Solid state thermostat with digital display
First Claim
1. In a thermostatic control device of the type having an electrical sensor for sensing the temperature within an air conditioned region and generating a voltage signal indicative of the sensed temperature, first and second programmable control circuits operatively associated with the sensor which, when selectively energized, maintain the conditioned region at one of said programmed temperature levels and switching means conditionable by an alarm signal to energize one of said control circuits and deenergize the other, the improvement comprisinga digital display for providing a visual readout in response to a coded input,temperature measuring means for generating a coded output in response to the voltage signal produced by said sensor for driving the display to provide a readout of the sensed temperature,first and second clock means being adapted to generate a coded output signal for driving said display to provide a readout of a time contained in said clock, each clock further including an alarm circuit for applying a conditioning alarm signal to said switching means when an alarm time stored in said clock is reached, andselecting means operatively associated with the input of said display to connect one of said coded outputs to said display and disconnect the other of said coded outputs whereby a desired readout is presented in said display.
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Abstract
A solid state thermostatic device having two programmable temperature control circuits, one of which, when energized, serves to maintain a comfort controlled region at a high temperature level and the other of which, when energized, serves to maintain the comfort controlled region at a lower level. Two clocks are contained within the device for recording real time and for generating an alarm signal when a set time stored in the clock is reached. The two alarm signals generated by the clocks electrically energize the control circuits to regulate the temperature in the comfort control region at the programmed levels during a selected period of time. A digital display is also provided for supplying a visual readout of selected system related parameters including the real time and the stored time contained in each clock and the temperature within the comfort controlled region both in degrees Celsius and Fahrenheit. The display also permits real time and alarm time to be accurately and conveniently set into the clocks.
23 Citations
12 Claims
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1. In a thermostatic control device of the type having an electrical sensor for sensing the temperature within an air conditioned region and generating a voltage signal indicative of the sensed temperature, first and second programmable control circuits operatively associated with the sensor which, when selectively energized, maintain the conditioned region at one of said programmed temperature levels and switching means conditionable by an alarm signal to energize one of said control circuits and deenergize the other, the improvement comprising
a digital display for providing a visual readout in response to a coded input, temperature measuring means for generating a coded output in response to the voltage signal produced by said sensor for driving the display to provide a readout of the sensed temperature, first and second clock means being adapted to generate a coded output signal for driving said display to provide a readout of a time contained in said clock, each clock further including an alarm circuit for applying a conditioning alarm signal to said switching means when an alarm time stored in said clock is reached, and selecting means operatively associated with the input of said display to connect one of said coded outputs to said display and disconnect the other of said coded outputs whereby a desired readout is presented in said display.
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2. The thermostatic device of clam 1 wherein said selecting means further includes means for placing the non-selected coded outputs at a high impedance whereby the non-selected outputs are electrically disconnected from the display.
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7. Thermostatic apparatus for use in association witn an air conditioning system for providing heating or cooling, the apparatus including
a sensor for sensing the temperature within the conditioned region and for generating a voltage signal indictive of said temperature, first and second programmable control circuits selectively connected with the temperature sensor for controlling the operation of the heating and cooling equipment whereby the conditioned region is maintainable at a first and a second temperature level, an electronic switch conditionable upon receipt of an alarm signal to open one of the control circuits and simultaneously close the other, a temperature measuring channel operatively associated with said sensor for converting the voltage signal to a coded output adapted to drive a digital display, a digital display, a pair of clocks, each clock being arranged to provide a coded output suitable for driving said display to provide a readout of a time contained in said clock, and each clock further including an alarm circuit for applying a conditioning signal to said electronic switch to change the state of said switch upon the occurrence of an alarm time stored therein, and selector means for connecting one of the coded outputs to the display to obtain a selected readout thereof.
Specification