Thermostat responsive to inputs from external devices

• US 7,261,243 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Butler, William P., Sartain, John M., Casey, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Thao X.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Geoghegan; Christopher D
• Application Number:
  US11/023,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20060131434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 236/1.C, 236/49.2, 236/15.C, 621/60, 623/31, 165/241, 700/276
• US Class Current: 236/1.00C
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/39 Monitoring filter performance
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/76 by means responsive to temperature, e.g. bimetal springs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/80 for controlling the temperature of the supplied air
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/12 of the outside air
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1902 characterised by the use of a variable reference value

Abstract

A thermostat is provided that receives one or more inputs from at least one heating system of a climate control system, and initiates an appropriate action in response to the input. The thermostat can turn off a heat pump providing substandard heat and responsively turn on a fuel-fired auxiliary furnace. The thermostat may discontinue further operation of the auxiliary furnace upon receiving an operating error signal associated with the auxiliary furnace, and responsively turn on the heat pump to provide for continued heating. The thermostat may also discontinue operation of the fuel-fired furnace and turn on a circulating fan in response to an input signal indicating a furnace high-temperature or a carbon monoxide presence.

Claims

1. A digital thermostat for controlling the operation of a climate control system having at least a heat pump system and an auxiliary heating system, comprising:

a display means for visually displaying operating error information to a user of the thermostat;

a temperature sensor for sensing the outside ambient temperature;

a processor being configured to deactivate the heat pump system in response to the temperature sensor sensing an outside ambient temperature below a predetermined temperature value, and configured to responsively activate the auxiliary heating system, said processor having an input means for receiving at least one communication signal from either the heat pump or auxiliary heating system indicating whether the heat pump or auxiliary heating system is not operating, wherein the processor responds to the non-operating communication signal by initiating the deactivation of the non-operating system and the activation of the other operable system, and where the communication signal is a signal from an auxiliary heating system controller indicating the auxiliary heating system is not operating, the processor responsively initiates the activation of the heat pump system even if the outside ambient temperature is below the predetermined temperature value.

2. The digital thermostat of claim 1, where if upon activating the auxiliary heating system the digital thermostat senses a predetermined decrease in indoor temperature while the auxiliary heating system is operating, the processor deactivates the auxiliary heating system and activates the heat pump system even if the outside ambient temperature is below the predetermined temperature value.

3. The digital thermostat of claim 1, wherein the communication signal is a signal communicated by a heat pump controller indicating the heat pump system is not operating.

4. The digital thermostat of claim 3, wherein the processor responds to the non-operating heat pump communication signal by controlling the activation of the auxiliary heating system.

5. The digital thermostat of claim 1, where if upon activating the heat pump system the digital thermostat senses a predetermined decrease in indoor temperature while the heat pump system is operating, the processor deactivates the heat pump system and activates the auxiliary heating system.

6. A digital thermostat for controlling the operation of a climate control system having at least a heat pump system and an auxiliary heating system, comprising:

a display means for visually displaying operating error information to a user of the thermostat;

a temperature sensor for sensing the outside ambient temperature;

a processor being configured to deactivate the heat pump system in response to the temperature sensor sensing an outside ambient temperature below a predetermined temperature value, and configured to responsively activate the auxiliary heating system said processor having an input means for receiving at least one communication signal from either the heat pump or auxiliary heating system indicating whether the heat pump or auxiliary heating system is not operating, where in response to receiving a communication signal indicating the auxiliary heating system is not operating and subsequently sensing an outside ambient temperature below the predetermined temperature value, the thermostat processor responsively continues to continues to operate the heat pump system during a call for heating.

7. A digital thermostat for controlling the operation of a climate control system having at least a fuel-fired furnace, comprising:

a display means for visually displaying information to the user of the digital thermostat; and

a processor having an input means for receiving at least one input signal from a furnace controller communicating operating error code information relating to the furnace, wherein the processor responsively communicates to the display means the information to be displayed to the user of the thermostat, and where in response to a first error code signal from the furnace controller indicating an increase in circulation air pressure the processor signals the display means to display a request to change the air filter.

8. The digital thermostat of claim 7, where in responds to a predetermined error code the processor controls the activation or deactivation of one or more devices within the climate control system.

9. The digital thermostat of claim 7, where in response to a second error code signal from the furnace controller indicating a high heat-exchanger temperature the processor discontinues the furnace operation and activates the circulator blower fan.

10. The digital thermostat of claim 7, where in response to a third error code signal from the furnace controller indicating a furnace lock out of second stage operation the processor discontinues the thermostat'"'"'s call for second stage furnace operation and subsequently calls for first stage furnace operation only.

11. The digital thermostat of claim 7, where in response to a fourth error code signal from the furnace controller indicating a flame sense failure the processor discontinues heating operation of the fuel-fired furnace.

12. The digital thermostat of claim 7, further comprising a connector for connecting the processor to a smoke detector.

13. The digital thermostat of claim 12, wherein the processor responds to a signal from the smoke detector by discontinuing the thermostat'"'"'s call for furnace operation and signaling the display means to display a smoke detector alarm to the thermostat user.

14. An improved digital thermostat for controlling the operation of a climate control system comprising at least a fuel-fired furnace, the improvement comprising:

a display means for visually displaying error signal information from a climate control system to the user of the digital thermostat;

a processor having an input means for receiving at least one input signal from a furnace controller indicating an operating error signal from the controller wherein the operating information signal from the furnace controller comprises at least one error code signal communicated by the furnace controller; and

wherein the processor responds to a predetermined error code by controlling the activation or deactivation of one or more devices within the climate control system, wherein the processor responds to a first error code signal from the furnace controller indicating a change in circulation air pressure by signaling the display means to display a request to change the air filter.

15. The improved thermostat of claim 14, wherein the processor responds to a second error code signal from the furnace controller indicating a high heat-exchanger temperature by discontinuing the thermostat'"'"'s call for furnace operation and activating the circulator blower fan.

16. The improved thermostat of claim 14, wherein the processor responds to a third error code signal from the furnace controller indicating a furnace lock out of second stage operation by discontinuing the thermostat'"'"'s call for second stage furnace operation and subsequently calling for first stage furnace operation only.