Depending on features being supported, different parts of a user interface are required.
Input:
On/Off. This is required in all variations, and allows the user to
turn the system off. This may be desired when away on vacation, or when
servicing the HVAC system. It may be desirable to allow the user to
tie this into an off switch on the existing thermostat, but this may
cause too much complexity for some users to install, or vary too much
based on the thermostat.
Output: On status. This is required in
all variations. If the on/off input is handled with a slide switch, the
visible state of the switch can cover this. Otherwise an LED that
blinks occasionally(to conserve power) may be used.
Input: Cycle
time. This is required in all variations, and allows the user to
configure based on the attributes of their home. In the basic model,
this can be dip switch settings. In a more advanced model with push
buttons and an LCD or wireless, this can be set through that interface. The cycle
time is the larger window of time that the minimum run time must be met
during. For instance, this value could be 1 hour.
Input: Run
time. This is required in all variations, and allows the user to
configure based on the attributes of their home. In the basic model,
this can be dip switch settings. In a more advanced model with push
buttons and an LCD or wireless, this can be set through that interface. The cycle
time is the the minimum fan run time to enforce during the cycle time.
For instance, this value could be 6 minutes. In this example, the
module would make sure the fan runs for at least 6 minutes every 1 hour.
Looked at another way, there will never be a period of more than 54
minutes where the fan does not run.
Output: Fan status. This is
desired in all variations, but may not be required. It could be an LED
or other output that indicates if the module has turned on the fan.
Input/Output:
LCD and buttons. This is optional, for advanced features. This would
support an easier to use way to set the run time and cycle times,
displaying on/off and fan status, as well as supporting scheduling.
Input:
Remote temperature. This is optional, for advanced features. This
would allow one or more remote sensors that the module could use to make
a more intelligent decision about running the fan. As nominally
described, the module simply maintains a minimum fan running duty cycle.
With remote sensing(for instance upstairs and downstairs), the module
could run the fan more or less depending on temperature differential
between remote and local. This could be wired or wireless.
Input/Output:
Wireless BLE Management interface. This is optional, for advanced features. It
would allow connection of the module to a smart device or computer for
controlling a UI for advanced features(setting run, cycle times, status
display, scheduling, temperature reporting), as well as remote control.
This would allow the more advanced features, while not requiring an LCD
and pushbuttons.
Discussions
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