Electronic programmable thermostat

A thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to either a heating device or a cooling device comprising:

• a temperature sensing means having an electrical characteristic which varies as a function of ambient temperature;
• a clock operative to generate digital electrical signals indicative of the current time;
• a state selector memory having stored therein multiple separate predetermined temperature programs, each predetermined temperature program including digital signals indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature at particular times over a repetitive time cycle;
• a manually operable temperature program selection means for selection of one of said predetermined temperature programs;
• a means for applying the output of said clock to said state selector memory thereby causing said state selector memory to generate a digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature corresponding to said selected predetermined temperature program for the current time;
• a mode selection means for selecting either a heating mode or a cooling mode;
• and
• a control means connected to said temperature sensing means and said mode selection means, and receiving the digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature generated by said state selector memory,
• for generating a control signal for the heating device upon selection of said heating mode for actuating the heating device if the ambient temperature is less than a normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and for actuating the heating device if the ambient temperature is less than a temperature a predetermined number of offset degrees less than the normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory, and
• for generating a control signal for the cooling device upon the selection of said cooling mode for actuating the cooling device if the ambient temperature is greater than a normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and for actuating the cooling device if the ambient temperature is less than a temperature said predetermined number of offset degrees greater than the normal temperature when digital signals indicative of the set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory.

A thermostat for controlling the application of electrical power to a temperature modifying device comprising:

• a temperature sensitive means having an electrical characteristic which varies as a function of ambient temperature;
• a manually actuable control member having a continuously adjustable electrical characteristic and corresponding temperature indicia, for providing an electrical characteristic corresponding to a desired normal temperature;
• an analog to digital conversion means for generating a digital temperature signal corresponding to the sum of the electrical characteristics of said temperature sensing means and said control member;
• a clock operative to generate digital electrical signals indicative of the current time;
• a state selector memory having stored therein a plurality of separate predetermined temperature programs, each predetermined temperature program including digital signals indicative of digital signals indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature;
• a manually operable temperature program selection means for selection of one of said predetermined temperature programs;
• a means for applying the output of said clock to said state selector memory thereby causing said state selector memory to generate a digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature corresponding to said selected predetermined temperature program for the current time;
• a control means for receiving said digital temperature signal and said digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature for generating a control signal for control of the temperature modifying device based upon the relation of the digital temperature signal to said digital signal indicative of either a normal temperature or a set back temperature, whereby the temperature modifying load is controlled to restore the ambient temperature to the desired normal temperatures when digital signals indicative of a normal temperature are generated by said state selector memory and to restore the ambient temperature to a temperature a predetermined number of degrees offset from said desired normal temperature when digital signals indicative of a set back temperature are generated by said state selector memory.