Thermostat with automatic heat/air conditioning changeover
First Claim
1. Temperature control apparatus for providing heating control signals for controlling heating apparatus and cooling control signals for controlling cooling apparatus, the temperature control apparatus comprising:
- temperature sensing means for providing a temperature signal indicative of a sensed temperature;
time-of-day means for providing a time-of-day value;
means for storing heating control information including heating time values and associated heating control temperature values;
means for storing cooling control information; and
control means for providing the heating control and cooling control signals, wherein the control means periodically makes a heating control determination, based upon the time-of-day value, the temperature signal, and the stored heating control information, to provide a heating control signal which(a) turns the heating apparatus on,(b) turns the heating apparatus off,(c) leaves the heating apparatus on, or(d) leaves the heating apparatus off; and
wherein only if the heating control determination leaves the heating apparatus off, the control means makes a cooling control determination based upon the time-of-day value, the temperature signal, and the cooling control information, to provide a cooling control signal which(e) turns the cooling apparatus on,(f) turns the cooling apparatus off,(g) leaves the cooling apparatus on, or(h) leaves the cooling apparatus off.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microcomputer controlled digital thermostat has separate, independent registers for storing heating control information and cooling control information. On a periodic basis, the microcomputer determines whether the furnace should be turned on, based upon a temperature signal indicative of room temperature, a time-of-day value indicative of the present time of day, and the stored heating control information. If the furnace is already off and the microcomputer determines that it should remain off, the microcomputer then determines whether air conditioning is needed, based upon the temperature signal, the time-of-day value, and the stored cooling control information.
117 Citations
21 Claims
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1. Temperature control apparatus for providing heating control signals for controlling heating apparatus and cooling control signals for controlling cooling apparatus, the temperature control apparatus comprising:
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temperature sensing means for providing a temperature signal indicative of a sensed temperature; time-of-day means for providing a time-of-day value; means for storing heating control information including heating time values and associated heating control temperature values; means for storing cooling control information; and control means for providing the heating control and cooling control signals, wherein the control means periodically makes a heating control determination, based upon the time-of-day value, the temperature signal, and the stored heating control information, to provide a heating control signal which (a) turns the heating apparatus on, (b) turns the heating apparatus off, (c) leaves the heating apparatus on, or (d) leaves the heating apparatus off; and
wherein only if the heating control determination leaves the heating apparatus off, the control means makes a cooling control determination based upon the time-of-day value, the temperature signal, and the cooling control information, to provide a cooling control signal which(e) turns the cooling apparatus on, (f) turns the cooling apparatus off, (g) leaves the cooling apparatus on, or (h) leaves the cooling apparatus off. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Temperature control apparatus for providing heating control signals for controlling heating apparatus and cooling control signals for controlling cooling apparatus, the temperature control apparatus comprising:
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temperature sensing means for providing a temperature signal indicative of a sensed temperature; time-of-day means for providing a time-of-day value; means for storing heating control information including heating time values and associated heating control temperature values; means for storing cooling control information independent of the heating control information; and control means for providing the heating control signals and the cooling control signals, wherein the control means periodically makes a heating control determination bsed upon the time-of-day value, the temperature signal, and the heating control information, and makes a cooling control determination only if the heating control determination indicates that operation of the heating apparatus is not required, the cooling control determination being based upon the time-of-day value, the temperature signal, and the cooling control information. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of providing heating control signals and cooling control signals for controlling heating apparatus and cooling apparatus, the method comprising:
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providing a temperature signal indicative of sensed temperature; storing heating time values and associated heating control temperature values for use in controlling heating; storing cooling time values and an associated cooling control temperature value for use in controlling cooling independent of the heating time values and associated heating control temperature values; providing a time-of-day value indicative of time-of-day; periodically comparing the time-of-day value with stored heating time values to select one of the associated heating control temperature values; comparing the temperature signal with the selected heating control temperature value to determine an appropriate heat control signal; determining, only if the temperature signal exceeds the heating control temperature value, whether the cooling apparatus is in operation; and comparing the temperature signal and the cooling control temperature value, if cooling apparatus is in operation, to determine an appropriate cooling control signal. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification