Electronic programmable thermostat
First Claim
1. A thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to a temperature modifying device comprising:
- an operator actuable set point means for determining a normal temperature;
a temperature sensing means having an electrical characteristic which varies as a function of ambient temperature;
a clock operative to generate digital electrical signals indicative of the current time;
a state selector memory having stored therein multiple separate predetermined temperature programs, each predetermined temperature program including digital signals indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature at particular times over a repetitive time cycle;
a temperature program indicator means connected to said state selector memory for generating a first operator perceivable indication when digital signals indicative of said normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and a second operator perceivable indication when digital signals indicative of said set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory;
a manually operable temperature program selection means for selection of one of said predetermined temperature programs;
a means for applying the output of said clock to said state selector memory thereby causing said state selector memory to generate a digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature corresponding to said selected predetermined temperature program for the current time; and
a control means connected to said operator actuable set point means, said temperature sensing means and receiving the digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature generated by said state selector memory for generating a control signal for the temperature modifying device based upon the relation of the ambient temperature to a normal temperature determined by said set point means when digital signals indicative of said normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and for generating a control signal for the temperature modifying device based upon the relation of the ambient temperature to a temperature having a predetermined number of degrees offset from said normal temperature determined by said set point means when digital signals indicative of said set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic thermostat includes selectable multiple predetermined temperature programs of desired temperatures over a repetitive time cycle. A manually operable temperature program selector enables recall of a desired temperature for a particular time from a temperature program memory in accordance with the selected predetermined temperature program. This desired temperature is compared to the ambient temperature in order to generate control signals for a temperature modifying device. In the preferred embodiment, the multiple temperature programs each consist of digital signals indicative of either a normal temperature or a set-back temperature. A separate operator actuable set point device determines the normal temperature. When the normal temperature is indicated, the thermostat controls the temperature modifying load to restore the selected normal temperature. When the set-back temperature is indicated, the thermostat controls the temperature modifying load to restore a temperature which is a predetermined number of degrees offset from the selected normal temperature. The set-back temperature is lower in a heating mode and higher in a cooling mode enabling reduced energy consumption in the temperature modifying device. In the preferred embodiment, the number of degrees of the offset is selectable via an operator control.
251 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to a temperature modifying device comprising:
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an operator actuable set point means for determining a normal temperature; a temperature sensing means having an electrical characteristic which varies as a function of ambient temperature; a clock operative to generate digital electrical signals indicative of the current time; a state selector memory having stored therein multiple separate predetermined temperature programs, each predetermined temperature program including digital signals indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature at particular times over a repetitive time cycle; a temperature program indicator means connected to said state selector memory for generating a first operator perceivable indication when digital signals indicative of said normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and a second operator perceivable indication when digital signals indicative of said set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory; a manually operable temperature program selection means for selection of one of said predetermined temperature programs; a means for applying the output of said clock to said state selector memory thereby causing said state selector memory to generate a digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature corresponding to said selected predetermined temperature program for the current time; and a control means connected to said operator actuable set point means, said temperature sensing means and receiving the digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature generated by said state selector memory for generating a control signal for the temperature modifying device based upon the relation of the ambient temperature to a normal temperature determined by said set point means when digital signals indicative of said normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and for generating a control signal for the temperature modifying device based upon the relation of the ambient temperature to a temperature having a predetermined number of degrees offset from said normal temperature determined by said set point means when digital signals indicative of said set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to either a heating device or a cooling device comprising:
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a temperature sensing means having an electrical characteristic which varies as a function of ambient temperature; a clock operative to generate digital electrical signals indicative of the current time; a state selector memory having stored therein multiple separate predetermined temperature programs, each predetermined temperature program including digital signals indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature at particular times over a repetitive time cycle; a manually operable temperature program selection means for selection of one of said predetermined temperature programs; a means for applying the output of said clock to said state selector memory thereby causing said state selector memory to generate a digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature corresponding to said selected predetermined temperature program for the current time; a mode selection means for selecting either a heating mode or a cooling mode; and a control means connected to said temperature sensing means and said mode selection means, and receiving the digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature generated by said state selector memory, for generating a control signal for the heating device upon selection of said heating mode for actuating the heating device if the ambient temperature is less than a normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and for actuating the heating device if the ambient temperature is less than a temperature a predetermined number of offset degrees less than the normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory, and for generating a control signal for the cooling device upon the selection of said cooling mode for actuating the cooling device if the ambient temperature is greater than a normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and for actuating the cooling device if the ambient temperature is less than a temperature said predetermined number of offset degrees greater than the normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to a temperature modifying device comprising:
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a temperature sensitive means having an electrical characteristic which varies as a function of ambient temperature; a manually actuable control member having a continuously adjustable electrical characteristic and corresponding temperature indicia, for providing an electrical characteristic corresponding to a desired normal temperature; an analog to digital conversion means for generating a digital temperature signal corresponding to the sum of the electrical characteristics of said temperature sensing means and said control member; a clock operative to generate digital electrical signals indicative of the current time; a state selector memory having stored therein a plurality of separate predetermined temperature programs, each predetermined temperature program including digital signals indicative of digital signals indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature; a manually operable temperature program selection means for selection of one of said predetermined temperature programs; a means for applying the output of said clock to said state selector memory thereby causing said state selector memory to generate a digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature corresponding to said selected predetermined temperature program for the current time; a control means for receiving said digital temperature signal and said digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature for generating a control signal for control of the temperature modifying device based upon the relation of the digital temperature signal to said digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature, whereby the temperature modifying load is controlled to restore the ambient temperature to the desired normal temperatures when digital signals indicative of a normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and to restore the ambient temperature to a temperature a predetermined number of degrees offset from said desired normal temperature when digital signals indicative of a set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification