Enhancement for Thermostat Programmability

An apparatus controlling an environmental system associated with an environmental entity, the apparatus comprising:

• a timer circuit;
• and
• a programmable thermostat comprising:
• an output interface circuit configured to interface with the environmental system;
• a first memory device configured to store configuration data;
• a processor;
• and
• a second memory device storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the programmable thermostat to perform:
• obtaining a current time from the timer circuit;
• accessing the configuration data for the current time from the first memory device;
• when the configuration data includes scenario attribute information, wherein the scenario attribute information comprises a current scenario attribute value:
• when the current scenario attribute value is different from a previous scenario attribute value:
• when the current scenario attribute value is indicative of a first scenario, equating current control settings to a first set of control settings;
• when the current scenario attribute value is indicative of a second scenario, equating the current control settings to a second set of control settings, wherein the first and second sets comprise a plurality of members and wherein the first set and the second set are different;
• and
• providing output information indicative of the current control settings through the output interface circuit for controlling the environmental system.

A method for controlling an environmental system associated with an environmental entity, the method comprising:

• obtaining a current time from a timer circuit;
• accessing thermostatic configuration data for the current time from a memory device, wherein the thermostatic configuration data includes primary attribute information;
• when a current primary attribute value is different from a previous primary attribute value:
• when the current primary attribute value is indicative of a first primary attribute value, equating current thermostatic settings to a first set of thermostatic settings;
• when the current primary attribute value is indicative of a second primary attribute value, equating the current thermostatic settings to a second set of thermostatic settings, wherein the first and second sets comprises a plurality of members;
• and
• providing output information indicative of the current thermostatic settings through a thermostatic output interface circuit for controlling the environmental system.