Low cost calibration system for frequency varying temperature sensing means for a thermostat
First Claim
1. A self-calibrating thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to a temperature modifying load, said thermostat utilizing a variable frequency signal having a characteristic dependent upon the ambient temperature to calculate the ambient temperature, comprising:
- a microprocessor having first and second selectable ports, said ports capable of being selected as input or output, said input being a high impedance; and
means for generating a variable frequency signal having a characteristic which varies as a function of the ambient temperature, said means comprising an oscillator having a temperature dependent element, said temperature dependent element having a variable resistance dependent upon the ambient temperature wherein the frequency of the oscillator varies with respect to the variable resistance, and said oscillator further having a resistive calibration element, a first end of said temperature dependent element electrically connected to said first port and a first end of said calibration element electrically connected to said second port, a second end of said temperature dependent element electrically connected to a second end of said calibration element, said microprocessor interchangeably selecting said calibration element or said temperature dependent element by interchangeable selecting said first port and said second port as an input or an output port.
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Abstract
Low cost temperature sensor for thermostats utilizing a calibration resistor and a microprocessor with switchable ports wherein said microprocessor selects between high impedance input or an output for a temperature sensing element and a calibration resistor where by selecting the input, the temperature sensing element or the calibration resistor are effectively removed from the circuit thus allowing the low cost temperature sensor to self calibrate itself.
29 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A self-calibrating thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to a temperature modifying load, said thermostat utilizing a variable frequency signal having a characteristic dependent upon the ambient temperature to calculate the ambient temperature, comprising:
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a microprocessor having first and second selectable ports, said ports capable of being selected as input or output, said input being a high impedance; and means for generating a variable frequency signal having a characteristic which varies as a function of the ambient temperature, said means comprising an oscillator having a temperature dependent element, said temperature dependent element having a variable resistance dependent upon the ambient temperature wherein the frequency of the oscillator varies with respect to the variable resistance, and said oscillator further having a resistive calibration element, a first end of said temperature dependent element electrically connected to said first port and a first end of said calibration element electrically connected to said second port, a second end of said temperature dependent element electrically connected to a second end of said calibration element, said microprocessor interchangeably selecting said calibration element or said temperature dependent element by interchangeable selecting said first port and said second port as an input or an output port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A self-calibrating temperature sensor, said sensor calculating ambient temperature by providing a variable frequency signal wherein the frequency is dependent upon the ambient temperature, said sensor comprising:
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a microprocessor having first and second selectable ports, said ports capable of being selected as input or output, said input being a high impedance; and means for generating a variable frequency signal having a characteristic which varies as a function of the ambient temperature, said means comprising an oscillator having a temperature dependent element, said temperature dependent element having a variable resistance dependent upon the ambient temperature wherein the frequency of the oscillator varies with respect to the variable resistance, and said oscillator further having a resistive calibration element, a first end of said temperature dependent element electrically connected to said first port and a first end of said calibration element electrically connected to said second port, a second end of said temperature dependent element electrically connected to a second end of said calibration element, said microprocessor interchangeably selecting said calibration element of said temperature dependent element by interchangeable selecting said first port and said second port as an input or an output port.
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Specification