Programmable controllers and schedule timers

A user interface system for programming a schedule of a programmable device, the user interface system comprising:

• processor means;
• a display unit coupled to the processor means;
• wherein the processor means configured to provide a graphical display on the display unit;
• a time select region for programming at least one time period for the schedule, characterised in that the time select region is displayed on the display unit as a dial divided into a plurality of segments, each segment representing a period of time in a day for an operating parameter of the device;
• wherein the time select region is interactively operable to enable a user to select one or more segments on the dial, in which the selected one or more segments correspond to a first time period for the schedule and any unselected segments correspond to a further time period for the schedule, the one or more segments are selectable by a user positioning and dragging pointing means over unselected segments of the dial and one or more segments are deselectable by a user positioning and dragging pointing means over the one or more selected segments of the dial,
• wherein the processor means is further configured to display graphically on the display unit a temperature setting region which is interactively operable to enable a target temperature to be set for a time period set by a user for the schedule;
• and
• wherein the schedule is programmable by accessing the user interface system via an Internet website, via an application executing on a mobile computing device, and/or via a control panel for the device.

A method of programming a schedule of a programmable device using a user interface system having a processor means and a display unit coupled to the processor means, the processor means configured to provide a graphical display on the display unit including a time select region for programming at least one time period for the schedule, the time select region displayed on the display unit as a dial divided into a plurality of segments, each segment representing a period of time in a day for an operating parameter of the device, the method comprising the steps of:

• selecting one or more segments on the dial, in which the selected one or more segments correspond to a first time period for the schedule and any unselected segments correspond to a further time period for the schedule, wherein the step of selecting one or more segments of the dial involves a user positioning and dragging pointing means over unselected segments of the dial and a step of deselecting one or more segments of the dial involves a user positioning and dragging pointing means over selected segments of the dial,
• setting a target temperature for a time period set by a user on an interactively operable temperature setting region displayed graphically on the display unit by the processor means, and
• programming the schedule by accessing the user interface system via an Internet website, via an application executing on a mobile computing device, and/or via a control panel for the device.