Temperature control system with multiple networked sensors
First Claim
1. A temperature control system comprising:
- a thermostat assembly for controlling a heating or cooling system, said thermostat assembly having an integral temperature sensor and an interface to a communications network, and at least one remote temperature sensor having an interface to said communications network, and wherein said thermostat assembly controls the heating or cooling system according to temperature information received from said integral temperature sensor and temperature information received via said communications network from at least one remote temperature sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A temperature control system is disclosed where a single smart thermostat controls a single HVAC source according to information received through a network from multiple temperature sensors placed at different locations served by the HVAC source. This system addresses the common problem most often found in multi-cubicle and/or multi-office environments where a single thermostat controls the space and temperatures vary substantially across the space, and with the time-of-day. The system may be programmed to produce a specific average temperature across the space, or alternately target different temperatures for different locations within the space according to the time-of-day, in order to compensate for changing characteristics like the position of the sun. The system is also applicable to HVAC systems for the home.
269 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A temperature control system comprising:
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a thermostat assembly for controlling a heating or cooling system, said thermostat assembly having an integral temperature sensor and an interface to a communications network, and at least one remote temperature sensor having an interface to said communications network, and wherein said thermostat assembly controls the heating or cooling system according to temperature information received from said integral temperature sensor and temperature information received via said communications network from at least one remote temperature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for operating a temperature control system wherein said temperature control system comprises:
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a thermostat assembly for controlling a heating or cooling system, said thermostat assembly having an integral temperature sensor and an interface to a communications network; and
at least one remote temperature sensor having an interface to said communications network; and
where said method comprises the steps of;
collecting measured temperatures from integral and remote temperature sensors, where measured temperatures transferred from remote temperature sensors to said thermostat assembly are transferred by way of said communications network; and
controlling the heating or cooling system to produce measured temperatures at integral and remote temperature sensor locations such that the average of the measured temperatures of all sensor locations, both integral and remote, is a specific temperature. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for operating a temperature control system wherein said temperature control system comprises:
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a thermostat assembly for controlling a heating or cooling system, said thermostat assembly having an integral temperature sensor and an interface to a communications network; and
at least one remote temperature sensor having an interface to said communications network; and
where said method comprises the steps of;
collecting measured temperatures from integral and remote temperature sensors, where measured temperatures transferred from remote temperature sensors to said thermostat assembly are transferred by way of said communications network; and
controlling the heating or cooling system to produce measured temperatures at integral and remote temperature sensor locations such that a predetermined profile of measured temperatures is produced across the locations of integral and remote temperature sensors. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification