Advanced setback reporting thermostat

• US 6,634,566 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2002
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Proffitt, Jerry L., Archacki, Raymond J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WAYNER, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US10/004,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20030150925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46.R, 236/47, 236/94, 165/238, 165/267, 165/11.1
• US Class Current: 236/46.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/20 with a time programme acting through electrical means, e.g. using time-delay relays
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A thermostat is operative to note the current temperature at time of entering into a setback of one or more previously established setpoints. The thermostat is also operative to note any newly defined setpoints. The thermostat also notes whether the setback is to occur in a heating or cooling mode of operation. The thermostat maintains a record of the aforementioned entry conditions mount of time the thermostat participates in a requested setback. The thermostat also preferably notes one or more setpoints and sensed temperature occurring at the end of an implemented setback as well as the ending heating or cooling mode of operation. A record of temperature conditions, mode of operation and elapsed time for each setback is stored for retrieval by a remotely located entity in communication with the thermostat. The entity is usually an energy provider. This record is available for retrieval at any time, including a time when the thermostat is presently implementing a setback.

Claims

1. A process executable by a programmed processor within a thermostat for tracking and reporting the participation by the thermostat in requested setbacks of the setpoint control for the thermostat, said process comprising the steps of:

responding to a request to enter into a setback of at least one setpoint used in a normal mode of operation;

noting at least one temperature condition upon entry into the setback of at least one setpoint;

tracking the amount of time that elapses during the setback of at least one setpoint;

defining a setback record that includes the noted temperature condition and the elapsed time; and

transmitting the setback record to a requesting entity in response to a request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints whereby the noted temperature condition at entry into setback and the elapsed time during setback is transmitted as a setback record to the requesting entity.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of responding to a request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints further comprises:

noting a request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints during the implementation of a presently requested setback;

computing the amount of time that has elapsed during the presently requested setback in response to said step of noting that a request has been received during the implementation of the presently requested setback;

defining a setback record that includes the temperature condition at entry into the presently requested setback and the computed amount of time that has elapsed during the presently requested setback; and

transmitting the defined setback record to the requesting entity as part of the response to the request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints.

3. The process of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

monitoring any termination of a requested setback of a setpoint;

terminating the requested setback;

noting at least one temperature condition occurring at the time of terminating the requested setback;

including the temperature condition noted at the time of terminating the requested setback as part of the defined setback record whereby the defined setback record transmitted to the requesting entity includes at least one temperature condition occurring at the time of terminating the requested setback.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein said step of monitoring any termination of a requested setback of a setpoint comprises the step of:

monitoring a touch sensitive button on the thermostat so as to note when the touch sensitive button has been depressed thereby indicating that an override of the requested setback of the setpoint has occurred.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

responding to a request to initialize any setback records that may have been defined as to noted temperature conditions at entry into setbacks and the elapsed times during each setback participation whereby any such records are cleared from memory.

6. The process of claim 5 further comprising the steps of:

noting at least one temperature condition occurring during a setback of a setpoint that is continuing to occur following the response to the request to initialize any records;

computing any remaining period of time that elapses in the setback;

defining a setback record that includes the noted temperature condition occurring during a setback of a setpoint that is continuing to occur following the response to the request to initialize any records and the computed remaining period of time that elapses in the setback; and

transmitting the defined setback record to the requesting entity as part of any subsequent response to a request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein said step of noting at least one temperature condition upon entry into the setback of at least one setpoint comprises the step of:

noting the setpoint that is established at time of entry into the setback.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein said step of noting at least one temperature condition upon entry into the setback of at least one setpoint further comprises the step of:

noting the current temperature being sensed by a sensor associated with the thermostat at time of entry into the setback.

9. The process of claim 3 wherein said step of noting at least one temperature condition occurring at the time of terminating the requested setback comprises the step of:

noting the setpoint at time of terminating the setback.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said step of noting at least one temperature condition occurring at the time of terminating the requested setback further comprises the step of:

noting the current temperature being sensed by a sensor associated with the thermostat at time of terminating the setback.

11. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

noting the operating mode of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system controlled by the thermostat upon entry into the setback of at least one setpoint and storing the noted operating mode in the setback record.

12. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

noting the operating mode of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system controlled by the thermostat upon termination of the requested setback and storing the noted operating mode in the setback record.

13. A thermostat having the capability to track and report the participation by the thermostat in requested setbacks of the setpoint control for the thermostat, said thermostat comprising:

a memory for storing information;

a processor operative to receive at least one communication requesting that the thermostat enter into a setback of at least one setpoint used in a normal mode of operation, said processor being operative to note at least one temperature condition upon entry into the setback of the setpoint, said processor being furthermore operative to track the amount of time that elapses during the setback of the setpoint, said processor being still furthermore operative to store the noted temperature condition and elapsed time as a setback record in said memory, said processor being operative to respond to any communication requesting information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints whereby the stored setback record is transmitted to the requesting entity.

14. The thermostat of claim 13 wherein said processor is furthermore operative in response to a request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks to note whether the request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints is occurring during a presently implemented setback, said processor being operative to compute the amount of time that has elapsed during any such presently requested setback, said processor being operative to define a setback record that includes the temperature condition at entry into the presently requested setback and the computed amount of time that has elapsed and transmitting the defined setback record to the requesting entity as part of the response to the request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints.

15. The thermostat of claim 13 wherein said processor is furthermore operative when tracking the amount of time that elapses during the setback mode of operation to monitor any termination of a requested setback of the setpoint and to note at least one temperature condition occurring at the time of terminating the requested setback, said processor being furthermore operative to include the noted temperature condition at the time of terminating the requested setback in the defined setback record transmitted to the requesting entity as part of the response to the request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints.

16. The thermostat of claim 15 wherein said thermostat furthermore comprises at least one touch sensitive button which is depressed when a requested setback of a setpoint is to be terminated and wherein said processor is operative to store an indication that such touch sensitive button has been depressed in memory as an indication that a requested setback is to be terminated.

17. The thermostat of claim 15 wherein said processor is operative to note the setpoint at time of terminating the setback, the noted setpoint being a temperature condition occurring at the time of terminating the requested setback.

18. The thermostat of claim 17 wherein said processor is operative to note the current temperature being sensed by a sensor associated with the thermostat at time of terminating the setback, the noted current temperature being a temperature condition occurring at the time of terminating the requested setback.

19. The thermostat of claim 13 wherein said processor is operative to note the current temperature being sensed by a sensor associated with the thermostat at time of entry into the setback, the sensed temperature being a temperature condition noted upon entry into the setback of at least one setpoint.

20. The thermostat of claim 19 wherein said processor is operative to note the current temperature being sensed by a sensor associated with the thermostat at time of entry into the setback, the sensed temperature being a temperature condition noted upon entry into the setback of at least one setpoint.

21. The thermostat of claim 13 wherein said processor is furthermore operative to respond to a request to initialize any setback records that may have been defined as to the noted temperature conditions at entry into each setback and the elapsed times during each setback participation whereby any such setback records are cleared from memory.

22. The thermostat of claim 21 wherein said processor is furthermore operative to note at least one temperature condition occurring during a setback of a setpoint that is continuing to occur following the response to the request to initialize any records, said processor being operative to thereafter compute any remaining period of time that elapses in the setback, said processor being furthermore operative to define a setback record that includes the noted temperature condition occurring during the setback of a setpoint that is continuing to occur following the response to the request to initialize any records, said processor being operative to transmit the defined setback record to the requesting entity as part of any subsequent response to a request for information as to the participation of the thermostat in one or more requested setbacks of setpoints.

23. The thermostat of claim 13 wherein said processor is operative to note the operating mode of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system controlled by the thermostat upon entry into the setback of at least one setpoint and wherein said processor is furthermore operative to store the noted operating mode in the setback record.

24. The thermostat of claim 13 wherein said processor is operative to note the operating mode of a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system controlled by the thermostat upon termination of the setback request and wherein said processor is furthermore operative to store the noted operating mode in the setback record.