When you invest in programmable thermostat, you are taking more control over your heating and cooling system. Not only that, the money that you spend can be a valuable investment. Here are some important advantages of digital wall thermostats with programming functions.

Saving Money

Thermostats that have programming capabilities can be an excellent way to save money on energy bills. For example, you might wish to have your home interior warmer, when no one is home in the hot weather. On the other hand, by the time you get home in the evenings, your home can be cool and comfortable inside. For example, you can set the indoor temperature to 85F or 29C, when the house is empty. However, you may set the temperature for a more comfortable 76F or 24C for when everyone is home in the evenings.

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This invention relates to which control operation of heating and/or cooling apparatus, and particularly to an improved means for establishing a desired set point temperature in such thermostats.

For many years, thermostats for controlling heating and/or cooling apparatus have incorporated a bi-metal sensitive to room temperature, a switching means carried by the bi-metal, which switching means controls operation of the heating and/or cooling apparatus, and a lever or knob mechanically linked to the bi-metal. Associated with the lever or knob is some type of temperature indexing means. The arrangement is such that the user can establish a desired set point temperature at which the thermostat is to effect energizing or de-energizing of the heating and/or cooling apparatus by simply manually adjusting the lever or knob so as to visually indicate the desired set point temperature.

In recent years, a wide variety of have been developed which have the capability of being programmed by the user to provide a time-temperature schedule whereby the thermostat will automatically control room temperature at different set point temperatures during different time periods of the day and week. Many of such programmable thermostats incorporate a microcontroller which provides digital logic. The microcontroller provides a cost-effective means for implementing the desired functions of such thermostats. The microcontroller, primarily because of its digital logic, also enables such thermostats to provide more accurate and reliable control of room temperature than can generally be achieved by the aforementioned bi-metal type.

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A thermostat is a device that allows you to control the temperature inside of your home by controlling how your heating or cooling system functions. Heating devices are turned on when temperatures fall below a certain temperature and are turned off when the temperatures rise above another temperature. These two temperatures are separated so that the device is not being turned on or off too rapidly and are usually set within a couple of degrees from the desired temperature (or set point). More advanced thermostats can also control cooling devices so that a room can cool down faster and the air conditioner can be turned off when the air reaches the desired temperature.

There are three main categories of thermostats:

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Digital thermostats are usually powered one of three ways

may implement the same functions, but most provide more versatility. For example, they commonly allow setting temperatures for two, four, or six periods each day, and rather than being limited to a single “hotter” temperature and a single “colder” temperature, digital thermostats usually allow each period to be set to a unique temperature. The periods are commonly labeled “Morning”, “Day”, “Evening”, and “Night”, although nothing constrains the time intervals involved. Air damperusually allow the user to override the programmed temperature for the period, automatically resuming programmed temperatures when the next period begins. A function to “hold” (lock-in) the current temperature is usually provided as well; in this case, the override temperature is maintained until the user cancels the hold or a programmed event occurs to resume the normal program. More-sophisticated models will allow for the release of the hold to take place at a set time in the future.