Programmable controllers and schedule timers

A method of programming schedules 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 an interactively operable temperature setting region and a time select region for programming on and off time periods for a water heating schedule and a room temperature schedule, the time select region displayed on the display unit as at least two dials representing a full twenty-four hour day, in which one of the at least two dials is configured for setting the water heating schedule and the other of the at least two dials is configured for setting the room temperature schedule, in which each dial is divided into a plurality of individual segments, each individual segment representing a specific programmable period of time in the twenty-four hour period of time for the respective water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, the time select region is interactively configured to enable a user to select one or more segments on each dial to program the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, in which a selected segment triggers an on-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule and an unselected segment triggers an off-time period of a respective one of the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, the method comprising the steps of:

• selecting and deselecting one or more segments on each dial to program the water heating schedule and the room temperature schedule, wherein the step of selecting segments of the dials involves a user positioning and dragging pointing means over selected segments of the dials and the step of deselecting segments of the dials involves a user positioning and dragging pointing means over selected segments of the dials,
• setting a target temperature for a time period set by a user on the interactively operable temperature setting region displayed graphically on the display unit by the processor means, and
• programming the schedules 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.