes a display device 8 which comprises at least one user input means for permitting user adjustment or selection, for example. The input means comprises a touch-sensitive switch membrane 9 forming the front surface of the display device 8, which may be associated with icons displayed on the display device. Alternatively, the display device 8 may be associated with one or more buttons for use in adjustment, navigation and/or selection purposes.

The thermostat further includes a microprocessor (not shown) that is in communication with the at least one temperature sensor (not shown), and obtains the output or signal information from the sensor indicative ofthe temperature in the space for use in determining a sensed temperature value. The thermostat microprocessor is configured to compare the sensed temperature to a predefined temperature set-point, and to control operation of the boiler 3 by initiating signals sent to the radiofrequency transceiver 2 and on to the boiler 3 to activate the heating unit where the space temperature is below a predefined temperature set-point.

The microprocessor preferably includes a software program for controlling the thermostat to control operation of the heating control system to maintain a select predefined set-point temperature for a space. Specifically, the microprocessor is programmed or encoded with software instructions that are operable to compare the sensed temperature to a predefined temperature set-point and to initiate signals to activate the climate control system to maintain a set-point temperature.

The thermostat also includes a battery housing (not shown) for connecting a battery (not shown), which provides power to the thermostat.

Referring to figures 3 and 4, the display device 8, housed in the housing 22 of the remote temperature control unit 1, is intended to reduce the amount of power required to continually display a black and white image showing e.g. current settings 19, current temperature 18 and time and date 21, as shown in figure 3, but still allow a colour display replicating that on a cell-phone display with colour icons 10, 11, 12, 13 as shown in figure 4, each having different colours to ease understanding, and each being located such that settings may be adjusted by touching the touch-sensitive switch membrane 9 where the icons appear. Accordingly, at the rear of the display device, a backlight 14 is provided, the backlight 14 emits light toward the front of the display device 8 (as indicated by arrow A), through a polychrome display screen 15 which in this embodiment takes the form of a QVGA TFT screen and is situated directly in front of the backlight 14.

In front of the polychrome display screen 15, a one-way reflective screen 16 is situated. The one-way reflective screen 16 allows light from the backlit TFT screen to pass through it, but also reflects some incident light (as depicted by arrow B) back towards the front of the screen (as shown by arrow C).

The reflection of light back from the reflective screen 16 is useful because in front of the reflective screen 16, there is a monochrome display screen 17, which in this embodiment is a twisted nematic (TN) LCD screen. The monochrome display screen 17 (and indeed the reflective screen 16 and touch sensitive membrane 9) and the polychrome display screen 15 completely overlap, such that the monochrome display screen 17 is directly in front of the polychrome screen 15 (with respect to a user (not shown)).

Normally, when turned off, a QVGA Tyr screen is essentially black, reflecting little or no light, however, an LCD screen requires light to be reflected through its transparent pixels (in which the molecules are twisted), but not through those pixels that are dark (where the molecules are untwisted). Accordingly a reflective screen 17 allows a certain amount of light to be reflected such that icons displayed on the LCD screen are visible even when the backlight 14 is not illuminated. The reflective screen 17 may be a white screen, or have a mirrored surface, or may even be translucent, provided that it allows (at least some) light from the polychrome screen to pass through it and reflects back some light passing through the monochrome screen.

Of course, although in this most preferred arrangement, the monochrome screen 17 and the polychrome screen 15 are arranged one in front of the other, with a reflective screen 16 intervening, the screens could be located side by side. Obviously this would require more space, but it would negate the requirement for a reflective screen 16 when the polychrome screen 15 absorbs light and the monochrome screen 17 requires reflected light to operate. In another alternative, a polychrome screen 15 with a white surface when turned off could be used to avoid the requirement for a reflective layer.

Twisted nematic LCD screens are polarised and some polychrome screens 15 emit polarised light. Accordingly, the screens are arranged such that the light emitted from the polychrome screen 15 has a suitable polarisation to pass through the monochrome screen 17 (when it is turned off). If this arrangement cannot be accommodated, it would be possible to provide a layer which scatters the light randomising the polarisation, or which changes the polarisation suitably. The reflective layer 16 may be suitably chosen to achieve this effect.

Although the backlight 14 is intended to light the polychrome screen 16, it may be operable, e.g. by a button (not shown) to light up temporarily to provide additional brightness to the monochrome screen 17, to allow easy viewing when the surroundings are dark.

In use, the controller is programmed to receive temperature information from the sensor as is conventional; to allow adjustment of settings relating to temperature and I0 operating times/days based on an input through the touch-sensitive switch membrane 9 and to display suitable icons using the polychrome screen to correspond with positions on the screen such that it is clear to the user what effect touching a particular part of the screen will have. Based on these settings, the controller causes signals to be transmitted to the RF receiver 2 and passed on to the boiler 3 to control its function. This could for example take the form described in US2014/319232.

