User interface for an environmental control system

A method of configuring a control schedule for an environmental control system using a control device, the control device having a display and a directional input element, wherein the directional input element comprises a single, discrete input component for receiving user input corresponding to at least two distinct activation directions of the directional input element, and wherein the control schedule comprises information defining a sequence of time periods and control information associated with one or more time periods for controlling the environmental control system, the method comprising:

• performing, by the control device, an editing process for editing a given time period of the control schedule, the editing process comprising:
• displaying a representation of the time period on the display;
• modifying a plurality of parameters associated with the time period based on user input received responsive to directional activation of the directional input element, comprising:
• in a time setting mode, modifying the start of the time period using the directional input element based on directional input from the directional input element;
• responsive to receipt of a confirmation input signal, switching to a temperature setting mode;
• in the temperature setting mode, modifying a temperature control parameter associated with the edited time period based on directional input from the directional input element, and
• responsive to receipt of a further confirmation input signal, switching to the time setting mode and, in the time setting mode, modifying the end time of the time period based on directional input from the directional input element;
• and
• updating the representation of the edited time period on the display in response to the modification;
• and
• the method further comprising controlling the environmental control system in dependence on the control schedule.

A control device for an environmental control system, the control device comprising:

• a display;
• a directional input element, wherein the directional input element comprises a single, discrete input component for receiving user input corresponding to at least two distinct activation directions of the directional input element, and
• a user interface program configured to provide a user interface for configuring a control schedule for the environmental control system, when the user interface program is run on the control device, wherein the control schedule is configurable to define a sequence of time periods, the user interface program configured to:
• perform a time period configuration process for each of a plurality of time periods, the time period configuration process including, for each time period being configured:
• adding a time period to the control schedule;
• displaying on the display a representation of the added time period, the representation being displayed adjacent a representation of a temporally preceding time period of the control schedule if the added time period is not an earliest configured time period of the control schedule;
• in response to directional activation of the directional input element, adjusting a duration of the added time period, and updating the representation to indicate the adjusted duration of the added time period;
• and
• in response to receiving a confirmation input signal, storing the adjusted duration of the given time period in the control schedule;
• wherein the user interface program associates control information with the control schedule designating each time period as one of:
• an ON period during which the environmental control system is to be activated and operating in accordance with a target temperature value configured in the control schedule;
• and
• an OFF period during which the environmental control system is to be one or more of:
• deactivated;
• and operating in a protection mode, wherein, in the protection mode, the environmental control system is generally off but is activated below a protection threshold temperature to prevent damage to the system;
• wherein the user interface program allows the user additionally to configure the target temperature value based on directional activation of the directional input element when performing the time period configuration process for any ON periods but not for any OFF periods;
• wherein the user interface program is configured to repeat the time period configuration process sequentially for a temporal sequence of time periods starting with an earliest time period whilst alternating automatically between adding one of the ON periods and one of the OFF periods to the control schedule, until it is determined that no more time periods are to be added to the control schedule;
• and wherein the control device is configured to store the control schedule to enable control of the environmental control system in dependence on the control schedule.