Thermostat having default curtailment temperature settings

• US 20060283964A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copeland Comfort Control LP (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Garozzo, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,364,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/46.R
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

A thermostat capable of receiving signals transmitted by a utility provider communicating a usage rate schedule or a request for a load curtailment period, and controlling one or more systems based on the information communicated by the utility. The thermostat changes the set point for each system to the stored predetermined control set point corresponding to the current usage rate schedule period or the curtailment mode period when requested. The thermostat is further capable of discontinuing operation of one or more systems for a minimum predetermined time period during following a request for a load curtailment period.

Claims

1. A thermostat for controlling the operation of one or more systems and restricting operation to a desired level, the thermostat comprising:

a receiver means for receiving a usage rate schedule signal transmitted by a utility provider;

a memory means for storing the transmitted usage rate schedule information, and a plurality of control set points for each system for each of the usage rate schedule periods; and

a processor that looks up the appropriate control set point for each system for the current usage rate schedule period, and controls each system using the appropriate set point to maintain a desired operating level for each system during each usage rate schedule period.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the control set point comprises a desired room temperature that is used by the thermostat in controlling operation of the climate control system.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein at least one of the systems is an electric water heater appliance, and the control set point comprises a desired on-off duty cycle that the thermostat uses to limit the operating time of the electric water heater.

4. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein at least one of the systems is a pool water heater, and the control set point comprises a desired on-off duty cycle that the thermostat uses to limit the operating time of the pool water heater.

5. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the receiver means further comprises means for receiving a signal transmitted by a utility provider requesting the thermostat to enter into a curtailment mode of operation, wherein the thermostat responsively discontinues operation of one or more systems for a first predetermined time period.

6. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the thermostat further comprises a second predetermined time period following the first time period, during which the thermostat looks up a control set point corresponding to the curtailment mode of operation for one or more systems and uses the control set point to control the operation of one or more systems.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the user may manually override the curtailment mode of operation at the thermostat.

8. A thermostat capable of controlling the operation of one or more systems and restricting system operation to a desired level, the thermostat comprising:

a receiver means for receiving signals transmitted by a utility provider communicating a usage rate schedule or a request for curtailment mode;

a memory means for storing the transmitted usage rate schedule or curtailment request information, and for storing a control set point for each system for each of the rate schedule periods;

a processor that looks up the appropriate control set point for each system for the current usage rate schedule period, and controls each system using the appropriate set point for maintaining a desired operating level for each system during each rate schedule period; and

where in response to a request for curtailment mode of operation the processor responsively discontinues operation of one or more systems for a first predetermined time period.

9. The thermostat of claim 8, wherein the processor looks up a stored control set point value corresponding to a curtailment mode period for each system, and uses the control set point to control the operation of one or more systems for a second predetermined time period following the first predetermined time period.

10. The thermostat of claim 9, wherein the user may manually override the curtailment mode of operation at the thermostat.

11. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein the control set point comprises a desired room temperature that is used by the thermostat in controlling operation of the climate control system.

12. The thermostat of claim 10, wherein at least one of the systems is an electric water heater appliance, and the control set point comprises a desired on-off duty cycle that the thermostat uses to limit the operating time of the electric water heater.

13. An improved digital thermostat capable of receiving signals transmitted by a utility provider communicating a usage rate period schedule or a request for a load curtailment period, the improvement comprising:

a memory means for storing a predetermined set point temperature for each usage rate period;

a processor that changes the control set point for controlling the operation of a climate control system to the stored predetermined set point temperature corresponding to the current usage rate period, wherein the processor discontinues thermostat operation for a minimum predetermined time period upon receiving a request for a load curtailment period from a utility provider.

14. The improved digital thermostat of claim 13, where the processor changes the control set point to the stored predetermined temperature set point corresponding to a load curtailment period after the first minimum predetermined time period expires, and maintains the temperature set point for a second predetermined time period that begins after the first time period and ends at the completion of the load curtailment period.

15. The improved digital thermostat of claim 14, wherein the user may manually override the load curtailment period at the thermostat.

16. The improved digital thermostat of claim 15, wherein the manual override comprises an input to the thermostat to adjust the control set point temperature.

17. The improved digital thermostat of claim 16, wherein the manual override further comprises a temporary predetermined time period, after which the thermostat restores the control set point temperature to the predetermined temperature set point corresponding to the current usage rate period.

18. The improved digital thermostat of claim 17, wherein the thermostat transmits a signal to the utility provider to communicate information indicating an override has been initiated by the user of the thermostat.

19. A method for controlling the energy usage of one or more systems that are controlled by a thermostat having a control set point for each of a plurality of usage rate periods, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal transmitted by a utility communicating a usage rate schedule;

storing the usage rate schedule information in memory;

looking up a stored control set point for the climate control system corresponding to the current usage rate schedule period;

changing the thermostat'"'"'s control set point for controlling a climate control system to the stored control set point corresponding to the current usage rate schedule period.

20. The method of claim 30, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal transmitted by a utility communicating a request for a load curtailment period; and

responsively discontinuing operation of one or more systems for a first predetermined time period.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of the user overriding the request for a load curtailment period at the thermostat.