Temperature control system having central control for thermostats
First Claim
1. A temperature control system for multiple zone temperature control in a building, where each zone is associated with at least one energy transferring unit, the system comprising:
- a plurality of thermostats each coupled to a respective energy transferring unit, each thermostat including;
a zone temperature setpoint storage device,a temperature sensor located in the respective zone and configured to produce a zone temperature signal representative of the temperature in the respective zone,a thermostat communications interface,a control signal output, anda thermostat processor operatively coupled to the storage device, and the sensor, where the processor is configured to compare the value of the zone temperature signal with a zone temperature setpoint value stored in the storage device and output a control signal representative of the comparison, the control signal being output at the control signal output;
a plurality of control circuits each coupled between one of the control signal outputs and the respective energy transferring unit, and configured to control the state of the respective energy transferring unit based upon the respective control signal; and
a central control unit including;
a central storage device configured to store temperature setpoint values in reference to time values,a user interface operatively coupled to the storage device and configured to permit a user to modify the temperature setpoint and time values,a central control communications interface coupled to the thermostat communications interface,a control processor coupled to the central storage device and the central control communications interface, where,the processor is configured to produce a current time of day value and selectively apply the temperature setpoint values, referenced to the time value equal to the current time of day value, to the control communications interface, andthe central control communications interface is configured to transmit setpoint signals representative of the temperature setpoint values to the thermostats;
the thermostats storing zone temperature setpoint values representative of the setpoint signals in their respective zone temperature setpoint storage devices, where each thermostat processor subsequently compares the value of the temperature signals with the zone temperature setpoint values stored in the respective of the comparison, to the respective control outputs; and
wherein the thermostat and central control communication interfaces are power line communication interfaces which are coupled via power conductors in the building.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a temperature control system for multi-zone temperature control with setback control. The system includes a thermostat associated with each zone of a building, and a central control unit which communicates with each thermostat to send temperature setpoint values to each thermostat for the purpose of conserving energy and reducing energy consumption during certain times of the day. Each thermostat is associated with either a heating or cooling device, where setup temperature values are sent from the central control unit to the thermostats where cooling devices are used in place of heating devices. The thermostats are designed to operate as stand-alone units which control the temperature within a zone based upon a temperature setpoint stored at the unit. The temperature setpoint values are replaced by the higher or lower temperature setpoint values transmitted to the thermostats by the control units during setback or setup time periods. To avoid the requirement of installing communication wires between the central control unit and thermostat, each thermostat and the central control unit includes communications circuitry which allows the thermostats and control unit to communicate over the power conductors within the building.
224 Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A temperature control system for multiple zone temperature control in a building, where each zone is associated with at least one energy transferring unit, the system comprising:
-
a plurality of thermostats each coupled to a respective energy transferring unit, each thermostat including; a zone temperature setpoint storage device, a temperature sensor located in the respective zone and configured to produce a zone temperature signal representative of the temperature in the respective zone, a thermostat communications interface, a control signal output, and a thermostat processor operatively coupled to the storage device, and the sensor, where the processor is configured to compare the value of the zone temperature signal with a zone temperature setpoint value stored in the storage device and output a control signal representative of the comparison, the control signal being output at the control signal output; a plurality of control circuits each coupled between one of the control signal outputs and the respective energy transferring unit, and configured to control the state of the respective energy transferring unit based upon the respective control signal; and a central control unit including; a central storage device configured to store temperature setpoint values in reference to time values, a user interface operatively coupled to the storage device and configured to permit a user to modify the temperature setpoint and time values, a central control communications interface coupled to the thermostat communications interface, a control processor coupled to the central storage device and the central control communications interface, where, the processor is configured to produce a current time of day value and selectively apply the temperature setpoint values, referenced to the time value equal to the current time of day value, to the control communications interface, and the central control communications interface is configured to transmit setpoint signals representative of the temperature setpoint values to the thermostats; the thermostats storing zone temperature setpoint values representative of the setpoint signals in their respective zone temperature setpoint storage devices, where each thermostat processor subsequently compares the value of the temperature signals with the zone temperature setpoint values stored in the respective of the comparison, to the respective control outputs; and wherein the thermostat and central control communication interfaces are power line communication interfaces which are coupled via power conductors in the building. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A temperature control system for multiple zone temperature control comprising:
-
a plurality of energy transferring units each configured to transfer energy relative to a respective zone and each having an idle state and an energy transferring state; a plurality of thermostats each coupled to a respective energy transferring unit, each thermostat including; data storage configured to store address data representative of the respective thermostat and zone temperature setpoint values, a temperature sensor configured to produce a zone temperature signal representative of the temperature in the respective zone, a thermostat communications interface, a control signal output, and a thermostat processor operatively coupled to the storage device, and the sensor, where the processor is configured to compare a value of the zone temperature signal with the zone temperature setpoint value stored in data storage and output a control signal representative of the comparison, the control signal being output at the control signal output; a plurality of control circuits each coupled between one of the control signal outputs and the respective energy transferring unit, and configured to control the state of the respective energy transferring unit based upon the respective control signal; and a central control unit including; a central storage device configured to store temperature setpoint values in reference to time values and thermostat address data, a user interface operatively coupled to the storage device and configured to permit a user to modify the temperature setpoint values, the time values and the address data, a central control communications interface coupled to the thermostat communications interface, a control processor coupled to the central storage device and the central control communications interface, where, the processor is configured to produce a current time of day value and selectively apply the temperature setpoint values, referenced to the time value equal to the current time of day value, to the control communications interface, and the central control communications interface is configured to selectively transmit setpoint signals representative of the temperature setpoint values to the thermostats based upon the thermostat address data; the thermostats storing zone temperature setpoint values representative of the setpoint signals, referenced to the respective thermostat address data, in their respective data storage, where the thermostat processors subsequently compare the value of the temperature signals with the zone temperature setpoint values stored in the storage device and apply control signals, representative of the comparison, to the respective control outputs, and wherein the thermostat and central control communication interfaces are coupled via power conductors of the building. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A thermostat for communicating with a temperature control system, the system including a central control for transmitting temperature signals, representative of temperature setpoint values, along electrical power conductors coupled to at least one resistive heating unit in a zone of a building, the thermostat comprising:
-
a data storage device; a temperature sensor configured to produce a zone temperature signal representative of the temperature in the zone; a thermostat communications interface including a data signal output, and a data signal input coupled to the power conductors; a switching device coupled between the heating unit and at least one of the power conductors, the switching device including a control input; and a processor operatively coupled to the storage device, the sensor, the control input and the data signal input, where the processor is configured to read data from the interface and store a zone temperature setpoint value representative of the data in the data storage device, sample the signal at the temperature sensor to produce temperature values representative of the zone temperature signal, and compare the temperature values with the zone temperature setpoint value and the temperature value, and apply first and second control signals to the control input depending upon the comparison, where the first control signal causes the switching device to permit current flow from the power conductors through the heating unit and the second control signal inhibits current flow from the power conductors through the heating unit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
Specification