An initial touch on the touch-sensitive switch membrane 9, or a separate button (not shown) activates a first mode, in which the polychrome screen 15 displays, in colour, as shown in figure 4, icons corresponding to locations on the screen to allow the settings to be adjusted and activate the backlight 15 to illuminate. After a predetermined period, e.g. 30 seconds, after the last touch on the touch-sensitive switch membrane 9, a second mode is activated, in which the polychrome screen 15 and the backlight 14 cease to operate and, as shown in figure 3, the monochrome screen 17 is caused to display certain information, for example current temperature 18, target temperature 19, operation mode 20 (e.g. heating/cooling) and current time and date 21. This monochrome screen17 remains operative continually, to display this useful information so that it can be readily checked, until the touch-sensitive switch membrane 9 is touched, which as discussed above activates the backlight 14 and polychrome screen 15 to allow settings to be adjusted. The cycle continues with the backlight 14 and polychrome screen 15 ceasing to operate, and the monochrome screen 17 activating once again, a predetermined period after the touch-sensitive switch membrane 9 is touched.

In another embodiment, a single touch of the touch-sensitive switch membrane 9 may simply activate the backlight 14, but neither activate the polychrome screen 15, nor deactivate the monochrome screen 17, to allow easier viewing of the monochrome screen 17 in poor light conditions -tapping the s touch-sensitive switch membrane 9 twice may cause the controller to deactivate the monochrome screen 17 and activate the polychrome screen 15 (and the backlight 14).

The above embodiment is described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSA remote temperature control unit comprising a polychrome screen and a monochrome screen.
A remote temperature control unit according to claim 1, which is a central heating control unit.
A remote temperature control unit according to claim 1 or 2, which is a thermostat.
A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims comprising a controller connected to a temperature sensor and the display screens.
A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims which is battery-powered.
6. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a wireless transmitter for transmitting instructions to a boiler I5 controller.
A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a wireless receiver.
8. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims which comprises two modes, a first mode, in which information is displayed on polychrome screen and a second mode in which information is displayed on the monochrome screen.
A remote temperature control unit according to claim 8 wherein the first mode is a user adjustment mode in which information relating to settings is displayed using the polychrome screen.
10. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 8 or 9 wherein the second mode is a status display mode, in which status information is displayed using the monochrome screen.
11. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims further comprising a touch screen to receive inputs based on a user touching the screen.
12. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the polychrome screen, the monochrome screen and optionally the touchscreen overlap.
13. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the monochrome screen is located in front of the polychrome screen.
14. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 13 wherein the monochrome screen is located directly in front of the polychrome screen.
15. A remote temperature control unit according to any of claims 11 to 14 wherein the touch screen is located in front of the monochrome screen.
16. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 15 wherein the touch screen is located directly in front of the monochrome screen.
17. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the monochrome screen, the polychrome screen and optionally the touch screen substantially completely overlap.
18. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein a further layer is provided between the polychrome screen and the monochrome screen.
19. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 18 wherein the further layer is configured to allow passage of light from the polychrome screen.
20. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 18 or 19 wherein the further layer is a one-way reflective layer.
21. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 20 wherein the further layer reflects light from in front of the monochrome screen and allows light from the polychrome screen to pass through it.
22. A remote temperature control layer according to claim 21 wherein the reflective layer is a mirrored layer or a white layer.
23. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein a backlight is provided behind the polychrome screen.
24. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 23 wherein the backlight turns on and off in synchrony with the polychrome screen.
25. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the polychrome screen is a thin-film-transistor (TFT) display screen and/or, the monochrome screen is a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen.
26. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 25 wherein the TFT screen is a quarter video graphics array (QVGA) backlit colour TFT display.
27. A remote temperature control unit according to claim 25 wherein the monochrome display screen is a twisted nematic (TN) LCD screen.
28. A remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims which is programmed to operate the monochrome screen and the polychrome screen consecutively, not simultaneously.
29. A central heating control system comprising a remote temperature control unit according to any of the preceding claims and a transceiver connectable to a boiler to receive signals from the remote central heating control unit and send control signals to the boiler.
30. A central heating control system according to claim 29 wherein the transceiver is a radio frequency transceiver.
31. A central heating control system according to claim 29 or 30 further comprising a wired Ethernet gateway for connecting the transceiver and/or the remote central heating control unit to a network.
32. A central heating control system according to any of claims 29 to 31 further comprising a router for connecting a cell-phone to the network.
33. A central heating control system according to any of claims 29 to 32 further comprising a cell-phone.
34. A central heating control system according to claim 33 wherein the cell phone has a central heating control application installed thereon.
35. A central heating control system according to claim 33 or 34 wherein the cell phone is caused to display the same images that are displayed on the polychrome screen.
36. A method of displaying information relating to a temperature control system comprising displaying status information on a first, monochrome screen, and displaying user adjustment information on a second, polychrome screen.
37. A method according to claim 36 comprising displaying user adjustment information in response to receiving an input from a user and displaying status information after a predetermined period has elapsed from the last input from the user.
38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the predetermined period is at least 5 seconds.
39. A method according to claim 37 wherein the predetermined period is at least 10 seconds.
40. A method according to claim 37 wherein the predetermined period is at least 30 seconds.
41. A method of displaying information according to any of claims 36 to 40 wherein the information is displayed on a remote temperature control unit according to any of claims 1 to 28, or displays information concerning a central heating control system according to any of claims 29 to 35. Is
42. A remote temperature control unit, thermostat, central heating control unit, or central heating control system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.