System for time programming of states by communicating time data via a continuously rotatable potentiometer
First Claim
1. A programmable control device comprising:
- an operator adjustable rotary potentiometer having an adjustment knob with a mark thereon and an associated printed time indicia corresponding to twenty four hours of time disposed concentric with said adjustment knob, said rotary potentiometer being rotatable through 360°
via said adjustment knob, said mark on said adjustment knob indicating a corresponding time on said time indicia, said rotary potentiometer having a pair of fixed terminals and a single rotary terminal, the resistance between said rotary terminal and one of said fixed terminals corresponding to the rotary position of said adjustment knob and thereby further corresponding to said time in said time indicia indicated by said mark;
a time signal means connected to said rotary potentiometer for generating a time signal indicative of a time corresponding to the resistance between said rotary terminal of said rotary potentiometer and one of said fixed terminals of said rotary potentiometer and thereby further corresponding to said time in said time indicia indicated by said mark;
a manual control state input means for selection of one of a plurality of control states;
a program memory means for storing therein a program of control states for particular times of a single 24 hours day;
a programming means connected to said time signal means, said manual control state input means and said program memory means for writing an indication of said selected control state in said program memory means at a location corresponding to said time signal;
a clock means for generating a clock signal indicative of the current time; and
a control means connected to said program memory means and said clock means for recalling from said program memory means the control state corresponding to the current time indicated by said clock signal and for performing said recalled control function.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a technique for operator entry of a time program into a programmable device. An operator adjustable input device having associated time indicia is employed to enter a time signal indicative of a time a selected time. A manual control state input device enables selection of one a control state. When the programmable device is in a program mode the selected control state is stored in a program memory at a location corresponding to the selected time. This program memory stores a program of control states for particular times. When in a control mode a clock signal indicative of the current time permits recall of the control state for the current time, thus permitting control in accordance with the recalled control state. In accordance with the preferred embodiment the programmable device is an electronic thermostat. The operator adjustable input device enables input of the times for storage of temperature offsets in the program mode and enables input of a set point temperature in the control mode. The thermostat control function seeks to maintain the temperature at the sum of the set point temperature and the temperature offset for the current time.
196 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A programmable control device comprising:
-
an operator adjustable rotary potentiometer having an adjustment knob with a mark thereon and an associated printed time indicia corresponding to twenty four hours of time disposed concentric with said adjustment knob, said rotary potentiometer being rotatable through 360°
via said adjustment knob, said mark on said adjustment knob indicating a corresponding time on said time indicia, said rotary potentiometer having a pair of fixed terminals and a single rotary terminal, the resistance between said rotary terminal and one of said fixed terminals corresponding to the rotary position of said adjustment knob and thereby further corresponding to said time in said time indicia indicated by said mark;a time signal means connected to said rotary potentiometer for generating a time signal indicative of a time corresponding to the resistance between said rotary terminal of said rotary potentiometer and one of said fixed terminals of said rotary potentiometer and thereby further corresponding to said time in said time indicia indicated by said mark; a manual control state input means for selection of one of a plurality of control states; a program memory means for storing therein a program of control states for particular times of a single 24 hours day; a programming means connected to said time signal means, said manual control state input means and said program memory means for writing an indication of said selected control state in said program memory means at a location corresponding to said time signal; a clock means for generating a clock signal indicative of the current time; and a control means connected to said program memory means and said clock means for recalling from said program memory means the control state corresponding to the current time indicated by said clock signal and for performing said recalled control function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A programmable thermostat for control of a temperature modifying apparatus comprising:
-
a mode selection means for selection of one of a program mode and a control mode; an operator adjustable rotary potentiometer having an adjustment knob with a mark thereon, an associated printed time indicia corresponding to twenty four hours of time disposed concentric with said adjustment knob and a printed temperature indicia corresponding to temperature disposed concentric with said adjustment knob, said rotary potentiometer being rotatable through 360°
via said adjustment knob, said mark on said adjustment knob indicating a corresponding time on said time indicia and a corresponding temperature on said temperature indicia, said rotary potentiometer having a pair of fixed terminals and a single rotary terminal, the resistance between said rotary terminal and one of said fixed terminals corresponding to the rotary position of said adjustment knob and thereby further corresponding to both said time in said time indicia indicated by said mark and said temperature in said temperature indicia indicated by said mark;a time signal means connected to said rotary potentiometer for generating a time signal indicative of a time corresponding to the resistance between said rotary terminal of said rotary potentiometer and one of said fixed terminals of said rotary potentiometer and thereby further corresponding to said time in said time indicia indicated by said mark; a manual control state input means for selection of a temperature offset; a program memory means for storing therein a program of temperature offsets for particular times of a single 24 hour day; a programming means connected to said mode selection means, said time signal means, said manual temperature offset input means and said program memory means for writing an indication of said selected temperature offset in said program memory means at a location corresponding to said time signal when in program mode; a clock means for generating a clock signal indicative of the current time; a set point temperature signal means connected to said rotary potentiometer for generating a set point temperature indicative of a temperature corresponding to the resistance between said rotary terminal of said rotary potentiometer and said one of said fixed terminals of said rotary potentiometer and thereby further corresponding to said temperature in said temperature indicia indicated by said mark; and a control means connected to said mode selection means said program memory means, said clock means and said set point temperature signal means for recalling from said program memory means the temperature offset corresponding to the current time indicated by said clock signal and for thermostatic control of the temperature modifying apparatus for maintaining a temperature equal to the sum of the set point temperature indicated by said set point temperature signal and said recalled temperature offset when in control mode. - View Dependent Claims (13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21)
-
-
14. The programmable thermostat as claimed in 12, further comprising:
-
a time set input means for generating a time set signal when actuated; a time setting means connected to said time signal means, said clock means and said time set input means for setting the current time indicated by said clock signal to the time indicated by said time signal upon generation of said time set signal. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
20. The programmable thermostat as claimed in 19, wherein:
said manually actuable erase means is further connected to said manual temperature offset input means and includes means for erasing said temperature offset for said particular time indicated by said time signal when said begin state indicator indicates said particular time indicated by said time signal is the beginning of a period of a new temperature offset upon manual selection of the temperature offset of the previous time of the beginning of a period of a new temperature offset by said manual temperature offset input means.
Specification