Portable air comfort system thermostat enabling personal localized control of room temperature

• US 5,839,654 A
• Filed: 02/05/1996
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innova Patent Trust
• Original Assignee: Innova Patent Trust
• Inventors: Weber, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/596,457
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 236/51, 236/646.1, 236/47, 165/268, 62/231
• US Class Current: 236/47
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 1/00 Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/88 Electrical aspects, e.g. circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/00 Control inputs relating to air properties
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

Wireless control of an air conditioner or space heater by a portable, easily relocatable remote thermostat combined with a control signal transmitter which is placed on a table, desk or stand near an occupant of a room or office to set the operation of a cooling or heating source in order to maintain a more uniform level of air temperature comfort in the portion of the room where the thermostat is located. A wireless control receiver responsive to the transmitted control signal is included as a portion of a plug-in adapter module that plugs directly into an AC power wall receptacle. An ordinary window air conditioner or portable space heater is then merely plugged into the adapter module which provides ON and OFF control in response to the remote thermostat. A receiver is inclusible in a fixed-location wall thermostat, enabling the portable remote thermostat to maintain control of a centralized climate control system.

Claims

1. A supplementary temperature control method providing for a localized zone control of an ambient room temperature produced by an unitary air conditioning system equipped with an integral temperature control thermostat, comprising steps of:

setting the integral temperature control thermostat to a first bound temperature as an operational limit;

placing a physically unconstrained portable thermosensor in an occupant determinable local zone location within a usually remote portion of a room relative with the unitary air conditioning system and usually proximate with the occupant;

first presetting a first temperature response threshold level for the portable thermosensor;

sensing local zone ambient temperature in the occupant determined said local zone location;

sending a first encoded wireless control signal when change in the sensed local zone temperature increases above the first temperature response threshold level;

remotely receiving the encoded said wireless control signal;

sourcing a.c. electric power through an electric receptacle device;

fitting the unitary air conditioning system with an electric cord and electric plug device;

interjoining the electric plug device, an electric switching device and the electric receptacle device;

turning-ON the electric switching device in automatic response to the remotely received said wireless control signal to admit a flow of the a.c. electric power between the electric receptacle device and the electric plug device; and

,

thereby modulating operation of the unitary air conditioning system to produce a a cooling of the ambient local zone temperature in response to the remotely received said encoded wireless control signal.

2. The supplementary temperature control method of claim 1 comprising the further step of

sending a second encoded wireless control signal when the change in the sensed local zone temperature decreases below the first temperature response threshold level;

said remotely receiving the second encoded wireless control signal;

turning-OFF the electric switching device in automatic response to the remotely received said wireless control signal to inhibit the flow of the a.c. electric power between the electric receptacle device and the electric plug device; and

, thereby stanch a further cooling of the ambient local zone temperature in response to the second encoded said remotely received said wireless control signal.

3. The supplementary temperature control method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

presetting the minimum limit temperature usually set by the integral temperature control thermostat to a first bound temperature level for the air conditioning system, to take effect as a safeguard in absence of said remote reception of the wireless control signal; and

,

limiting operation of the unitary air conditioning system through a safeguard response of the integral temperature control thermostat to the first bound temperature level

thereby maintaining the ambient room temperature proximate with the unitary air conditioning system about the first bound temperature level.

4. The supplementary temperature control method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

sensing ambient humidity level proximate with the portable thermosensor; and

,

compensating an effective value for at least the first temperature response threshold level in a predetermined proportion relative with change in level of the sensed ambient humidity.

5. The supplementary temperature control method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

measuring elapse of time;

second presetting a second temperature response threshold level for the portable thermosensor of usually less than ten degrees Fahrenheit offset relative with the first temperature response level; and

,

shifting a third temperature response threshold level between that of the first temperature response level and the second temperature response level to occur during the measured elapse of time; and

,

redefining the sending of the first encoded wireless control signal to occur when the change in the sensed local zone temperature increases above the third temperature response threshold level.

