Digital thermostat

• US 4,274,145 A
• Filed: 12/31/1979
• Issued: 06/16/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Calabria Joseph, Wargo Peter
• Original Assignee: Microcom (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Knight, Robert M., Hendricks, Donald B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wise, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US06/108,342
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 364/505, 364/557, 364/104, 364/418, 364/107, 236/46 R, 236/78 A
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/24 the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor

Abstract

A microcomputer controlled digital thermostat has a two-digit display which normally displays room temperature and a plurality of function and temperature keys for storing control information in the microcomputer. The function keys include a TIME SET key, a HEAT SET key, an AC SET key, and an AC OFF key. The temperature keys include keys for each of a plurality of temperature ranges such as 59°-59° F., 60°-69° F., and 80°-89° F. Time and temperature settings are entered and stored in registers of the microcomputer by a slew entry arrangement through use of the function keys and temperature keys, together with the display. Recall of the stored settings is provided by rapidly contacting the function keys.

Claims

1. A programmable temperature control apparatus for providing control signals for controlling temperature during a sequence of time intervals, the apparatus comprising:

temperature sensing means for providing a temperature signal indicative of a sensed temperature;

a plurality of heat registers for storing a plurality of time values and associated control temperature values;

a time-of-day register for storing a time-of-day value;

a heat set key for selecting one of the heat registers, recalling the contents of the heat registers, and altering the stored time values, the heat set key having a non-actuated and a user-actuated state;

a plurality of temperature keys for altering the stored temperature values, each key having a non-actuated and user-actuated state and being representative of a predetermined range of temperature values;

display means;

means responsive to the heat set key and the plurality of temperature keys for controlling the display means and the heat registers;

means for providing the control signals as a function of the temperature signal, the time and control temperature values, and the time-of-day value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

an air conditioning register for storing a time value and an associated control temperature;

an air conditioning set key for recalling the contents of the air conditioning register, and altering the stored time value in the air conditioning register, the air conditioning set key having a non-actuated and a user-actuated state; and

means responsive to the air conditioning set key and the plurality of temperature keys for controlling the display means and the air conditioning register.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 and further comprising:

an air conditioning off register for storing a turn-off time value;

an air conditioning off key for altering the turn-off time value, the air conditioning off key having a non-actuated and a user-actuated state; and

means responsive to the air conditioning off key for controlling the display means and the air conditioning off register.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the air conditioning off register stores a shut down value indicative of complete shut down of air conditioning, and wherein the means responsive to the air conditioning off key controls storage of the shut down value as a function of actuation of the air conditioning off key.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the means responsive to the air conditioning key causes recall of the contents of both the air conditioning register and the air conditioning off register.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, 2 or 3 and further comprising:

a time set key for recalling the contents of the time-of-day register, and altering the time-of-day value, the time set key having a non-actuated and a user-actuated state; and

means responsive to the time set key for controlling the display means and the time-of-day register.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the plurality of temperature keys comprise:

a first key for a range of control temperature values from 50°

F. to 59°

F.;

a second key for a range of control temperature values from 60°

F. to 69°

F.;

a third key for a range of control temperature values from 70°

F. to 79°

F.; and

a fourth key for a range of control temperature values from 80°

F. to 89°

F.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

means for causing the display means to normally display a room temperature value which is a function of the temperature signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means responsive to the heat set key and the plurality of temperature set keys and the means for providing the control signals comprise digital computer means.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means responsive to the heat set key cause the display means to display contents of the heat registers in response to actuation of the heat set key.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 or 10 wherein the means responsive to the heat set key selects one of the heat registers depending upon the number of times the heat set key is actuated.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means responsive to the heat set key causes the display means to display a sequence of time values in response to actuation of the heat set key for greater than a predetermined time period, and stores in the selected heat register the displayed time value when the heat set key changes from the actuated to the non-actuated state.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the means responsive to the heat set key and the plurality of temperature keys causes the display means to display a sequence of control temperature values in response to actuation of the heat set key to select one of the heat registers, followed by actuation of one of the temperature keys for greater than a predetermined time period, and stores in the selected heat register the displayed control temperature value when the temperature key changes from the actuated to the non-actuated state.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the sequence of control temperature values displayed are within the predetermined range corresponding to the actuated temperature key.

