Heating Control Activation Feature

Abstract

In a building's heating / cooling system which is controlled / operated by an electronic heating / HVAC control, this invention is the feature of time limited operation and automatic expiration of some or all of the operation of the heating control's functions, and thus operation of the building's heating / cooling system, unless or until an activation code or key is input via an interface into the electronic heating control, thereby facilitating permanent and continuous operation of the building's heating / cooling system. Primary use of this invention is to assure payment to the manufacturer and / or installer of the heating control and / or building's heating / cooling system, while the initial time-limited operation provides a grace period for installation, start-up, and testing of the system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]see Application Data SheetSTATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Definitions (as accepted by the plumbing and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) industries) used throughout this patent:[0004]Heating control, also commonly referred to as a “heating controller, HVAC controller, A / C controller,” though it may be known by other terms as well: is defined as the electrical and / or electronic components controlling a building's heating and / or air conditioning and / or domestic hot water system.[0005]Building heating system: is defined as a mechanism consisting of various elements connected to a heating control for the purposes of heating and / or cooling a building and / or generating hot water for the use of its occupants. These elements can include any or any combination of, but are not limited to, the following: boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioning units, se...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The primary purpose of the Heating Control Activation Feature (HCAF) is to protect the manufacturer, sellers, and / or installers of a heating control and / or building heating system against fraud and nonpayment situations. It is completely in keeping with any applicable laws in that nothing installed is ever removed or repossessed from a premises if the HCAF is put to use. However, it provides strong incentive for payment to be made.

[0012]The resultant benefits are far-reaching. The invention reduces the costs of credit due to late payment and reduces the risk of high-value delinquent and defaulted payment. The reduction of risk benefits the consumer through passed down efficiencies and the costs of delinquent customers being mitigated and not being passed on to the overall customer base. An added macroeconomic benefit is that even in less certain economic situations when historically contractors / installers will reduce risk by not installing heating systems, this invention alleviates their fears by ensuring due payment, thus helping to stabilize a part of the housing and building industries to carry on in less than ideal economic conditions. Additionally, the invention can help reduce jobsite theft, since the HCAF will make the heating control of limited use due to its expiry. Without the proper activation code it becomes worthless to the thief, reducing another significant risk and associated cost to business, insurance, and consumer alike. The invention is simple and no more difficult to use than any conventional heating controls. It can be seen that this invention provides a unique heating control operation which successfully mitigates risk, encourages use, and is of economic benefit to business and the public.

Problems solved by technology

Without the proper activation code it becomes worthless to the thief, reducing another significant risk and associated cost to business, insurance, and consumer alike.