US7003378B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
HVAC control using different access levels
Assignee: Poth Investment Trust
•
Filing: 2004-04-02
•
Granted: 2006-02-21
•
Expires: 2024-04-02
Abstract
Abstract Systems and methods are described for a HVAC control system. A method, includes regulating user access to an interactive user interface of a programmable thermostat, each user identified by a personal identification number associated with a user type such as, for example, building owners, maintenance personnel, building tenants, and manufacturers.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert J. Poth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:40
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24F; F24F11/00; F24F11/30; F24F11/46; G; G05; G05B; G05B15/00; G05B15/02; G06; G06Q; G06Q50/00; G06Q50/06; F24F11/47; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/20; G05B2219/26; G05B2219/2642; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P80/00; Y02P80/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A method, comprising: providing a usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system, the usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system including a programmable digital thermostat with an on board memory; issuing personal identification numbers to each of a plurality of system users; associating each of the plurality of system users with at least one of a plurality of user types; storing the personal identification numbers in a first data structure in the on board memory; and linking each one of a plurality of entries in the first data structure by reference to at least one of a plurality of entries in a second data structure in the on board memory, the second data structure including a list of user types; and recording and accruing usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage data in the on board memory of the programmable digital thermostat according to each of the plurality of system users' personal identification numbers, wherein hours of additional usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage for each of the plurality of system users is accrued in the on board memory of the programmable digital thermostat according to each user's personal identification number.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
202 words
A method, comprising: providing a usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system, the usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system including a programmable digital thermostat with an on board memory; issuing personal identification numbers to each of a plurality of system users; associating each of the plurality of system users with at least one of a plurality of user types; storing the personal identification numbers in a first data structure in the on board memory; and linking each one of a plurality of entries in the first data structure by reference to at least one of a plurality of entries in a second data structure in the on board memory, the second data structure including a list of user types; and recording and accruing usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage data in the on board memory of the programmable digital thermostat according to each of the plurality of system users' personal identification numbers, wherein hours of additional usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage for each of the plurality of system users is accrued in the on board memory of the programmable digital thermostat according to each user's personal identification number.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of user types is associated with at least one of a plurality of function sets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the on board memory includes a member selected from the group consisting of electrically erasable programmable read only memory, flash memory, and random access memory.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: dynamically updating the first data structure; and dynamically updating the second data structure.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
114 words
A method, comprising regulating user access to an interactive user interface of a programmable thermostat, each user identified by a personal identification number associated with a user type selected from the group consisting of building owners, maintenance personnel, building tenants, and manufacturers; and recording and accruing usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage data in an on board memory of the programmable thermostat according to each user's personal identification numbers, wherein hours of additional usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage for each of the plurality of system users is accrued in the on board memory of the programmable digital thermostat according to each user's personal identification number.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
114 words
A method, comprising regulating user access to an interactive user interface of a programmable thermostat, each user identified by a personal identification number associated with a user type selected from the group consisting of building owners, maintenance personnel, building tenants, and manufacturers; and recording and accruing usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage data in an on board memory of the programmable thermostat according to each user's personal identification numbers, wherein hours of additional usage monitoring heating ventilation and air conditioning control system usage for each of the plurality of system users is accrued in the on board memory of the programmable digital thermostat according to each user's personal identification number.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein each user's personal identification number belongs to exactly one user type.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein access to the interactive user interface of the programmable thermostat is regulated using at least one of a plurality of software filters.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3403382A
Cited
US4090248A
Cited
US4234927A
Cited
US4298946A
Cited
US4341345A
Cited
US4558958A
Cited
US4639876A
Cited
US4884214A
Cited
US4931948A
Cited
US4918615A
Cited
US5554979A
Cited
US5170935A
Cited
US5761083A
Cited
US5544036A
Cited
US5682949A
Cited
US5394324A
Cited
US5544809A
Cited
US5621662A
Cited
US5646858A
Cited
US5761073A
Cited
US5822997A
Cited
US5909378A
Cited
US5873519A
Cited
US6240326B1
Cited
US6553418B1
Cited
US6198996B1
Cited
US6241156B1
Cited
US20020011923A1
Cited
US20010017483A1
Cited
US6604023B1
Cited
US6622115B1
Cited
US6628997B1
Cited
US20020029096A1
Cited
US6631309B2
Cited
US20030033057A1
Cited
US6741915B2
Cited
US20030200009A1
Cited
US20030163222A1
Cited
US6842510B2
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-02-20 | 2009-08-22 | 2010-02-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-02-20 | 2013-08-22 | 2014-02-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-02-20 | 2017-08-22 | 2018-02-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |