Automatic thermostat schedule/program selector system

• US 20060192021A1
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ademco Inc. (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Schultz, David A., Koster, Chad W., Hoglund, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 11/46 Improving electric energy efficiency or saving
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/65 for selecting an operating mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/66 Sleep mode
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/67 Switching between heating and cooling modes
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/77 by controlling the speed of ventilators
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A thermostat system having multiple and individual schedules. For instance, a user may have different schedules and setpoints for heating and cooling. An appropriate schedule combining individual schedules may be automatically selected based on a system configuration. Schedule control may involve manual changeover from one schedule to another or automatic changeover relative to the schedule combining schedules. The thermostat system may be programmable. Also, there may be a system switch mode, for example, between heat and cool, where the schedules of either may be edited. Scheduling may be menu and option key driven.

Claims

1. A controller system comprising:

a plurality of schedules;

and

a manual changeover; and

wherein a manual changeover is a manual selection of a schedule from the plurality of schedules, for the controller system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

each schedule of the plurality of schedules comprises a plurality of temperature setpoints; and

each temperature setpoint has an associated time setpoint.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each time setpoint is a beginning of a time period and an end of a previous period if preceded by the previous time period.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of schedules may have different time setpoints for a beginning of a same period.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a combination schedule; and

wherein the combination schedule is a combining at least two schedules of the plurality of schedules.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein an automatic changeover is a selection of the combination schedule for the controller system in lieu of one schedule of the plurality of schedules.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein an automatic changeover only is a selection of the combination schedule for the controller system in lieu of one schedule of the plurality of schedules and prevents the controller system from being switched off.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein for a temperature setpoint at an associated time setpoint of a selected schedule, the controller system may start a temperature changing system before the associated time setpoint so that the temperature setpoint is reached by the temperature changing system at about a time of the associated time setpoint.

9. The system of claim 3, wherein a schedule of the plurality of schedules is editable.

10. A controller system comprising:

a heat schedule;

a cool schedule; and

a manual changeover; and

wherein for a manual changeover one schedule is automatically selected from the heat and cool schedule group for the controller system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the heat schedule comprises a plurality of heat temperature setpoints;

the cooling schedule comprises a plurality of cool temperature setpoints;

each heat temperature setpoint has an associated heat time setpoint; and

each cool temperature setpoint has an associated cool time setpoint.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the heat schedule and the cool schedule may be edited with the controller system disconnected from another system that the controller system is to control.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein each time setpoint is a beginning of a time period and an end of previous period if preceded by the previous time period.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a heat/cool schedule; and

wherein the heat/cool schedule is a combining of the plurality of heat setpoints and the plurality of cool setpoints.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein an automatic changeover is a selection of the heat/cool schedule for the controller system in lieu of a heating schedule or a cooling schedule.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the heat/cool schedule may be edited with the controller system disconnected from another system that is to be controlled by the controller system.

17. A method for programming a controller system comprising:

loading a heat schedule into the controller system; and

loading a cool schedule into the controller system;

selecting one of the heat and cool schedules for the controller system to implement.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein selecting one of the heat and cool schedules is a manual changeover configuration.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

combining the heat schedule and the cool schedule in to a heat/cool schedule; and

selecting the heat/cool schedule is an auto changeover configuration.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

editing the heat schedule and/or the cool schedule; and

wherein the editing of the heat schedule and/or the cool schedule may be performed on the controller system with the controller system disconnected from another system to be controlled by the controller system.