Emerson Electric Company

Other

David L Perry

Bartholomew L Toth

John M Sartain

William P Butler

Bradley C Zikes

Thomas B Lorenz

Frank A Albanello

Carl J Mueller

William D Rhodes

Scott J Brunk

Bernard T Brown

Horst E Jaeschke

Dennis Snow

Krishna H Patil

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of apparatus, systems and methods for power stealing for a wireless-enabled thermostat. In an exemplary embodiment, a wireless-enabled thermostat generally includes a control having a wireless network interface that intermittently connects the thermostat in a wireless network in accordance with a duty cycle, the duty cycle having a connect time in which the thermostat is connected in the wireless network and a sleep time in which the thermostat is not connected in the wireless network. A power stealing circuit of the thermostat steals power through an 'on-mode' load of a climate control system to charge a capacitor or other energy storage device to provide the power for the wireless network interface. The control adjusts at least the sleep time in accordance with a time for charging the capacitor or other energy storage device to a threshold voltage.

Power stealing for a wireless-enabled thermostat

Various thermostat embodiment are provided that includes at least a first sensor configured to communicate information indicative of the temperature within the space, and at least a second sensor configured to communicate information indicative of the humidity within the space. The thermostat further includes a controller in communication with the at least first and second sensors, for controlling the thermostat's operation. The controller is configured to operate in a first mode in which the controller operates the air conditioner when the sensed temperature of the space is above a temperature set-point or when the sensed humidity level is above the humidity set-point. The controller is further configured to operate in a second mode in which the controller operates the air conditioner when the sensed temperature is below a set-back temperature set-point, or when the sensed humidity is above a set-back humidity set-point.

Two mode thermostat with set-back temperature and humidity set-point feature

A controller for a variable heating system is operable to control a stepper motor operated gas valve to adjust gas flow to vary the heating level. The controller includes a first terminal for receiving a thermostat signal requesting heating, an electronic memory, and a microprocessor in communication with the electronic memory and first terminal. The microprocessor detects a thermostat signal requesting heating, and generates a control signal for the stepper motor to operate the gas valve. The microprocessor includes a programmable read-only-memory encoded with an instruction to store a time duration during which the microprocessor detects a thermostat signal requesting heating, and further encoded with an instruction operable to determine a predetermined heating level based on the stored time duration. The microprocessor responds to a thermostat signal requesting heating by determining the number of steps the motor must move to vary the gas flow corresponding to the predetermined heating level.

Stepper motor gas valve and method of control

A heating and cooling system for a multi-level space is provided that comprises at least one lower level return air duct and at least one upper level return air duct, and a thermostat for controlling the operation of the heating or cooling system through either a low voltage cooling activation signal or a low voltage heating activation signal. The heating and cooling system further comprises a first motorized damper having connection means for receiving at least a low voltage heating activation signal from the thermostat, the first motorized damper being installed in each lower level return duct and configured to drive the damper to an open position when the connection means receives a low voltage heating activation signal, wherein the first motorized damper is operatively closed when the thermostat alternatively transmits a low voltage cooling activation signal such that the cooling system substantially receives no air flow through each lower level return air duct and effectively receives only air flow from the upper level of the space.

Control of a heating and cooling system for a multi-level space

A controller for a two-stage heat source is provide, which may be connected to either a single stage or a two-stage thermostat to provide low stage heating for a variable time period before switching to high stage heating. The controller includes at least a first terminal for receiving a signal requesting heating from a single-stage thermostat or a two-stage thermostat connected to the first terminal. A microcontroller in communication with the first terminal determines a duty cycle value for a heating cycle based on the duration in which a signal at the first terminal is present relative to the duration of the heating cycle. The microcontroller determines a low stage time limit from the duty cycle, and provides low stage heating when a signal is present at the first terminal for a time period not more than the time limit, and switches to high stage heating after the time limit.

Controller for two-stage heat source usable with single and two stage thermostats

A method of controlling a heating system including at least a first stage heat pump and a second stage auxiliary heater, and a control that implements the method. The control shuts off the first stage heat pump during cold outside temperatures without the need to directly sense the outside temperature. The method includes selectively turning on the first stage heat pump or the second stage auxiliary heater based upon a measure of the amount of time at least one of the stages was on verses the time neither of the stages was on. This can be implemented with a counter that increases when neither the heat pump nor the auxiliary heater is on, and that decreases when either the heat pump or the auxiliary heater is on.

Control for heat pump with auxiliary heat source

A thermostat comprising a circuit board for controlling the thermostat, a display, a keypad, and at least one electroluminescent element. The display is operatively connected to the circuit board for displaying information concerning the thermostat. The keypad has at least one key adapted to be pressed by a user. The key is operatively connected to the circuit board in a manner to enable the user to input at least one signal to the circuit board by pressing the key. The electroluminescent element is operatively connected to the circuit board and has a first electroluminescent section and a second electroluminescent section. The first electroluminescent section is adjacent the keypad and the second electroluminescent section is adjacent the display. The first electroluminescent section and the keypad are adapted so that the first electroluminescent section illuminates the keypad. The second electroluminescent section and the display are adapted so that the second electroluminescent section illuminates the display.

Thermostat having an illuminated keypad and display

A thermostat for an environmental control load that includes a temperature sensor, a timer, and a controller, and a method of controlling the thermostat that allows temporary system outages including, but not limited to, outages caused by lockouts or failure of pulsed relays to operate, to be corrected automatically, by the thermostat itself. The environmental control load may include a heating system such as a heat pump or a millivolt heating system, although the thermostat and its method of operation could also be employed with cooling systems, or heating and cooling systems. The controlled load may be one that has a 'lockout' mode to prevent activation when a problem is detected, such as a reduction in gas pressure. The temperature sensor detects whether, for example, a request for heat issued by the controller has been satisfied, or alternately, if the ambient temperature has risen within some period of time, usually about two hours. If the ambient temperature has not satisfied this condition within two hours, the environmental control load is turned off, and then on, to recycle and overcome the lockout condition, if the load is resettable and the condition causing the lockout has passed. This resetting may occur only once, or may be repeated after another period of time, with the repetitions optionally being limited in number. The thermostat can safely be used without noticeable degradation in service even with nonrecyclable systems.

Thermostat with load relay cycling feature

A programmable digital thermostat is adapted to be powered by the conventional AC power source to which the thermostat is normally connected when installed in a dwelling. The thermostat has no provision for mounting a battery therein. Means are provided for enabling a temporary connection of a battery to the thermostat to provide power for programming the thermostat so as to enable the user to program the thermostat before installing it.

Growing community of inventors

St. Louis, MO, United States of America

David L Perry