Temperature recovery display device for an electronic programmable thermostat

• US 4,881,686 A
• Filed: 10/13/1988
• Issued: 11/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter-Melnor Incorporated (Hunter Fan Company)
• Inventors: Mehta, Vinay
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/256,987
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 236/46 R, 236/94, 165/11.1, 165/29
• US Class Current: 236/46.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2223/08 Microprocessor; Microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2237/06 two predeterming temperatures, e.g. day-night
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/203 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1904 variable in time

Abstract

A programmable thermostat for an air conditioning system for a predetermined volume of space is provided which includes a digital memory for storing a plurality of program times and program temperatures corresponding to the program times, a sensor for sensing the ambient temperature within the predetermined volume of space, a timer for generating the current time of day, and a controller for controlling the on/off switching of the air conditioning system in response to (1) a comparison of the current time of day with the program times stored in the digital memory to access the corresponding current control temperature stored in the digital memory and (2) comparison of the current ambient temperature sensed by the sensor with the current control temperature stored in the memory. A temperature recovery system activates and controls the air conditioning system prior to a given program time so as to bring the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space to the control temperature corresponding to the given program time by the given program time. The programmable thermostat includes one or more display devices which provide a visual indication when the temperature recovery program has activated and is controlling the air conditioning system. The display device may also include a graphic display for visually indicating the extent to which recovery has been effected.

Claims

1. A programmable thermostat which controls an air conditioning system for a predetermined volume of space, said thermostat comprising:

sensor means for sensing the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space;

timing means for generating the current time of day;

a digital memory for storing a plurality of program times and at least one control temperature corresponding to each of the plurality of program times;

control means for controlling the on/off switching of said air conditioning system in response to (1) a comparison of the current time of day with the program times stored in said digital memory means to access the corresponding current control temperature stored in said digital memory means and (2) a comparison of the current ambient temperature sensed by said sensor means with the current control temperatures stored in said memory means;

a temperature recovery means for activating and controlling said air conditioning system prior to a given program time to bring the ambient temperature to the predetermined volume of space to a control temperature corresponding to the given program time by the given program time; and

a display device including visual indicator means for visually indicating when said temperature recovery means has activated and is controlling said air conditioning system.

2. The programmable thermostat according to claim 1 wherein said visual indicator means generates flashing indicia related to the given program time.

3. The programmable thermostat according to claim 1 wherein said visual indicator means generates flashing indicia related to the program time prior to the given program time.

4. The programmable thermostat according to claim 1 wherein said visual indicator means includes graphic display means for graphically displaying the rate of the change of the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space.

5. The programmable thermostat according to claim 1 wherein said visual indicator means includes graphic display means for graphically displaying the extent to which the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space has been brought toward the control temperature corresponding to the given program time since the activation of said air conditioning system by said temperature recovery means.

6. The programmable thermostat according to claim 1 wherein said visual indicator means includes graphic display means for graphically displaying the time elapsed since the activation of said air conditioning system by said temperature recovery means.

7. The programmable thermostat according to claim 1 wherein said visual indicator means comprises an LED display.

8. A programmable thermostat which controls an air conditioning system for a predetermined volume of space, said thermostat comprising:

sensor means for sensing the ambient temperature within the predetermined volume of space;

a digital memory for storing a plurality of program times and a plurality of control temperatures corresponding to the program times;

control means for controlling the on/off switching of said air conditioning system in response to comparisons between the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space and the control temperatures stored in said digital memory;

temperature recovery means for activating and controlling said air conditioning system prior to a given program time so as to bring the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space to the control temperature corresponding to the given program time; and

a display device including graphic display means for graphically displaying information associated with the activation and control of said air conditioning system by said temperature recovery means.

9. A display device for a programmable thermostat which controls an air conditioning system for a predetermined volume of space, said display device comprising visual indicator means for visually indicating when a temperature recovery system has activated and is controlling said air conditioning system prior to a given program time to bring the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space to a predetermined temperature level by said given program time.

10. The display device according to claim 9 which further comprises graphic display means for graphically displaying the rate of the change of the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space.

11. The display device according to claim 9 which further comprises graphic display means for graphically displaying the extent to which the ambient temperature has been brought to the predetermined temperature since the activation of said air conditioning system by said temperature recovery system.

12. The display device according to claim 9 which further comprises graphic display means for graphically displaying the time elapsed since activation of said air conditioning system by the temperature recovery system.

13. The display device according to claim 9 wherein said visual indicator means comprises an LED display.

14. A display device for a programmable thermostat which controls an air conditioning system for a predetermined volume of space, said display device comprising visual indicator means for visually indicating when said programmable thermostat has activated and is controlling said air conditioning system so as to bring the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space to a predetermined temperature by a predetermined time, said visual indicator means including graphic display means for graphically displaying the rate of the change of the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space.

15. A display device for a programmable thermostat which controls an air conditioning system for a predetermined volume of space, said display device comprising visual indicator means for visually indicating when said programmable thermostat has activated and is controlling said air conditioning system so as to bring the ambient temperature of the predetermined volume of space to a predetermined temperature by a predetermined time, said visual indicator means including graphic display means for graphically displaying the extent to which the ambient temperature has been brought to the predetermined temperature since the activation of said air conditioning system by said programmable thermostat.