Communicating thermostat

Details Communicating thermostat Communicating thermostat

1999-12-08

2001-07-03

Wayner, William (Department: 3744)

Automatic temperature and humidity regulation

High and low temperature alternate

C236S051000, C165S209000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06254009

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to thermostats and, in particular, to thermostats having the capability of receiving and transmitting information to other control devices.
Thermostats have heretofore transmitted and received information from other control devices as is exemplified by the thermostat of U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,668. Such thermostats have moreover been used to communicate with an energy provider for the purpose of implementing a cost-effective control of a heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. Such a thermostat is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,776. The thermostat in U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,776 may receive information from the energy provider requesting that one or more setpoints locally entered into the thermostat be replaced with temperature setpoints by the energy provider. U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,776 moreover discloses that the information provided by the energy provider may also include times when the setpoints will be in effect. The thermostat is moreover capable of displaying the aforementioned information so as to afford an occupant of the room in which the thermostat has been placed an opportunity to override the energy provider's setpoints. In the event that an override is not elected, the thermostat substitutes the energy provider's setpoints for the locally entered setpoints.
The above described thermostat requires a total surrendering of the preferred locally entered setpoints in favor of the energy provider's setpoints in the event that an override is not elected. The occupant of the room is not afforded an opportunity to proceed forward with his or her locally entered setpoints subject only to an energy saving modification thereto.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a two-way communicating thermostat with the capability of implementing a setpoint control requested by a system in communication with the thermostat without completely relinquishing local control of determining operating setpoints at the thermostat.
It is another object of the invention to provide a two-way thermostat with the capability of allowing a person to at any time override the setpoint control dictated by the system in communication with the thermostat.
The above and other objects are achieved by a two-way communicating thermostat having a transceiver associated therewith for receiving information from a system in communication with the thermostat. The thermostat is operative to display certain of the received information when it is under the control of the system in communication with the thermostat. The thermostat is preferably operative to modify any locally entered setpoints by a predefined amount dictated by the system in communication with the thermostat. In this manner, there is a continued modification of locally entered setpoint information when determining the operating setpoint of the thermostat while under the setpoint control dictated by the system in communication with the thermostat.
The thermostat furthermore is preferably operative to continually display the time remaining during which it will be under the control of the system in communication with the thermostat. This affords an occupant of the room viewing the displayed time with an opportunity to elect to either continue or to override the control of the system in communication with the thermostat at any time. In the event that the occupant elects an override, the thermostat immediately exits from the setpoint control dictated by the system in communication with the thermostat and resumes local setpoint control as defined by local entries of setpoint information to the thermostat.
The thermostat preferably remains in an override status once an override has been elected until such time as a reset is internally authorized within the thermostat in accordance with a schedule of times for such resetting. The thermostat continues to override any further requests to control setpoints by the system in communication with the thermostat until such internal resetting of the override occurs.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4401262 (1983-08-01), Adams et al.
patent: 5197668 (1993-03-01), Ratz et al.
patent: 5318224 (1994-06-01), Darby et al.
patent: 5361982 (1994-11-01), Liebl et al.
patent: 5926776 (1999-07-01), Glorioso et al.

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