Automatic temperature setback system for controlling a heating unit

A temperature setback controlling system suitable for use in a building wherein a thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a first room to sense room temperature for control of a heating system effective in said first room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature, wherein heating controls for said heating system including a transformer having a secondary winding for providing low voltage, 60 Hz, power are located in a second room of said building, and wherein a thermostat cable coupling said thermostat in said first room to said heating controls in said second room is located at least partially within interior walls of said building, said temperature setback controlling system comprising

• timed control means, adapted to be coupled to said transformer winding, for modulating during one set of selected time periods cycles of positive polarity of said 60 Hz low voltage with a high frequency, and for modulating during a second set of selected time periods cycles of negative polarity of said 60 Hz low voltage with a high frequency;
• a first resistive heater and a second resistive heater, each adapted to be placed in proximity to said room temperature sensing element;
• and
• detector means, adapted to be coupled to said thermostat cable in said first room, for detecting said high frequency modulatings and coupled to said resistive heaters for providing current flow to said first heater in response to detected modulation during cycles of said positive polarity and for providing current flow to said second heater in response to detected modulation during cycles of said negative polarity, whereby the ambient temperature in said first room tends to be maintained at a first predetermined temperature setback during said one set of selected time periods and at a second predetermined temperature setback during said second set of selected time periods, and, whereby, during those intervals when said one set and said second set of time periods overlap, the ambient room temperature in said first room tends to be maintained at a third predetermined temperature setback.

A temperature setback controlling system suitable for use in a building wherein a thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a first room to sense room temperature for control of a heating system effective in said first room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature in said first room, wherein another thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a second room to sense room temperature for control of said heating system effective in said second room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature in said second room, wherein heating controls for said heating system including a transformer having a secondary winding for providing low voltage, 60 Hz, power are located in a third room of said building, and wherein thermostat cables coupling said thermostats to said heating controls are located at least partially within interior walls of said building, said temperature setback controlling system comprising

• timed control means, adapted to be coupled to said transformer winding, for modulating during selected time periods cycles of one polarity of said 60 Hz low voltage with a high frequency;
• a first resistive heater, adapted to be placed in proximity to said first room, room temperature sensing element;
• a second resistive heater, adapted to be placed in proximity to said second room, room temperature sensing element;
• first detector means, adapted to be coupled to said thermostat cable in said first room, for detecting said high frequency modulation during cycles of said one polarity and coupled to said first resistive heater for providing current flow thereto in response to such detected modulation, whereby the ambient temperature in said first room tends to be maintained at a predetermined temperature setback during said selected time periods;
• and
• second detector means, adapted to be coupled to said thermostat cable in said second room, for detecting said high frequency modulation during cycles of said one polarity and coupled to said second resistive heater for providing current flow thereto in response to such detected modulation, whereby the ambient temperature in said second room tends to be maintained at a predetermined temperature setback during said selected time periods.

A temperature setback controlling system suitable for use in a building wherein a thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a first room to sense room temperature for control of a heating system effective in said first room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature in said first room, wherein another thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a second room to sense room temperature for control of said heating system effective in said second room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature in said second room, wherein heating controls for said heating system including a transformer having a secondary winding for providing low voltage 60 Hz power are located in a third room of said building, and wherein thermostat cables coupling said thermostats to said heating controls are located at least partially within interior walls of said building, said temperature setback controlling system comprising

• timed control means, adapted to be coupled to said transformer winding, for modulating during one set of selected time periods cycles of positive polarity of said 60 Hz low voltage with a high frequency, and for modulating during a second set of selected time periods cycles of negative polarity of said 60 Hz low voltage with a high frequency;
• a first resistive heater, adapted to be placed in proximity to said first room, room temperature sensing element;
• a second resistive heater, adapted to be placed in proximity to said second room, room temperature sensing element;
• first detector means, adapted to be coupled to said thermostat cable in said first room, for detecting said high frequency modulation during cycles of said positive polarity and coupled to said first resistive heater for providing current flow thereto in response to such detected modulation, whereby the ambient temperature in said first room tends to be maintained at a predetermined temperature setback during said one set of selected time periods;
• and
• second detector means, adapted to be coupled to said thermostat cable in said second room, for detecting said high frequency modulation during cycles of said negative polarity and coupled to said second resistive heater for providing current flow thereto in response to such detected modulation, whereby the ambient temperature in said second room tends to be maintained at a predetermined temperature setback during said second set of selected time periods.

In combination,

• a resistive heater, adapted to be placed in proximity to a room temperature sensing element of a thermostat employed in a wall of a room;
• and
• detector means, adapted to be coupled to a thermostat cable which engages with said thermostat, for detecting high frequency modulation during cycles of one polarity on said cable, and coupled to said resistive heater for providing current flow thereto in response to such detected modulation;
• whereby the ambient room temperature in said room tends to be maintained at a predetermined temperature setback during time periods of such detected modulation.

A method of temperature setback control suitable for use in a building wherein a thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a first room to sense room temperature for control of a heating system effective in said first room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature, wherein heating controls for said system including a transformer having a secondary winding for providing low voltage, 60 Hz, power are located in a second room of said building, and wherein a thermostat cable coupling said thermostat in said first room to said heating controls in said second room is located at least partially within interior walls of said building, said method comprising

• modulating cycles of one polarity of said low 60 Hz voltage with a high frequency during selected time periods;
• detecting, at said thermostat cable in said first room, said high frequency modulation;
• and
• applying heat to said room temperature sensing element in response to such detected modulation.

A method of temperature setback control suitable for use in a building wherein a thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a first room to sense room temperature for control of a heating system effective in said first room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature in said first room, wherein another thermostat having a room temperature sensing element is employed on a wall in a second room to sense room temperature for control of said heating system effective in said second room to maintain a thermostat selected ambient room temperature in said second room, wherein heating controls for said heating system including a transformer having a secondary winding for providing low voltage 60 Hz power are located in a third room of said building, and wherein thermostat cables coupling said thermostats to said heating controls are located at least partially within interior walls of said building, said method comprising

• modulating cycles of positive polarity of said low 60 Hz voltage with a high frequency during one set of selected time periods, and modulating cycles of negative polarity of said low 60 Hz voltage with a high frequency during a second set of selected time periods;
• detecting, at said thermostat cable in said first room, said modulation during cycles of said positive polarity;
• applying heat to said first room, room temperature sensing element in response to such detected modulation;
• detecting, at said thermostat cable in said second room, said modulation during cycles of said negative polarity;
• and
• applying heat to said second room, room temperature sensing elements in response to such detected modulation during cycles of said negative polarity.