6. The supplementary temperature control method of claim 2 comprising the further step of:

clocking elapse of time-of-day;

entering a first time-of-day setting;

entering a second time-of-day setting;

defining a first interval of time occurring between the clocked elapse of the first time-of-day setting and the second time-of-day setting;

defining a second interval of time occurring between the clocked elapse of the second time-of-day setting and the first time-of-day setting;

second presetting a second temperature response threshold level for the portable thermosensor of usually less than ten degrees Fahrenheit offset relative with the first temperature response level; and

,

said sending the first encoded wireless control signal during the first interval of time when the sensed local zone temperature increases above the first temperature response threshold level;

said sending the first encoded wireless control signal during the second interval of time when the sensed local zone temperature increases above the second temperature response level;

said sending the second encoded wireless control signal when the change in the sensed local zone temperature decreases below the first temperature response level during the first interval of time; and

said sending the second encoded wireless control signal when the change in the sensed local zone temperature decreases below the second temperature response level during the second interval of time.

7. A remote temperature management method for an unitary air conditioning system equipped with an integral temperature control thermostat and comprising steps of:

setting the integral temperature control thermostat to a first bound temperature for predetermining a minimum level of cooling temperature limit;

placing a substantially unconstrained portable wireless thermostat within a climate controlled room to be local zone ambient room temperature responsive;

first determining a first preferred level for the local zone ambient room temperature surrounding a room occupant;

first entering a first setting for the portable wireless thermostat to establish the first preferred level as a first desired temperature threshold;

sending a first encoded wireless control signal in response to the local zone ambient temperature increasing above the first desired temperature threshold;

receiving the first encoded wireless control signal by an a.c. electric power controller;

turning ON an a.c. electric power flow through the a.c. electric power controller in response to the fit encoded wireless control signal sent by the portable wireless thermostats;

turning OFF the a.c. electric power flow in a determined absence of the first encoded wireless control signal;

interjoining the a.c. electric power controller between a source of a.c. electric power and a power input terminal portion of the unitary air conditioning system;

modulating the unitary air conditioning system operation through an alternation the ON and OFF flow of a.c. electric power determined by the a.c. electric power controller;

thereby enabling a localized control of the local zone ambient room temperature surrounding the portable wireless thermostat.

8. The remote temperature management method of claim 7 further comprising:

sending a periodically recurrent said first encoded wireless control signal when sensed change in the local zone ambient air temperature at least firstly traverses and remains above the first desired temperature threshold and usually sending a periodically recurrent said second encoded wireless control signal when sensed change in the ambient temperature at least secondly traverses and remains below the first desired temperature threshold;

said remotely receiving the encoded wireless control signal;

modulating the overall flow of a.c. electric power flow through the a.c. electric power controller and coupled with the unitary air conditioning system to turn ON in response to the periodically sent said first encoded wireless control signal and to turn OFF in response to the periodically sent said second encoded wireless control signal and to turn OFF in absence of the first encoded wireless control signal subsequent to elapse of a predetermined period of time.

9. The remote temperature management method of claim 7 further comprising steps of:

timing an elapse of a predetermined interval of time between about 5 and 120 minutes;

second determining a second preferred level for an alternate local zone ambient room temperature surrounding the room occupant

redetermining the first desired temperature threshold to respond to the alternate local zone ambient room temperature setting in response to the elapse of the

predetermined interval of time.

10. The remote temperature management method of claim 7 comprising further steps of:

clocking a timer to incrementally change an effective level of the preset said local zone ambient room temperature by several thermal degrees; and

,

redetermining an alternate and usually warmer said local zone ambient room temperature setting in response to the timer clocking.

11. The remote temperature management method of claim 7 comprising further steps of:

sensing relative humidity proximate with the wireless thermostat; and

,

redetermining an effective level of the preset said local zone ambient room temperature to modify the first desired temperature threshold proportional to the sensed change in immediate level of local zone relative humidity.

12. The remote temperature management method of claim 7 comprising a further step of:

determining the turn OFF of said a.c. electric power to exceed a first interval

said turning OFF the a.c. electric power flow;

determining onset of an elapse of a postliminal time interval commencing with the turning of of the a.c. electric power flow

delaying the turning ON of the a.c. electric power flow through the a.c. electric power controller in response to the remote reception of the first state level said encoded wireless control signal subsequent to an elapse of the postliminal time interval.

