Thermostat having a temperature stabilized superregenerative RF receiver

• US 6,810,307 B1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Addy, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US10/713,991
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 455/84-87, 455/205, 455/215, 455/334, 455/336, 700/275-278, 700/299, 700/300, 165/253, 165/259, 165/267-269, 165/287, 236/1.B, 236/1.C, 236/91.R, 236/91-D-
• US Class Current: 700/278
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/30 for homodyne or synchrodyne receivers demodulator circuits H03D1/22

Abstract

An RF controlled thermostat/controller is disclosed for an HVAC system having a superregenerative RF receiver which uses the temperature sensor of the thermostat for temperature stabilization of the superregenerative RF receiver. The superregenerative RF receiver provides a very low power drain always-on receiver for RF remote control of the thermostat/controller. The thermostat/controller includes a microcontroller with a non-volatile memory. A digital value stored in the non-volatile memory, or a non-volatile memory of a separate component, is used in one of several different embodiments to accurately tune the superregenerative RF receiver.

Claims

1. An RF controlled thermostat/controller comprising:

the thermostat/controller including a microcontroller and a temperature sensor;

a superregenerative RF receiver which uses the temperature sensor of the thermostat for temperature stabilization of the superregenerative RF receiver while providing a very low power drain always-on receiver for RF remote control of the thermostat/controller;

a non-volatile memory for storing a digital value which is used is used, along with the temperature sensor output, to accurately tune the superregenerative RF receiver.

2. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller includes the non-volatile memory as a component thereof.

3. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein a tuning component used to accurately tune the superregenerative RF receiver includes the non-volatile memory as a component thereof.

4. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory is input to a digital to analog converter, the analog output of which is used to adjust a tunable component which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

5. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory is input to a digital to analog converter, the analog output of which is used to adjust a tunable varactor diode which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

6. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory is a direct input to a digitally controlled tunable component which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

7. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory is a direct input to a digitally switched tuning capacitor which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

8. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory is a direct input to a series of digitally switched tuning capacitors which regulate the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

9. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 1, wherein a non-volatile digitally controlled capacitor component includes the non-volatile memory.

10. The RF controlled thermostat/controller of claim 9, wherein the non-volatile digitally controlled capacitor component includes an EEPROM non-volatile memory.

11. A method of providing RF control for a thermostat/controller including a microcontroller and a temperature sensor comprising:

using the temperature sensor of the thermostat for temperature stabilization of a superregenerative RF receiver which provides a very low power drain always-on receiver for RF remote control of the thermostat/controller;

storing a digital value in a non-volatile memory which is used is used, along with the temperature sensor output, to accurately tune the superregenerative RF receiver.

12. The method of claim 11, including storing a digital value in a non-volatile memory of the microcontroller.

13. The method of claim 11, including storing a digital value in a non-volatile memory of a tuning component used to accurately tune the superregenerative RF receiver.

14. The method of claim 11, including applying the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory as an input to a digital to analog converter, the analog output of which is used to adjust a tunable component which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

15. The method of claim 11, including applying the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory as an input to a digital to analog converter, the analog output of which is used to adjust a tunable varactor diode which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

16. The method of claim 11, including applying the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory as a direct input to a digitally controlled tunable component which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

17. The method of claim 11, including applying the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory as a direct input to a digitally switched tuning capacitor which regulates the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

18. The method of claim 11, including applying the stored digital value from the non-volatile memory as a direct input to a series of digitally switched tuning capacitors which regulate the frequency of the superregenerative RF receiver.

19. The method of claim 11, including providing the non-volatile memory in a non-volatile digitally controlled capacitor component.

20. The method of claim 11, including providing the non-volatile memory in an EEPROM in a non-volatile digitally controlled capacitor component.