15. A programmable temperature control apparatus for providing control signals for controlling temperature during a sequence of time intervals, the apparatus comprising:

temperature sensing means for providing a temperature signal indicative of a sensed temperature;

register means for storing time and control temperature values;

a time-of-day register for storing a time-of-day value;

a set key for altering the stored time value;

a temperature key for altering the stored control temperature value;

display means;

means responsive to the set key for causing the display means to display a sequence of time values in response to actuation of the set key for greater than a predetermined time period and storing in the register means the displayed time value when the set key changes from an actuated to a non-actuated state;

means responsive to temperature key for causing the display means to display a sequence of control temperature values in response to actuation of the temperature key for greater than a predetermined time period and storing in the register means the displayed temperature value when the temperature key changes from an actuated to a non-actuated state; and

means for providing the control signals as a function of the temperature signal, the time and control temperature values, and the time-of-day value.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the means responsive to the set key causes the display means to display contents of the register means in response to actuation of the set key.

17. The apparatus fo claim 15 wherein the register means comprises a plurality of registers, each for storing a time value and an associated control temperature value.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means responsive to the set key selects one of the registers depending upon the number of times the set key is actuated.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the means responsive to the temperature key cause the display means to display and store a displayed control temperature in a selected register when the set key is actuated to select one of the registers, followed by actuation of the temperature key for greater than the predetermined time period.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 and further comprising:

means for causing the display means to normally display a room temperature value which is a function of the temperature signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 and further comprising:

a time set key for altering the time-of-day value; and

means responsive to the time set key for causing the display means to display a sequence of time-of-day values in response to actuation of the time-of-day key for greater than a predetermined time period and storing in the time-of-day register the displayed time-of-day value when the time set key changes from an actuated to a non-actuated state.

22. A programmable temperature control apparatus for providing control signals for controlling temperature during a sequence of time intervals, the apparatus comprising:

temperature sensing means for providing a temperature signal indicative of a sensed temperature;

means for providing a time-of-day value indicative of the present time of day;

first register means for storing a first time value indicative of commencement of a first time interval and a first control temperature value indicative of a control temperature during the first time interval;

second register means for storing a second time value indicative of commencement of a second time interval and a second control temperature value indicative of a control temperature during the second time interval;

means for providing the control signals as a function of the temperature signal, the time-of-day value, and the time and control temperature values;

display means for normally displaying a digital temperature value which is the function of the sensed temperature signal;

a time set key for entering and recalling the time-of-day value;

a heat set key for entering, by slew entry, time values into the first and second register means and for recalling the contents of the first and second register means; and

a temperature key for entering, by slew entry, temperature values within a predetermined range into the first and second register means.

23. A programmable temperature control apparatus for providing control signals for controlling temperature during a sequence of time intervals, the apparatus comprising:

time set key means having a user-actuated and a normal non-actuated state;

heat set key means having a user-actuated and a normal non-actuated state;

temperature key means having a user-actuated and a normal non-actuated state;

display means for displaying human readable information;

temperature sensing means for providing a temperature signal indicative of sensed temperature; and

digital computer means responsive to the time set key means, the heat set key means, the temperature key means, and the temperature sensing means for controlling the display means and providing the control signals;

the digital computer means including a time-of-day register for storing a time-of-day value and a plurality of heat registers each for storing a time value and an associated control temperature value;

the digital computer means causing the display means to display a sequence of time-of-day values in response to actuation of the time set key means for greater than a predetermined period and storing in the time-of-day register the displayed time-of-day value when the time set key means switches from the actuated to the non-actuated state;

the digital computer means causing the display means to display a sequence of time values in response to actuation of the heat set key means for greater than a predetermined period and storing in one of the heat registers the displayed time value when the heat set key means switches from the actuated to the non-actuated state;

the digital computer means causing the display means to display a sequence of control temperature values in response to actuation of the temperature key means for greater than a predetermined period and storing in one of the heat registers the displayed control temperature value when the temperature key means switches from the actuated to the non-actuated state.