13. The remote temperature management method of claim 7 comprising further steps of:

timing elapse of a first interval of time subsequent to the turn OFF of said a.c. electric power through the a.c. electric power controller;

delaying the first encoded wireless signal'"'"'s said turn ON of the a.c. electric power flow prior to the timed elapse of the first interval of time; and

enabling the delayed said turn ON of the a.c. electric power flow subsequent to the timed elapse of the first interval of time.

14. The remote temperature management method of claim 7 comprising further steps of:

first intercoupling a first power plug device extensive from the a.c. electric power controller into a first receptacle device coupled with the source of ac. electric power;

equipping the unitary air conditioning system with a second power plug device to provide the power input termination;

second intercoupling the plug device into a second receptacle device seriately coupled between the first power plug device, an a.c. power switching device; and

,

switching the a.c. power switching device between ON and OFF states in response to the encoded wireless control signal.

15. A unitary air comfort system including an integral thermostat device for presetting a temperature limit in a fixed location zone proximate with the unitary climate control system and comprising:

a source of a.c. electric power;

a portable wireless thermostat apparatus which may be placed at a substantial distance relative with the air comfort system and usually sited near an occupant of a room to encourage a sensing of ambient room temperature in an occupied local zone;

a first temperature threshold setting means maintained by a room occupant;

a first temperature sensor means included in the portable wireless thermostat apparatus which is responsive to the first temperature threshold setting to produce a first thermostatic response signal when the sensed said ambient room temperature exceeds the first temperature threshold setting and produce a second thermostatic response signal when the sensed said ambient room temperature subtends the first temperature threshold setting;

a wireless control signal producing means;

a modulating means for encoding the wireless control signal with at least one of the first thermostatic response signal and the second thermostatic response signal;

a receptor means for remotely receiving the encoded said wireless control signal;

a means for demodulating the encoded said wireless control signal into at least one of the first thermostatic response signal and the second thermostatic response signal; and

,

a power control means separably coupled between the source of a.c. electric power and a power input terminal means portion of the air comfort system for turning ON a.c. electric power flow to the air comfort system in response to the demodulated said first thermostatic response signal and further enabling at least one of a turning OFF the a.c. electric power flow in response to the demodulated said second thermostatic response signal and the turning OFF the a.c. electric power flow in a determined absence of the demodulated said first thermostatic response signal.

16. The unitary air comfort system of claim 15 further comprising:

a second temperature threshold setting means maintained by the room occupant; and

,

a timing means effective for changing the adjustable temperature sensor means responsiveness between at least the first temperature threshold setting and the second temperature threshold setting concurrent with an elapse of a predetermined period of time.

17. The unitary air comfort system of claim 15 further comprising:

a second temperature threshold setting means maintained by the room occupant; and

,

a time-of-day timing means effective for changing the adjustable temperature sensor means responsiveness between at least the first temperature threshold setting and the second temperature threshold setting in response to coincidence between a predetermined time-of-day setting and advancing said time-of-day timing means.

18. The unitary air comfort system of claim 15 further comprising:

a relative humidity sensor means; and

,

a compensating means effective for redetermining a compensatory variation in the first temperature threshold setting in proportion to a change in a local zone level of relative humidity sensed by the relative humidity sensor means.

19. The power control means of claim 15 further comprising:

a time delay means for delaying the rate at which operation of the unitary air comfort system may be repeatedly alternated between OFF and ON operating level states.

20. The power control means of claim 15 further comprising:

a modular a.c. power switching device which may be coupled between a first receptacle device providing access to the source of a.c. electric power and a first plug device coupled with a power input terminal means portion of the unitary air comfort system;

a power switch means which may switch a flow of a.c. electric power substantially ON and OFF as ordinarily extensive through the modular device and between a second plug means coupled with the first receptacle device and a second receptacle device coupled with the first plug device; and

,

a switch controller means enabling the ON and OFF said switching of the flow of a.c. electric power through the power switch means in concert with instruction obtained from the remotely received said wireless control signal.