Controller system user interface

A thermostat comprising:

• a user interface including a display screen;
• a controller coupled to the user interface and causing a display image to be displayed on the display screen, wherein the display image includes three distinct display image regions, wherein each display image is defined, at least in part, by one or more boundary lines;
• at least one of the three display images includes a function label portion and a function setting portion, wherein the function label portion and the function setting portion are separated, at least in part, by a partitioning line;
• and
• the user interface having three buttons each corresponding to and positioned directly adjacent to one of the three display image regions thereby forming three softkeys, wherein when a selected one of the buttons is pushed, the controller changes the function setting that is displayed in the function setting portion of the corresponding display image region of the at least one of the three display images that includes a function label portion and a function setting portion from a first function setting to a second function setting.

A wall mountable thermostat for controlling an HVAC system of a home or other building, the thermostat comprising:

• a user interface including a display screen and a button positioned directly adjacent to the display screen;
• a controller configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment of the building;
• the controller coupled to the user interface and causing a display image to be displayed on the display screen, wherein the display image includes a defined display image region that forms only part of the display image and that is positioned directly adjacent to the button to collectively form a softkey, the display image region is defined, at least in part, by one or more visible boundary lines in the display image, the display image region includes a first portion for displaying a visible function label that defines the function of the softkey, and a second portion for displaying one of two or more available function settings for the softkey, wherein the first portion and the second portion are divided, at least in part, by a visible partitioning line segment displayed on the display screen;
• the controller also monitoring the user interface, and in response to a user activating the button of the softkey, the controller changing the visible function setting displayed in the second portion of the display image region from a first function setting to a second function setting of the two or more available function settings;
• and
• the controller, in response to a user repeatedly activating the button of the softkey, cycles in sequence from a current function setting through the other available function settings and returning to the current function setting.

A wall mountable thermostat for controlling an HVAC system of a home or other building, the thermostat comprising:

• a user interface including a display screen and a button positioned directly adjacent to the display screen;
• a controller configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment of the building;
• the controller coupled to the user interface including the display screen and causing a display image to be displayed on the display screen, wherein the display image includes a first display image region and a second display image region, wherein the first display image region is larger than the second display image region;
• the first display image region displaying a set point temperature and one or more other parameters related to the operation of the thermostat;
• the second display image region being positioned directly adjacent to the button to collectively form a softkey, the second display image region being defined, at least in part, by one or more visible boundary lines, and includes a first portion for displaying a visible function label, and a second portion for displaying a visible function setting that corresponds to the visible function label, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the second display image region of the softkey are divided, at least in part, by a visible partitioning line segment displayed on the display screen.

A wall mountable thermostat for controlling an HVAC system of a home or other building, the thermostat comprising:

• a user interface including a display screen and a button positioned directly adjacent to the display screen;
• a controller configured to control one or more pieces of HVAC equipment of the building;
• the controller coupled to the user interface and causing a display image to be displayed on the display screen, wherein the display image includes a defined display image region that forms only part of the display image and that is positioned directly adjacent to the button to collectively form a softkey, the display image region is defined, at least in part, by one or more visible boundary lines in the display image, the display image region includes a first portion for displaying a system mode label that defines the function of the softkey, and a second portion for selectively displaying one of a heat mode setting, a cool mode setting and an automatic mode setting, wherein the first portion and the second portion are divided, at least in part, by a visible partitioning line segment displayed on the display screen;
• the controller monitoring the user interface, and in response to a user activating the button of the softkey, the controller changing the displayed one of the heat mode setting, the cool mode setting and the automatic mode setting in the second portion of the display image region to another one of the heat mode setting, the cool mode setting and the automatic mode setting;
• and
• the controller, in response to a user repeatedly activating the button of the softkey, cycles in sequence through the heat mode setting, the cool mode setting and the automatic mode setting.