Thermostat

Abstract

A thermostat ( 10 ) includes a housing ( 11 ) having a control panel ( 13 ) with a plurality of manually selectable input elements or input keys ( 15 ) and a display panel ( 17 ) for displaying various functions of the programmable thermostat. The programmable thermostat also includes a temperature sensor ( 18 ), a microprocessor ( 19 ) having memory for storing a schedule program set which includes a number of schedule time periods. Each schedule time period includes a start time, end time and temperature. The manual programming of select schedule time periods may automatically set the start and end times of another schedule time period.

1 . A programmable thermostat for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:
 a temperature sensor;   a display panel;   a clock;   a processor;   memory coupled to said processor for receiving a schedule program set for at least one of a heating and cooling mode, said schedule program set defined by a plurality of schedule time periods, each schedule time period having a temperature setting for at least one of a heating and cooling mode and a time value set including a start time value and an end time value;   said processor enabling the manual entry of at least one said time value set for at least one said schedule time period, said processor automatically entering at least one said time value set for another said schedule time period in response to the manual entry of the at least one said time value set of said schedule time period.   
     
     
         2 . The programmable thermostat of  claim 1  wherein upon the manual entry of said time value set for a first schedule time period and a second schedule time period said processor automatically enters at least one time value set for a third schedule time period. 
     
     
         3 . The programmable thermostat of  claim 2  wherein said processor automatically enters two time value sets for a third schedule time period. 
     
     
         4 . A programmable thermostat for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:
 a temperature sensor;   a display panel;   a clock;   a processor;   memory coupled to said processor for receiving a schedule program set for at least one of a heating and cooling mode, said schedule program set including a first schedule time period, a second schedule time period, and a third schedule time period;   said first schedule time period including a first time value set which includes a first start time setting and a first end time setting, and a first temperature setting;   said second schedule time period including a second time value set which includes a second start time setting and a second end time setting, and a second temperature setting;   said third schedule time period including at least one third time value set which includes a third start time setting and a third end time setting, and at least one third temperature setting;   said processor automatically enters a time value into memory for said third time value set in response to the manual entry of a time value into memory for either said first time value set or said second time value set.   
     
     
         5 . The programmable thermostat of  claim 4  wherein said third schedule time period may include two third sub-schedule time periods, and wherein each of said third sub-schedule time periods includes a sub-third start time setting and a sub-third end time setting. 
     
     
         6 . A programmable thermostat for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:
 a temperature sensor;   a display panel;   a clock;   a processor;   memory coupled to said processor for receiving a schedule program set for at least one of a heating and cooling mode, said schedule program set including a first schedule time period, a second schedule time period, and a third schedule time period;   said first schedule time period including a first start time setting and a first end time setting;   said second schedule time period including a second start time setting and a second end time setting;   said third schedule time period including a third start time setting, a third end time setting, a fourth start time setting, and a fourth end time setting;   said processor automatically enters a value into memory for either said third start time setting, said third end time setting, said fourth start time setting, or said fourth end time setting in response to the manual entry of a value into memory for either said first start time setting, said first end time setting, said second start time setting, or said second end time setting.   
     
     
         7 . The programmable thermostat of  claim 6  wherein said third schedule time period may include two third sub-schedule time periods, and wherein each of said third sub-schedule time periods includes a sub-third start time setting and a sub-third end time setting. 
     
     
         8 . A programmable thermostat for controlling space conditioning equipment comprising:
 a temperature sensor;   a display panel;   a clock;   a processor;   memory coupled to said processor for receiving a schedule program set for at least one of a heating and cooling mode, said schedule program set including a first schedule time period, a second schedule time period, and a third schedule time period;   said first schedule time period including a first start time setting and a first end time setting;   said second schedule time period including a second start time setting and a second end time setting;   said third schedule time period;   said processor automatically creates two third sub-schedule time periods associated with said third schedule time period upon entry into memory of a time value associated with said second start time setting which is spaced in time from the time value associated with said first end time setting or upon entry into memory of a time value associated with said second end time setting which is spaced in time from the time value associated with said first start time setting.   
     
     
         9 . The programmable thermostat of  claim 8  wherein said first schedule time period includes a first temperature setting, said second schedule time period includes a second temperature setting, and said third schedule time period includes a third temperature setting. 
     
     
         10 . The programmable thermostat of  claim 8  wherein each of said two third sub-schedule time periods includes a third sub-start time setting and a third sub-end time setting.