Electronic thermostat for heating and cooling system
First Claim
1. A thermostat for use in a building having means for heating and means for cooling the building, the thermostat being connected to the heating means and the cooling means to selectively control the state of operation of each, the thermostat comprising:
- memory means for storing at least one set of time/temperature values representing desired temperature levels at predetermined times;
a clock;
means under control of the clock for outputting a temperature value representing the present desired temperature from the memory means;
means for selecting a control temperature as a function of the present desired temperature;
sensor means for measuring the ambient temperature in the building;
means for comparing the ambient temperature to the control temperature;
means for generating a signal to energize one of said heating means or said cooling means when the ambient temperature is not substantially equal to the control temperature;
timer means adapted to receive the last said signal and to trigger a predetermined time delay; and
means for inhibiting the energization of the said other of said heating means or said cooling means during the time delay period.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A programmable electronic thermostat for use in a building having a furnace and an air conditioning system adapted to generate energizing signals for the furnace and the air conditioner. An operator programs the thermostat with a series of desired temperatures over a repetitive heating or cooling cycle. During the winter, relatively high temperatures will typically be programmed during the period when the building is occupied and relatively low temperatures during unoccupied periods. The thermostat includes a clock that interrogates the program to generate the desired temperature for the present time which is compared to the measured temperature within the building to generate control signals for the furnace. In order to energize the air conditioning system during occasional periods of occurrence of high temperature, a control temperature is derived for the air conditioner. The derived control temperature is either a first, relatively low control temperature if the heating program indicates that the building is generally occupied during that time, or a second, relatively higher control temperature if the program indicates that the building is unoccupied. If one of either the furnace or air conditioner has been energized within a predetermined time period, the control temperature is not changed and the other of the furnace or air conditioner will not be energized. Under complementary circumstances, if the thermostat is programmed to control the air conditioner, control temperatures to control the furnace are selected depending whether the building is generally occupied or unoccupied.
17 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A thermostat for use in a building having means for heating and means for cooling the building, the thermostat being connected to the heating means and the cooling means to selectively control the state of operation of each, the thermostat comprising:
-
memory means for storing at least one set of time/temperature values representing desired temperature levels at predetermined times; a clock; means under control of the clock for outputting a temperature value representing the present desired temperature from the memory means; means for selecting a control temperature as a function of the present desired temperature; sensor means for measuring the ambient temperature in the building; means for comparing the ambient temperature to the control temperature; means for generating a signal to energize one of said heating means or said cooling means when the ambient temperature is not substantially equal to the control temperature; timer means adapted to receive the last said signal and to trigger a predetermined time delay; and means for inhibiting the energization of the said other of said heating means or said cooling means during the time delay period. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
Specification