Thermostat system communicating with a remote correspondent for receiving and displaying diverse information
First Claim
1. A thermostat system for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:
- A) a temperature sensor for providing an electrical signal indicative of the temperature of a conditioned space in which the temperature sensor is situated;
B) a liquid crystal display for selectively displaying an alphanumeric message;
C) a processor, said processor including;
1) a central processing unit;
2) a real time clock;
3) a memory coupled to said central processing unit for storing program and data information, said data including a table storing key terms on a predetermined subject; and
4) an input/output unit including;
a) a sensor input coupled to said temperature sensor for receiving said electrical signal therefrom;
b) a control output coupled to the space conditioning equipment for issuing control signals thereto; and
c) a communications interface adapted to establish bi-directional communications between said processor and a remote correspondent; and
D) a program stored in said memory for causing said central processing unit to selectively;
1) direct said input/output unit to establish communications with a first remote correspondent which is a source of current information through said communications interface;
2) read the current information from said external source;
3) parse the current information against said key terms stored in said memory;
4) if a match is found during step D)3), searching the current information for at least one value associated with the said matched key term; and
5) if said at least one value associated with the matched key term is found during step D)4), displaying an alphanumeric message on said liquid crystal display, said alphanumeric message including;
a) a first message component stored in said memory and representative of the connotation of said matched key term; and
b) a second message component representative of said at least one value associated with the matched key term found during step D)4).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A thermostat system includes a temperature sensor, an LCD for selectively displaying an alphanumeric message and a processor having a memory for storing program and data information. In one embodiment, the data includes a table storing key terms on a predetermined subject. A communications interface connects the processor and a remote correspondent which is a source of current information. Periodically, communications is established with the remote correspondent to read the current information and parse the current information against the stored key terms. If a match is found, the current information is further searched for a value associated with the matched key term in order to display an alphanumeric message which shows a first message component representative of the connotation of the matched key term and a second message component representative of the associated value. In a variant embodiment, the remote correspondent provides a service periodically sending predetermined information for display on the LCD. In another variant embodiment, the thermostat system can use current information received from the first remote correspondent to send directive information to suitably change the temperature (or other parameter) set point at a second remote site.
156 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermostat system for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:
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A) a temperature sensor for providing an electrical signal indicative of the temperature of a conditioned space in which the temperature sensor is situated;
B) a liquid crystal display for selectively displaying an alphanumeric message;
C) a processor, said processor including;
1) a central processing unit;
2) a real time clock;
3) a memory coupled to said central processing unit for storing program and data information, said data including a table storing key terms on a predetermined subject; and
4) an input/output unit including;
a) a sensor input coupled to said temperature sensor for receiving said electrical signal therefrom;
b) a control output coupled to the space conditioning equipment for issuing control signals thereto; and
c) a communications interface adapted to establish bi-directional communications between said processor and a remote correspondent; and
D) a program stored in said memory for causing said central processing unit to selectively;
1) direct said input/output unit to establish communications with a first remote correspondent which is a source of current information through said communications interface;
2) read the current information from said external source;
3) parse the current information against said key terms stored in said memory;
4) if a match is found during step D)3), searching the current information for at least one value associated with the said matched key term; and
5) if said at least one value associated with the matched key term is found during step D)4), displaying an alphanumeric message on said liquid crystal display, said alphanumeric message including;
a) a first message component stored in said memory and representative of the connotation of said matched key term; and
b) a second message component representative of said at least one value associated with the matched key term found during step D)4). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20)
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11. A thermostat system for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:
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A) a temperature sensor for providing an electrical signal indicative of the temperature of a conditioned space in which the temperature sensor is situated;
B) a liquid crystal display for selectively displaying an alphanumeric message;
C) a processor, said processor including;
1) a central processing unit;
2) a real time clock;
3) a memory coupled to said central processing unit for storing program and data information; and
4) an input/output unit including;
a) a sensor input coupled to said temperature sensor for receiving said electrical signal therefrom;
b) a control output coupled to the space conditioning equipment for issuing control signals thereto; and
c) a communications interface adapted to establish bi-directional communications between said processor and a first remote correspondent which is a source of current information; and
D) means coupling said communications interface and said first remote correspondent; and
E) a program stored in said memory for displaying messages from said first remote correspondent on said liquid crystal display. - View Dependent Claims (14, 19)
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Specification