U.S. patent application number 09/902149 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-16 for space heater with remote control.
Invention is credited to Ashton, Jerald W., Neugebauer, Darrell.
Application Number | 20030012563 09/902149 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25415378 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030012563 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Neugebauer, Darrell ; et
al. |
January 16, 2003 |
Space heater with remote control
Abstract
A space heater remote control system according to the present
invention includes a remote control device and a base unit attached
to a gas- or electricity-powered space heater. The remote control
device may include a case, a display, an RF transmitter, electronic
circuitry, a microprocessor and a power supply connection. The base
unit and space heater may include a container, an RF receiver, a
variable flow control circuit, a status detection circuit, heater
connection circuitry, electronic circuitry, a microprocessor, power
supply, and heating elements. The remote control device transmits
command controls to the base unit, and the base unit modulates the
quantity of gas or electric current flowing through the space
heater in accordance with the command controls.
Inventors: |
Neugebauer, Darrell;
(Wichita, KS) ; Ashton, Jerald W.; (Wichita,
KS) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Kevin M. Curran
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
919 Third Avenue
New York
NY
10022
US
|
Family ID: |
25415378 |
Appl. No.: |
09/902149 |
Filed: |
July 10, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
392/365 ;
219/509; 340/13.25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G05D 23/1905 20130101;
F24H 9/2064 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
392/365 ;
219/509; 340/825.72 |
International
Class: |
F24H 003/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A remote controlled space heater comprising: a remote control
device, the remote control device including a remote
microcontroller, a keypad coupled to the remote microcontroller, a
remote power supply connection coupled to the remote
microcontroller and electrically connectable to a remote power
source, a remote RF transmitter coupled to the remote
microcontroller, and a remote case housing the remote
microcontroller, the keypad, the remote power supply connection,
and the remote RF transmitter; a base unit, the base unit
including: a base microcontroller, a base power supply connection
coupled to the base microcontroller and being electrically
connectable to a base power source, and a base RF receiver coupled
to the base microcontroller; and, a portable space heater, the
portable space heater including: a heating element a heater power
supply connection coupled to the heating element and to the base
microcontroller and being connectable to a heater power source.
2. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, the remote
control device further comprising a remote thermometer coupled to
the remote microcontroller and housed in the remote case, and the
remote microcontroller executing an adjustment algorithm; wherein
the remote thermometer measures a remote ambient temperature
proximate to the remote control device, the remote microcontroller
calculates an adjustment command control based on the adjustment
algorithm in light of the remote ambient temperature and the
primary command controls, the remote microcontroller communicates
the adjustment command control to the base microcontroller, and the
base microcontroller controls the heater power flowing to the
heating element in accordance with the adjustment command control
in light of the primary command controls.
3. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, the base unit
further comprising a base thermometer coupled to the base
microcontroller, and the base microcontroller executing an
adjustment algorithm; wherein the base thermometer measures a base
ambient temperature proximate to the base unit, the base
microcontroller calculates an adjustment command control based on
the adjustment algorithm in light of the base ambient temperature
and the primary command controls, and the base microcontroller
controls the heater power flowing to the heating element in
accordance with the adjustment command control in light of the
primary command controls.
4. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, the remote
control device further comprising a display and a remote RF
receiver, the display and the remote RF receiver being coupled to
the remote microcontroller and housed in the remote case, the
primary commands being represented on the display; and the base
unit further comprising a base RF transmitter coupled to the base
microcontroller; wherein the remote RF receiver receives status
information transmitted by the base RF transmitter, the remote RF
receiver communicates the status information to the remote
microcontroller, and the remote microcontroller presents a
user-relevant portion of the status information on the display.
5. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, wherein the
remote microcontroller interfaces primary command controls with the
remote RF transmitter, the remote RF transmitter transmits the
primary command controls to the base RF receiver, the base RF
receiver interfaces the primary command controls with the base
microcontroller, and the base microcontroller controls the heater
power flowing to the heating element in accordance with the primary
command controls received from the remote control device.
6. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, wherein: the base
power source and the heater power source include an electrical
outlet, a power cord is coupled to the base power supply connection
and to the heater power supply connection and is removably
coupleable to the electrical outlet, and the base power supply
connection includes an AC/DC converter coupled to the base
microcontroller.
7. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, wherein: the base
power source includes a battery removably housed within the base
unit and removably coupled to the base power supply connection, the
heater power source includes a gas canister removably housed within
the portable space heater and removably coupled to the heater power
supply connection, and the heater power supply connection includes
a gas regulator valve to increase or decrease a flow of gas to the
heating elements and an electric ignition system to ignite gas
flowing from the gas canister to the heating elements.
8. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, the remote
control device further comprising a remote antenna coupled to the
remote RF transmitter, and the base unit further comprising a base
antenna coupled to the base RF receiver.
9. The remote controlled space heater of claim 4, the remote
control device further comprising a remote antenna coupled to the
remote RF transmitter and to the remote RF receiver, and the base
unit farther comprising a base antenna coupled to the base RF
receiver and to the base RF transmitter.
10. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, wherein the
remote microcontroller includes a display coupled to the remote
microcontroller, a remote central processing unit, remote read-only
memory, remote random-access memory, a remote input port, a remote
output port, and a display driver, the remote input port
interfacing the keypad with the remote central processing unit, the
remote output port interfacing the remote RF transmitter with the
remote central processing unit, and the display driver interfacing
the display with the remote central processing unit.
11. The remote controlled space heater of claim 6, the base unit
further comprising a variable flow control circuit coupled to the
base microcontroller and regulating the heater power supply
connection, and a status detection circuit coupled to the base
microcontroller; wherein the variable flow control circuit controls
the electric current received via the base power supply connection
for transfer to the portable space heater via the heater power
supply connection in accordance with instructions received from the
base microcontroller, and the status detection circuit monitors the
electric current passing through the portable space heater and
notifies the base microcontroller of heater conditions.
12. The remote controlled space heater of claim 7, the base unit
further comprising a variable flow control circuit coupled to the
base microcontroller and regulating the heater power supply
connection, and a status detection circuit coupled to the base
microcontroller; wherein the variable flow control circuit
regulates a flow of gas from the heater power source to the heating
elements via the heater power supply connection in accordance with
instructions received from the base microcontroller, and the status
detection circuit monitors the portable space heater and notifies
the base microcontroller of heater irregularities.
13. The remote controlled space heater of claim 11 wherein the base
microcontroller includes a base central processing unit, base
read-only memory, base random-access memory, and a base input port,
a base output port, the base input port interfacing the base RF
transmitter and the status detection circuit with the base central
processing unit, the base output port interfacing the variable flow
control circuit with the base central processing unit.
14. The remote controlled space heater of claim 4, wherein the
remote control device further includes a display coupled to the
remote microcontroller, wherein the base power source comprises a
battery removably coupled to the base microcontroller, wherein the
base unit communicates the status information to the remote control
device, and wherein the remote control device represents the
user-relevant portion of the status information on the display even
when the heater power supply connection is not connected to the
heater power source.
15. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1 further
comprising one of a LED indicator coupled to the base
microcontroller and a display coupled to the base microcontroller,
wherein the LED indicator luminesces or the display depicts when
the portable space heater is operating.
16. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1 further
comprising a sound generator coupled to the base microcontroller,
wherein the sound generator makes an audible sound when the base
unit receives a command control from the remote control device.
17. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1, wherein the
remote control device further includes a display coupled to the
remote microcontroller, the keypad includes an LED keypad backlight
coupled to the keypad and housed in the remote case, the display
includes an LED display backlight coupled to the display and housed
in the remote case, and the LED keypad backlight and the LED
display backlight luminesce when the user uses the keypad.
18. The remote controlled space heater of claim 1 further
comprising one of an electric light and a gas-powered light.
19. The remote controlled space heater of claim 7 further
comprising a parasol heater.
20. A remotely controlled portable space heater system, the system
comprising: a portable space heater coupled to a power source; a
remote control device having a remote RF transceiver; and a base
unit having a base RF transceiver, being coupled to the portable
space heater, and having regulating means to regulate a flow a
power to the portable space heater from the power source; wherein
the remote RF transceiver transmits command controls to and
receives status information from the base RF transceiver, whereupon
the base unit regulates the flow of power flowing from the power
source to the space heater in accordance with the command controls
received from the remote control device.
21. A method of remotely controlling a portable space heater, the
method comprising: coupling a remote power supply connection of a
RF remote control device to a remote power source, coupling a base
power supply connection of a base unit to a base power source,
coupling a heater power supply connection of the portable space
heater to a heater power source, using a keypad on the RF remote
control device to generate primary command controls, the primary
command controls then being represented on a display on the remote
control device and communicated to a remote microcontroller on the
remote control device, the remote microcontroller interfacing the
primary command controls with a remote RF transmitter on the remote
control device, the remote RF transmitter transmitting the primary
command controls to a base RF receiver on the base unit, the base
RF receiver interfacing the primary command controls with a base
microcontroller on the base unit, and the base microcontroller
regulating a flow of power flowing from the heater power source to
the portable space heater in accordance with the primary command
controls received from the remote control device.
22. A method of remotely controlling a portable space heater, the
method comprising: using a keypad on a remote control device to
generate primary command controls, displaying the primary command
controls on a display on the remote control device communicating
the primary control commands to a remote microcontroller on the
remote control device, interfacing the primary command controls
with a remote RF transmitter on the remote control device,
transmitting the primary command controls to a base RF receiver on
a base unit, interfacing the primary command controls with a base
microcontroller on the base unit, and regulating a flow of power
flowing through a heater power supply connection to the portable
space heater in accordance with the primary command controls
received from the remote control device.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to space heater control
devices, and more specifically to a RF-signal, space heater remote
control system.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] The fundamental aspects of space heaters are well-known in
the art. A space heater typically generates heat in one of two
ways: either flammable gas is combusted or electricity passes
through resistive wiring. A typical heater assembly may house a
source of heat, i.e., a heating device, a power source or a
connection to a power source, and a control device. A fan integral
to the heater may be used to circulate air in a room past the
heating elements. An electrical heater, for example, may include
electrical heating elements, an electrical cord, an electrical fan
and a power switch. After connecting the electrical cord to a wall
outlet, engaging the power switch may activate the electrical fan
and the electrical heating elements. The fan may force air past the
heating elements, heating the air by convection.
[0003] A parasol heater is a particular variety of space heater
that typically is a portable gas combustion heater commonly used
for patios and other outdoor venues. A parasol heater commonly
includes a trunk containing a gas tank, a pillar extending above
the trunk, and an inverted burner assembly atop the pillar that
combusts gas flowing through the pillar from the tank. Heating
controls are often located on the trunk or the pillar. Parasol
heaters are used to heat the preselected area surrounding the
heater insofar as the burning assembly generally has a circular,
umbrella-like shape that radiates heat down and around the
heater.
[0004] Whether using a gas heater or an electric heater, the amount
of heat generated depends on many factors, but two primary
variables are the amount of gas or electricity allowed to flow
through the heater, affecting the intensity of the heat, and the
duration of the flow. Typically, a control device is used to
regulate the intensity and duration of heat generated. The duration
of heat generation generally is dependent on the time during which
the heater is turned on.
[0005] A simple ON/OFF power switch is a basic control device, in
that a presumably fixed amount of gas or electricity passes through
the heater while the control device is in the ON state, generating
a relatively constant intensity of heat. In a gas heater, igniting
the reactants normally starts the reaction. Ignition usually
requires a flame (e.g., a pilot light) or a spark, which may be
induced, for example, by an electrical ignition combined with the
power switch. Apart from residual heat dissipation, no heat is
generated in the OFF state. More sophisticated control devices have
used timers to alternate between the ON and OFF states, effectively
regulating relative heat generation by controlling the duration of
heat generation, without altering the amount of gas or electricity
passing through the heater while in the ON state.
[0006] Another means of controlling the relative heat generation
while the heater is turned on is to marginally adjust the flow of
gas or electricity within the heater through the use of a variable
flow control, analogous to a dimmer switch. Increments of gaseous
or electric flow adjustment may be coarse, such as with control
settings of Low and High, or relatively fine, such as with settings
of 1 to 10, with 1 corresponding to the lowest intensity of heat
and 10 corresponding to the highest intensity of heat. Relative
heat generation in this context is dependent on energy consumption,
independent of the ambient temperature near the heater.
