Enhancement for thermostat programmability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Programmable thermostats often fail to provide significant energy savings due to incorrect programming, as they are difficult for users to customize and adjust settings based on occupancy and environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
A programmable thermostat that adjusts settings based on occupancy attributes and scenario attributes, using a tree structure to organize thermostatic configurations, allowing for automatic or manual overrides, and incorporating features like pre-occupancy purge times to optimize heating, cooling, ventilation, and humidity settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a thermostat is hard-wired into the HVAC system, then it provides reliable temperature control, but it lacks portability and requires professional installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical hard-wired connection with an electrical plug-and-socket interface. The thermostat connects to the HVAC system through a standard electrical outlet rather than requiring hard-wired installation, thereby maintaining reliable temperature control while enabling easy user installation without professional assistance.
2Loss of energy
If a thermostat has extensive programmability features, then it improves energy efficiency, but it increases device complexity and user programming difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the programming functionality into distinct operational modes (e.g., cooling mode and heating mode with separate programming). Users can program temperature setpoints and timing for each mode independently, reducing the overall complexity by breaking down the programming task into manageable segments rather than requiring a single complex programming sequence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by providing default programming settings that automatically configure the thermostat for basic energy-efficient operation. Users can accept these pre-configured settings for immediate energy savings without programming, or later customize the pre-programmed parameters if desired, thereby reducing the initial programming burden while maintaining energy efficiency.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a thermostat uses a microprocessor with memory, then it enables programmability and energy management, but it increases cost and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by placing the microprocessor in sleep mode during intervals when programming or data processing is not required. The microprocessor periodically wakes up to execute programmed routines, process sensor data, or update the display, then returns to low-power sleep mode. This periodic operation enables full programmability and energy management capabilities while significantly reducing average power consumption compared to continuous operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A programmable thermostat supports at least one attribute where each different attribute values may support different sets of thermostatic settings. The programmable thermostat may be programmed based on the different attribute values rather than on temperature set points that are traditionally mapped to programmed times. Each set may include settings for a plurality of controlled equipment including a heating/cooling system, fan, ventilator, humidifier, and/or de-humidifier. Each embodiment may support attribute values associated with an occupancy attribute (which is indicative whether or not people are occupying an environmental entity) and/or a scenario attribute (which flexibly maps different thermostatic settings to different scenario attribute values). Stored configuration data about the thermostatic settings may be organized as a tree structure, where the leaves correspond to the thermostatic settings. A programmable thermostat/ventilator controller may also instruct a ventilator system to run during an adjustable pre-occupancy purge time duration before an environmental entity is occupied.