Self-programmable thermostat

• US 20080191045A1
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Robert J. Harter
• Inventors: Harter, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,784,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/91.00D
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/00 Control or safety arrangements
• 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 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/61 using timers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A hybrid manual/programmable thermostat for a furnace or air conditioner offers the simplicity of a manual thermostat while providing the convenience and versatility of a programmable one. Initially, the hybrid thermostat appears to function as an ordinary manual thermostat; however, it privately observes and learns a user'"'"'s manual temperature setting habits and eventually programs itself accordingly. If users begin changing their preferred temperature settings due to seasonal changes or other reasons, the thermostat continues learning and will adapt to those changes as well. For ease of use, the thermostat does not require an onscreen menu as a user interface. In some embodiments, the thermostat can effectively program itself for temperature settings that are set to occur at particular times daily or just on weekends, yet the user is not required to enter the time of day or the day of the week.

Claims

1. A thermostat method for a temperature conditioning unit, wherein the temperature conditioning unit helps control a temperature of a comfort zone, the method comprising:

running a timer irrespective of an actual time of day;

receiving a manually entered setpoint temperature at a point in time;

using the timer as a basis for assigning a timestamp to the manually entered setpoint temperature;

during a first period after the point in time, controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the manually entered setpoint temperature;

determining a learned setpoint temperature based on the manually entered setpoint temperature;

based on the timestamp, initiating a second period after the first period; and

during the second period, controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature.

2. A thermostat method for a temperature conditioning unit, wherein the temperature conditioning unit helps control a temperature of a comfort zone, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of manual setpoints that are manually entered over a period, each of the manual setpoints provides a manually entered setpoint temperature that becomes associated with a timestamp, thus the plurality of manual setpoints provides a plurality of manually entered setpoint temperatures that become associated with a plurality of timestamps;

controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the plurality of manually entered setpoint temperatures;

recognizing a pattern associated with the plurality of manual setpoints;

based on the pattern, establishing a learned setpoint temperature and a learned time; and

some time after controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the plurality of manually entered setpoint temperatures, automatically switching to controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature and the learned time.

3. The thermostat method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of manually entered setpoint temperatures includes a series of setpoint temperatures each of which are within a predetermined deviation of each other.

4. The thermostat method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of timestamps includes a series of timestamps each of which are within a predetermined deviation of each other.

5. The thermostat method of claim 4, wherein the series of timestamps are on a 24-hour base.

6. The thermostat method of claim 4, wherein the series of timestamps are on a 168-hour base.

7. The thermostat method of claim 2, further comprising recognizing a plurality of patterns associated with the plurality of manual setpoints, wherein the plurality of patterns includes a daily pattern and a weekly pattern;

based on the daily pattern, establishing a learned daily setpoint temperature and a learned daily time;

based on the weekly pattern, establishing a learned weekly setpoint temperature and a learned weekly time; and

controlling the temperature conditioning unit selectively in response to the learned daily setpoint temperature at the learned daily time and the learned weekly setpoint temperature at the learned weekly time.

8. The thermostat method of claim 7, wherein the learned weekly setpoint temperature at the learned weekly time overrides the learned daily setpoint temperature at the learned daily time if the learned weekly time and the learned daily time are within a predetermined time of each other.

9. The thermostat method of claim 2, further comprising:

while controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature, receiving an additional manually entered setpoint temperature; and

subsequently controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the additional manually entered setpoint temperature, thereby interrupting the step of controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature.

10. The thermostat method of claim 2, further comprising switching between a cooling mode and a heating mode, and upon doing so, subsequently disregarding the pattern.

11. The thermostat method of claim 2, further comprising:

while controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature, receiving a plurality of additional manually entered setpoint temperatures; and

in response to receiving the plurality of additional manually entered setpoint temperatures while controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature, subsequently disregarding the pattern and the learned setpoint temperature.

12. A thermostat method for a temperature conditioning unit, wherein the temperature conditioning unit helps control a temperature of a comfort zone, the method comprising:

receiving a first manually entered setpoint temperature;

controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the first manually entered setpoint temperature;

receiving a second manually entered setpoint temperature;

controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the second manually entered setpoint temperature;

receiving a third manually entered setpoint temperature;

controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the third manually entered setpoint temperature;

identifying a learned setpoint temperature based on the first manually entered setpoint temperature, the second manually entered setpoint temperature, and third manually entered setpoint temperature; and

controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature.

13. The thermostat method of claim 12, wherein first manually entered setpoint temperature, the second manually entered setpoint temperature, and third manually entered setpoint temperature all lie within 5°

F. of each other.

14. The thermostat method of claim 12, further comprising:

assigning a first timestamp to the first manually entered setpoint temperature;

assigning a second timestamp to the second manually entered setpoint temperature;

assigning a third timestamp to the third manually entered setpoint temperature, wherein the first timestamp, the second timestamp and the third timestamp are based on a 24-hour timer and all lie within a predetermined range of each other based on the 24-hour timer.

15. The thermostat method of claim 12, further comprising:

assigning a first timestamp to the first manually entered setpoint temperature;

assigning a second timestamp to the second manually entered setpoint temperature;

assigning a third timestamp to the third manually entered setpoint temperature, wherein the first timestamp, the second timestamp and the third timestamp are based on a 168-hour timer and all lie within a predetermined range of each other based on the 168-hour timer.

16. The thermostat method of claim 12, further comprising:

after controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature, receiving a fourth manually entered setpoint temperature; and

after receiving the fourth manually entered setpoint temperature, controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the fourth manually entered setpoint temperature.

17. The thermostat method of claim 16, further comprising:

after controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the fourth manually entered setpoint temperature, returning to controlling the temperature conditioning unit in response to the learned setpoint temperature.

18. A thermostat for a temperature conditioning unit, wherein the temperature conditioning unit helps control a temperature of a comfort zone, the thermostat comprising:

a microprocessor;

a manual input in communication with the microprocessor for manually entering a plurality of setpoint temperatures at a plurality of times over a first period;

a temperature sensor in heat transfer relationship with the comfort zone, the temperature sensor being in communication with the microprocessor to provide the microprocessor with an indication of the temperature of the comfort zone;

an output that places the microprocessor in communication with the temperature conditioning unit, the output changes during the first period in response to a deviation between the temperature of the comfort zone and at least one of the plurality of setpoint temperatures;

the microprocessor determines a learned setpoint temperature and a learned time based on the plurality of setpoint temperatures entered at the plurality of times over the first period; and

after the first period and at the learned time, the output changes in response to a differential between the temperature of the comfort zone and the learned setpoint temperature.

19. The thermostat of claim 18, wherein:

the thermostat operates in a first-period manual mode during the first period in which the output changes in response to a deviation between the temperature of the comfort zone and at least one of the plurality of setpoint temperatures;

after the first period, the thermostat operates in a programmed mode in which the output changes in response to the differential between the temperature of the comfort zone and the learned setpoint temperature; and

after operating in the programmed mode, the thermostat automatically changes to operating in a second-period manual mode in response to an additional setpoint temperature being manually entered via the manual input, wherein the output during the second-period manual mode changes in response to a difference between the temperature of the comfort zone and the additional setpoint temperature.

20. The thermostat of claim 18, wherein the plurality of setpoint temperatures upon which the learned setpoint temperature is based are associated with a corresponding plurality of timestamps that all lie within predetermined timestamp range of each other based on a 24-hour timer.