[0007] Space heater control devices may also regulate heat
generation by means of a thermostat in conjunction with a variable
flow control device. Whereas a simple variable flow control device
operating by itself may maintain a constant gaseous or electric
flow in the heater, a thermostat may use a variable flow control to
maintain a constant heater temperature by varying the gaseous or
electric flow in the heater. Ambient temperatures around the heater
will affect the heater temperature as heat is exchanged between
them. The use of a fan for air circulation will also affect the
exchange of heat. As ambient temperatures rise or fall, the
thermostat may decrease or increase, respectively, the flow of gas
or electricity to the heater to maintain a desired temperature.
[0008] Remote control systems are also well-known in the art. Two
popular methods of remote control involve infrared (IR) signals and
radio frequency (RF) signals. Infrared signals are easily absorbed
by objects in their path, so IR remote control devices require a
direct, unobstructed line-of-sight between the IR remote control
device and the base IR receiver. Most television remote control
systems, for example, use IR remote control devices.
[0009] Remote control systems that do not use IR signaling
typically may use other RF signals that are not easily absorbed by
objects in their path. RF remote control devices generally do not
require a direct, unobstructed line-of-sight between the RF remote
control and the base RF receiver. Therefore, an RF remote control
may be operated to control a base unit from almost any location
within the effective range of the RF transmission. The effective
range of the RF transmission will depend largely on the strength
and frequency of the signal. Garage door openers, for example,
typically use RF remote control systems.
[0010] Therefore, it would be advantageous to design a portable
space heater having a remote control system that incorporates many
of the benefits of previous space heater control devices in a
remote control system using RF signaling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention relates to a portable space heater
having a remote control device, and more specifically to a
RF-signal, space heater remote control system having a display. A
space heater remote control system according to the present
invention may include a remote control device and a base unit. The
remote control device may include a case, a display, an RF
transmitter or transceiver, electronic circuitry, a thermostat, a
microprocessor and a battery power supply connection. The base unit
may include a container, an RF receiver or transceiver, a variable
flow control circuit, a status detection circuit, heater connection
circuitry or valve, electronic circuitry, a microprocessor, a power
supply, and possibly an electric ignition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIGS. 1A-1C show block diagrams of a space heater remote
control device, an electric space heater base unit and a gas space
heater base unit, respectively, according to exemplary embodiments
of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a space heater remote
control device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the space heater remote control
device of FIG. 2.
[0015] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a gas-operated
parasol-style space heater base unit according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a gas-operated
catalytic-style space heater base unit according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
be apparent from the following description of the exemplary
embodiments thereof, and from the claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] A space heater remote control system according to the
present invention may include a remote control device 100 and a
base unit 200 coupled to space heater 300. Referring to the
figures, FIG. 1A shows a block diagram of a space heater remote
control device 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention. The remote control device 100 may include a case
110 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), a keypad 120, an RF interface
assembly 140, electronic circuitry 150, a microcontroller 160 and a
power supply 170. The remote control device 100 also may include an
optional display 130.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 1A, the microcontroller 160 may be coupled
to each of the keypad 120, the display 130, the RF interface
assembly 140, and the power supply 170. The microcontroller 160 may
include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) 161,
read-only memory (ROM) 162, random-access memory (RAM) 163, an
input port 164, an output port 165, and a display driver 166.
Furthermore, the input port 164 interfaces the keypad 120 with the
CPU 161, the output port interfaces the RF interface assembly 140
with the CPU 161, and the display driver 166 interfaces the display
130 with the CPU 161.
[0020] The keypad 120 may include a backlight 122. Likewise, the
display 130 may include a backlight 132. The backlight 132 may be
implemented, for example, with LED or LCD displays. The RF
interface assembly 140 may include an RF transmitter 141 connected
to an antenna 142. The power supply 170 may include, for example, a
battery bay to hold 2 "AAA" sized batteries. Alternatively, the
power supply 170 may include a rechargeable power cell that is
recharged by a separate recharger assembly, which could be attached
by a detachable recharger cord.
[0021] Although not shown in FIG. 1A, the remote control 100 also
may include a thermostat having a thermometer with which remote
control 100 measures the ambient temperature. The remote control
100 therefore may display the ambient temperature on the optional
display 130. Furthermore, the system may use the ambient
temperature instead of the heater temperature as a variable in
adjusting the heat intensity level applied by the base unit 200.
