Easy-to-install thermostatic control system based on room occupancy
First Claim
1. An energy-saving thermostatic control apparatus for an air temperature control unit which is at least one of enabled for cooling in response to a control signal on a cooling control line and enabled for heating in response to a control signal on a heating control line, the thermostatic control apparatus comprising:
- a thermostatic control unit for replacing an existing thermostatic controller for an air temperature control unit, the thermostatic control unit including;
(i) a housing;
(ii) means mounted in the housing for sensing the presence of a person in a room in which the control unit is located and for outputting an occupant detection signal in response thereto;
(iii) thermostat means mounted in the housing for selectively outputting a temperature control unit energizing signal in response to a room temperature reaching a first temperature setting when the occupant detection signal has been issued, and for outputting the temperature control unit energizing signal in response to a room temperature reaching a second predetermined temperature setting different from the first setting in the absence of the occupant detection signal;
(iv) means on the housing for enabling a room occupant to set the first setting to a desired temperature;
(v) means, on the housing and connected to the thermostat means, for direct connection to a live line for a thermostat to provide energy to the thermostatic control unit;
(vi) means on the housing for direct connection to at least one of a heating control line and a cooling control line for the air temperature control unit for outputting the temperature control unit energizing signal to the heating or cooling control line selectively in response to the thermostat means detecting the first setting when the occupant detection signal has been outputted and in response to the thermostat means detecting the second setting when the occupant detection signal has not been issued; and
means responsive to opening of a door for sending a door open detection signal to the thermostatic control unit, wherein the thermostatic control unit includes means in the housing for receiving the door open detection signal and initiating the means for sensing in response thereto.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless thermostatic control system includes a door sensor to detect when a room door is open, a transmitter associated with the door sensor to transmit signals indicating that the door sensor has been triggered, and a single thermostatic control unit for replacing a conventional thermostat which unit includes a receiver to receive the transmitted door signals, a sensor to determine whether a room is occupied in response to receipt of the transmitted signal, and two thermostatic controls, one for a room occupant and one for an energy-saving setback mode when the room is not occupied.
319 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An energy-saving thermostatic control apparatus for an air temperature control unit which is at least one of enabled for cooling in response to a control signal on a cooling control line and enabled for heating in response to a control signal on a heating control line, the thermostatic control apparatus comprising:
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a thermostatic control unit for replacing an existing thermostatic controller for an air temperature control unit, the thermostatic control unit including; (i) a housing; (ii) means mounted in the housing for sensing the presence of a person in a room in which the control unit is located and for outputting an occupant detection signal in response thereto; (iii) thermostat means mounted in the housing for selectively outputting a temperature control unit energizing signal in response to a room temperature reaching a first temperature setting when the occupant detection signal has been issued, and for outputting the temperature control unit energizing signal in response to a room temperature reaching a second predetermined temperature setting different from the first setting in the absence of the occupant detection signal; (iv) means on the housing for enabling a room occupant to set the first setting to a desired temperature; (v) means, on the housing and connected to the thermostat means, for direct connection to a live line for a thermostat to provide energy to the thermostatic control unit; (vi) means on the housing for direct connection to at least one of a heating control line and a cooling control line for the air temperature control unit for outputting the temperature control unit energizing signal to the heating or cooling control line selectively in response to the thermostat means detecting the first setting when the occupant detection signal has been outputted and in response to the thermostat means detecting the second setting when the occupant detection signal has not been issued; and means responsive to opening of a door for sending a door open detection signal to the thermostatic control unit, wherein the thermostatic control unit includes means in the housing for receiving the door open detection signal and initiating the means for sensing in response thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An energy-saving thermostatic control apparatus for an air temperature control unit for air temperature control of a room comprising at least one of heating and cooling the room, the air temperature control unit being responsive to a signal on a control line for initiating air temperature control of the room, the control apparatus comprising:
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sensor means for sensing the presence of an occupant in the room and issuing an occupant detection signal in response to sensing an occupant; thermostat means settable to a first temperature setting for outputting a first control signal in response to the occupant detection signal and detecting the first temperature in the room and concurrently settable to a second temperature setting for outputting a second control signal in response to absence of the occupant detection signal and detecting the second temperature in the room, wherein the first and second temperature settings are independent of each other; means connected to the thermostat means for enabling a room occupant to set the first temperature setting to a desired temperature; and connection means for connecting the out put of the thermostat means to the control line for the air temperature control unit to initiate air temperature control of the room in response to any one of the first and second control signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An air temperature control unit having means for heating a room responsive to a heating control signal on a heating control line for initiating heating of the room, and means for cooling the room in response to a cooling control signal on a cooling control line for initiating cooling of the room, the air temperature control unit having a thermostatic control apparatus comprising:
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a housing; sensor means mounted in the housing for sensing the presence of an occupant in the room and issuing an occupant detection signal in response to sensing an occupant; thermostat means mounted in the housing and settable to a first temperature setting for outputting a first control signal in response to the occupant detection signal and detecting the first temperature in the room and concurrently having a predetermined second temperature setting for outputting a second control signal in response to absence of the occupant detection signal and detecting the second temperature in the room, wherein the first and second temperature settings are independent of each other; means on the housing connected to the thermostat means for enabling a room occupant to set the first temperature setting to a desired temperature; and connection means in the housing for connecting the output of the thermostat means to a selected one of the heating control line and cooling control line for the air temperature control unit to initiate heating of the room or cooling of the room in response to any one of the first and second control signals.
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Specification