should be noted here that the set point of the system 3.08 was 1.04. For the maximum savings setting, the dead band in this
Set at a fixed point for the entire day and the use of humidity example would be raised to 3 degrees F. and the rate of
Sensing and control of humidity levels were not introduced thermal gain per hour would be set at 3 degrees F. per hour.
into the illustration So that the graphical plots depict a The results of this example are illustrated in FIG. 3F. The
normal home with a normal HVAC control thermostat. Here examples here are only used to illustrate how the System
again, the illustration depicts that as the outside temperature 3.08 using the inputs from the customer would vary the
rises and the differential between the indoor set point and the operation of individual parameters as described to either
outside temperature increase, the thermal gain causes the maintain an optimum comfort or optimum Savings control
HVAC system to cycle more frequently. At Some point, in algorithm and are not meant to limit the number of control
extremely hot weather or more importantly in periods of parameters that the system 3.08 might use of the way in
high humidity, with the Set point at a low Setting, the thermal which these different levels of comfort or savings are
gain would exceed the HVAC units’ ability to recover the achieved. Additional parameters and controls could also be
indoor air temperature to the Set point. When this occurs, the in more elaborate implementations of the System. The fol
HVAC run time plot would plateau at 100% of operation and lowing paragraphs disclose these additional control param
the indoor air temperature would rise above the Set point, eters and control modes but should not be construed as
until the outside temperature dropped to a level where the limiting the System's capabilities to these examples.

thermal gain did not exceed the HVAC units ability to
recover the indoor temperature Setting or the indoor humid demand and consumption. Under this control program, the

0256 In another aspect of the present invention, the
system 3.08 uses the learned thermal gain characteristics of
the site 1.04 along with the customer selected allowable
temperature variation range to maintain a flat level of

ity level dropped to the point where the occupant began to
feel cold and adjusted the Set point higher, permitting the
unit to resume a more normal cyclical pattern.

0255 The third step is for the user to pick from a plurality system 3.08 uses the thermal gain rate of the home 2.18 and
of economic options offered by the system 3.08. These its associated HVAC System run time to produce a base line
options range from 100% comfort management without any of consumption. Using this base line the system 3.08 can be
regard for cost to 100% economic management without any instructed to manage the demand and consumption rate at
regard to comfort. This choice at a high level, for example, either a flat level or at some reduced level by varying the
would be but is not limited to a selection scheme from 1 to indoor air temperature within the allowable range. The
10 which the user would select from, where 1 is pure following illustrates how this control program works, but
comfort management and 10 is pure economic management. should not be construed to limit the capabilities of the
While this example would in its simplest from provide a System 3.08 to perform these functions using different
Selection of 10 options, the underlying control options used control logic or additional Sensing devices to improve the
by the system 3.08 could be modified and expanded to process. For this example, the Set point of the thermostat is
provide an infinite number of options. To illustrate how the 72 degrees F. and the allowed variation selected by the
options in this example would drive the control logic we will customer is 4 degrees F. making the acceptable range for
now review the control parameters effected and illustrate the indoor temperature from 72 degrees F. to 76 degrees F. Since
resulting controls. The primary control parameter would be the time, when the base line is Set can be triggered by a
tied to the number of degrees from the set point that the plurality of conditions, Such as a user or program defined
customer would make available to the system 3.08 to time of day, percentage level of operating run time, energy
achieve economic benefits. This parameter would start with consumption rate for a give period of time or any other
the set point established by the CUSTOMER (for this measurable on Sensed event, for this example it is assumed
example 72 degrees F.) and at the maximum comfort Setting that the customer has set the base line trigger to be set when
would not move off of this set point (see FIG. 3F). In the the HVAC units run time reaches 33%. In the early morning
maximum Savings Setting, the Set point offset would be 4 when it is cool, the system 3.08 in this example will be
degrees F. which would permit the System in this example to operating at a cycle rate of 10%. AS the outside temperature
vary the temperature in the home form the normal Set point rises, the thermal gain on the home 2.18 is monitored along
of 72 F by the 4 degree offset making the acceptable with the HVAC cycle rate on a continuous basis. The rise in
temperature range 72 F to 76 F within which the system 3.08 the outside temperature causes the HVAC cycle time to
would manage the environment. The next parameter that increase as illustrated in FIG. 3E. As the system 3.08
would be used to achieve economic goals would be the reaches the trigger level of 33% cycle run time, the base line
ramping rate at which the system 3.08 would permit the is established and the system 3.08 using its computed
temperature to rise within the site 1.04 as it moved from one thermal gain rate and the corresponding HVAC cycle run
Set point to a higher or lower one to achieve economic time projections, computes the required effective Set point
benefit. Here again, for the maximum comfort Setting, Since offset needed to keep the HVAC cycle run time at the
the allowable offset is Zero, the ramping rate has no effect. specified trigger level of 33%. By adjusting the effective set
In this case however, another parameter that regulates the point upward, the system 3.08 is able to maintain the HVAC
offset from the set point used by the system 3.08 to trigger run time at the predetermined trigger level up to the point
recovery back to the set point (the dead band of operation) that the thermal gain rise rate exhausts the allowed tempera
would be an alternative control parameter. In this case, if the ture variant allowed for the site 1.04. At this point, the
normal dead band was 2 degrees F., for the maximum System will have the option, based on control parameterS Set
comfort range this might be lowered to 1 degree. In the in the System by the customer or user or any other control
maximum Savings Setting where the allowable temperature ling entity, to exceed the cycle run time trigger level or
range has a 4 degree variable, the ramping rate would be exceed the allowed temperature depending on whether com
capable of being controlled through a combination of vary fort or economic requirements are the primary drivers for the
ing the dead band range and the thermal gain rate in the Site Site 1.04, the energy Supply chain or a combination of both.