Thus, the thermostat may compensate the heater heat level for the
ambient room temperature. First, the thermometer may measure the
ambient temperature, and second, the thermostat may apply
temperature compensation to the heat level commands sent to the
base unit 200 to maintain constant heater temperature as the
ambient temperature varies. An algorithm stored in the remote
control 100 may calculate how much to adjust the heat level
relative to the ambient temperature to maintain a desired heater
temperature.
[0022] Likewise, the thermostat, thermometer, and the algorithm may
be located on the base unit 200 instead of on the remote control
device 100, but this would require that the remote control device
100 be able to receive data transmitted by the base unit 200 in
order for the display 130 of the remote control device 100 to show
the ambient temperature measured at the base unit 200. Such a
configuration would require the use of RF transceivers in both the
remote control device 100 and base unit 200, as discussed in detail
below. If RF transceivers are used, the thermometer may be
separated from the thermostat and the algorithm, allowing for the
ambient temperature data to be compiled at one place and
transmitted to another place. Alternatively, the display 132 on the
remote control device 100 may show the temperature at the remote
and not at the heater 300. The base unit 200 may include the
thermostat while the remote control 100 sends the base unit 200
desired temperature settings to adjust the thermostat.
[0023] By comparison, FIGS. 1B and 1C show block diagrams of a
space heater base unit 200 coupled to a space heater 300 according
to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The base unit
200 and the space heater 300 may be housed together or separately.
The base unit 200 may include an RF interface assembly 210, a
microcontroller 220, electronic circuitry 230, power supply 240,
heater connection circuitry 250, a status detection circuit 260,
and a variable flow control circuit 270. The space heater 300 may
include, among other things, heating elements 310 and a fan 320. In
particular, the space heater 300 may employ either only an electric
power supply 242, as shown in FIG. 1B, to power both the
electronics and the heating elements 310, or an electric power
supply 242 in combination with a gas power supply 243, as shown in
FIG. 1C, the electric power supply 242 to power the electronics and
the gas power supply 243 to power the heating elements 310.
[0024] In any event, electric power is necessary to operate the
electronic components of the base unit 200. This electric power may
come from either a power line connection, such as electric power
supply 242 as shown in FIG. 1B, or a battery 244, as shown in FIG.
1C. In the event that a power line connection is used, the space
heater 300 must remain within reach of an electrical outlet to be
used, and the heating elements 310 just as well may use electric
power. Use of a battery 244 to power the electronics lends itself
to using a gas power supply 243 so as to facilitate increased
portability of the space heater 300.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the microcontroller 220 may be
coupled via the electronic circuitry 230 to each of the RF
interface assembly 210, the power supply 240, the heater connection
circuitry 250, the status detection circuit 260, and the variable
flow control circuit 270. The microcontroller 220 may include, for
example, a central processing unit (CPU) 221, read-only memory
(ROM) 222, random-access memory (RAM) 223, input ports 224, and an
output port 225. Furthermore, the input ports 224 interface the RF
interface assembly 210 and the status detection circuit 260 with
the CPU 221, and the output port 225 interfaces the variable flow
control circuit 270 with the CPU 221.
[0026] The RF interface assembly 210 may include an RF receiver 211
connected to an antenna 212. As in FIG. 1B, the power supply 240
may include an alternating current-to-direct current (AC/DC)
converter 241 and a power cord 242 adapted to plug into a power
outlet. The AC/DC converter 241 supplies a direct current to the
microcontroller 220. In the event of an electric space heater 300,
the power supply 240 may provide 120V AC to the variable flow
control circuit 270 that regulates electricity to the heating
elements 310 and fan 320 via the heater connection circuitry 250
which couples the base unit 200 to the heater 300. For easier
disassembly and storage, power cord 242 may attach and detach from
the base unit 200 and the heater 300.
