Automatic temperature and humidity regulation – With timing element – Timer other than clock
Reexamination Certificate
2007-03-06
2007-03-06
Norman, Marc (Department: 3744)
Automatic temperature and humidity regulation
With timing element
Timer other than clock
C236S094000, C062S157000, C062S231000, C700S276000
Reexamination Certificate
active
10875579
ABSTRACT:
A programmable thermostat for controlling space conditioning equipment receives power from the equipment. The thermostat has an interactive interface for user programming, a temperature sensor and a processor including: a central processing unit; a memory for storing program and data information, a real time clock and a non volatile random access memory. A control program stored in the memory causes the real time clock to periodically read its current time and date information into the non-volatile RAM. Upon restart after an outage, the time and date information stored in the non-volatile RAM is read into the real time clock to provide an acceptable time and date basis for resuming operation. Accordingly, the need for providing a backup power source, such as a battery or a supercap, is eliminated. In one exemplary embodiment, the thermostat also includes a receiver for accessing precision time and date signals from, for example, WWVB. The output of the receiver is used to periodically update the time and date in the real time clock such that, even after an outage, the real time clock will be accurate. If the receiver is not operating for some reason after an outage, then the real time clock will still be set from the non-volatile RAM.
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Hankin Marc E.
Hankin Patent Law
Norman Marc
LandOfFree
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