Patent · US Expired

Smart thermostat having a transceiver interface

US5926776A · kind A · utility

234Cited by
3References
39Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 4, 1997
Grant dateJul 20, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 4, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG05D23/1923
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A smart thermostat having a transceiver for two-way communication with an energy provider. The smart thermostat includes a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature, a user interface for displaying and receiving information to and from a user, a port connecting to a cooling or heating device, a processor, and the transceiver. The transceiver receives a current energy price from an energy provider. The user interface receives temperature setpoints and associated acceptable energy costs. The processor issues a control signal to the cooling or heating device to operate when the temperature is different than the temperature setpoint and the acceptable energy cost is not greater than the current price of energy. The transceiver transmits information for the control signal, temperature setpoints and associated costs to the energy provider. The energy provider may then predict the effect a change to the current energy price will have on energy demand, influence the demand in real time by adjusting the energy price, and verify from the smart thermostat that the demand was effected. The user interface displays a bill for an accumulated use of energy either calculated by the processor o…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.