THERMOSTAT RESPONSIVE TO INPUTS FROM EXTERNAL DEVICES

• US 20070284452A1
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Butler, William, Sartain, John, Casey, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,731,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/49.300
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/39 Monitoring filter performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/80 for controlling the temperature of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

A thermostat is provided that receives one or more inputs from at least one heating system of a climate control system, and initiates an appropriate action in response to the input. The thermostat can turn off a heat pump providing substandard heat and responsively turn on a fuel-fired auxiliary furnace. The thermostat may discontinue further operation of the auxiliary furnace upon receiving an operating error signal associated with the auxiliary furnace, and responsively turn on the heat pump to provide for continued heating. The thermostat may also discontinue operation of the fuel-fired furnace and turn on a circulating fan in response to an input signal indicating a furnace high-temperature or a carbon monoxide presence.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the operation of a heat pump and auxiliary heating system, comprising:

a unitary controller for establishing and monitoring the operation of at least a compressor of an outside condenser unit of a heat pump system;

a thermostat configured to send signals to the unitary controller for requesting operation of at least the compressor, wherein the thermostat is configured to receive signals from the unitary controller indicating that the compressor of the heat pump is inoperable or not operating properly, and to responsively communicate a signal to an auxiliary heating system to initiate auxiliary heating operation, regardless of the outside ambient temperature.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the unitary controller is capable of detecting a compressor discharge temperature or the compressor motor current above a predetermined threshold, the unitary controller being configured to discontinue compressor operation when a predetermined threshold has been exceeded and to communicate a signal indicating that the compressor is not operating properly.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the thermostat is further configured to discontinue sending signals to the unitary controller requesting heating operation upon receiving a signal indicating that the compressor is inoperable or not operating properly, and to communicate signals to the auxiliary heating system when the thermostat detects a need for heating operation.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary heating system is an electric heat source disposed within an indoor air circulator unit.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a controller for the indoor air circulator unit that selectively operates the auxiliary heating system upon receiving a signal from the thermostat requesting auxiliary heating operation.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a two-wire network that the unitary controller and thermostat are connected to, wherein the unitary controller is configured to transmit signals after the last transmission and a fixed time period that is unique to the unitary controller, and the thermostat is configured to transmit signals after the last transmission and a fixed time period that is unique to the thermostat.

7. A system for controlling the operation of a heat pump and auxiliary heating system, comprising:

a unitary controller for establishing and monitoring the operation of at least a compressor of an outside condenser unit of a heat pump system;

a thermostat configured to send signals to the unitary controller for requesting operation of at least the compressor, wherein the thermostat is configured to determine whether the compressor is not operating absent any signal from the unitary controller by detecting whether the temperature of the space being heated by the heat pump system reflects normal heating operation, whereupon determining a temperature indicative of abnormal heating operation the thermostat responsively communicates a signal to an auxiliary heating system to initiate auxiliary heating operation.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the thermostat communicates a signal to an auxiliary heating system to initiate auxiliary heating operation in response to determining after a predetermined time period of operation that a decrease has occurred in the temperature of the space being heated by the heat pump system.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the thermostat communicates a signal to an auxiliary heating system to initiate auxiliary heating operation in response to detecting a decrease of more than a predetermined amount in the temperature of the space being heated by the heat pump system.