Device interface for a building appliance

A portable handheld device for diagnosing an HVAC component, wherein the HVAC component includes a user interface that emits a human perceptible time-coded signal, and wherein a server located on a network stores a database that identifies one or more patterns, with each pattern associated with diagnostic information for an HVAC component, the device comprising:

• a user interface including a display;
• one or more sensors for sensing the human perceptible time-coded signal of the HVAC component, and for providing a corresponding time-coded input signal;
• a wireless input/output port for communicating with the server over a network;
• and
• a controller coupled to the one or more sensors, the user interface and the wireless input/output port, the controller configured to send the corresponding time-coded input signal to the server via the wireless input/output port, and to receive diagnostic information from the server that is associated with the corresponding time-coded input signal, the controller further configured to display at least selected diagnostic information that is received from the server on the display of the device.

A portable handheld device for diagnosing an HVAC component, wherein the HVAC component includes a user interface that emits a time-coded signal, and wherein a server located on a network stores a database that identifies a number of codes, with each code having associated diagnostic information for an HVAC component, the device comprising:

• a user interface including a display;
• one or more sensors for sensing the time-coded signal of the HVAC component, and for providing a corresponding time-coded input signal;
• a wireless input/output port for communicating with the server over a network;
• and
• a controller coupled to the one or more sensors, the user interface and the wireless input/output port, the controller configured to perform a pattern recognition on the time-coded input signal to identify a corresponding code, and to send the identified code to the server via the wireless input/output port, and to receive diagnostic information from the server that is associated with the code, the controller further configured to display at least selected diagnostic information that is received from the server on the display of the device.

A computer readable medium having stored thereon in a non-transitory state software for use by a remote device connectable to a network, the software causing the remote device to execute a method comprising:

• receiving a first data package over a network from a remote device, the first data package including a signal indicative of a diagnostic code associated with a combustion device;
• performing a pattern recognition on the signal received from the remote device based, at least in part, on the one or more patterns stored in a database, each pattern associated with a different diagnostic code for a combustion device;
• associating the signal with a particular diagnostic code;
• and
• transmitting a second data package over the network, the second data package including a command that causes the remote device to display information indicative of the diagnostic code associated with the signal classification.

A method of classifying a signal emitted by a combustion device comprising:

• receiving a signal emitted by a combustion device at a first remote device, the signal indicative of a diagnostic code associated with the combustion device;
• the remote device transmitting a first data package over a network, the first data package including the signal indicative of a diagnostic code associated with a combustion device;
• receiving the first data package at a second remote device;
• the second remote device performing a pattern recognition on the signal received from the first remote device based, at least in part, on the one or more patterns stored in a database, each pattern associated with a different diagnostic code for the combustion device;
• the second remote device associating the signal with a particular diagnostic code;
• and
• the second remote device transmitting a second data package over the network to the first remote device, the second data package including a command that causes the first remote device to display information indicative of the diagnostic code associated with the signal classification.