[0027] The variable flow control circuit 270 interfaces the power
supply 240 with the heater connection circuitry 250. In an electric
heater 300, the variable flow control circuit 270 may modulate the
duty cycle of the power supplied to the heater 300. In a gas heater
300, the variable flow control circuit 270 electronically controls
an electric gas control assembly 330. The electric gas control
assembly 330 may include an electric ignition 331 to ignite the
gas, thereby turning on the heater, and a gas regulator valve 332
to increase or decrease the flow of gas to the heating elements
310, thereby adjusting the power supplied to the heater 300. By
remotely activating the electric ignition 331, the user may
remotely turn on the heater 300. Likewise, by remotely deactivating
the gas regulator valve 332, the user may remotely turn off the
heater 300. Marginal or incremental adjustments of the gas flow
made from either the remote 100 or the base unit 200 may permit the
user to better control heat output of the heater to conform to the
desired comfort of the user.
[0028] The status detection circuit 260 may monitor heater sensors
(not shown) or it may simply monitor the electrical feed-back from
the power supplied by the variable flow control circuit 270. If for
example the status detection circuit 260 detects a drop in
resistance that may indicate a local short circuit, the status
detection circuit 260 may inform the microcontroller 220 which in
turn may deactivate the heater 300. Also, the status detection
circuit 260 may monitor, for example, the gas pressure inside the
gas canister 243 and warn the user if the pressure is too low or
too high.
[0029] In the event that the remote control system intends to have
the remote control device 100 receive data transmitted from the
base unit 200 as well as have the base unit 200 receive data
transmitted from the remote control device 100, RF transmitter 141
of FIG. 1A and RF receiver 211 of FIGS. 1B and 1C may be replaced
with RF transceivers (not shown) coupled to both the input and
output ports, respectively 164, 165 and 224, 225. The use of RF
transceivers would permit the base unit 200 to communicate the
status of the heater 300 to the remote control device 100.
[0030] For example, base unit 200 could inform the remote control
device 100 that the heater 300 is not coupled to the base unit 200,
preventing the execution of any instructions received from the
remote control device 100. Similarly, for example, if a battery
were coupled to the base unit 200, the base unit 200 would have
power to inform the remote control 100 that the power supply 240 is
not available, either because power cord 242 is unplugged or
because gas canister 243 is detached or empty. The base unit 200
could also relay intermediate status information to the remote
control device 100. For example, the heater 300 may include a
heater thermometer coupled to the status detection circuit 260,
allowing the base unit 200 to transmit the current heater
temperature compared to the programmed heater temperature.
Similarly, the status detection circuit 260 may measure the
electrical resistance of the heater 300, and the microcontroller
220 may calculate the current heater temperature using a
temperature algorithm dependent on the measured electrical
resistance of the heater 300 relative to the electrical power
supplied to the heater 300.
[0031] FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively show a perspective view and a
plan view of a space heater remote control device 100 according to
an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The case 110 may
house the keypad 120, the display 130, the RF interface assembly
140 (shown in FIG. 1A), the electronic circuitry 150 (shown in FIG.
1A), the microcontroller 160 (shown in FIG. 1A) and the power
supply 170 (shown in FIG. 1A). The keypad 120 may include buttons
121 and a keypad backlight 122 (shown in FIG. 1A) to illuminate the
buttons 121. The display 130 may include a multifunctional, digital
LCD 131 and a display backlight 132 (shown in FIG. 1A).
[0032] FIG. 4 shows a partial cut-away perspective view of a heater
base unit 200 housed in a gas-operated parasol-style space heater
300' according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
The parasol heater 300' as shown includes a trunk 350 containing a
gas tank 351, a pillar 360 extending above the trunk 350, and an
inverted burner assembly 370 atop the pillar 360 that combusts gas
flowing through the pillar 360 from the tank 351. Heating controls
are often located on the trunk 350 or the pillar 360, shown here
within the container 280 the houses the base unit 200. The parasol
heater 300' also may include a light 380, such as an electric light
381 or a gas light 382, that also may be controlled by the remote
control 100 via the base unit 200.
[0033] As also shown in FIG. 5, the container 280 may house the RF
interface assembly 210, the microcontroller 220, electronic
circuitry 230, the power supply 240, the heater connection
circuitry 250, the status detection circuit 260 (shown in FIG. 1C),
and the variable flow control circuit 270 (shown in FIG. 1C). By
comparison, FIG. 5 shows a partial cut-away perspective view of a
space heater base unit 200 housed in a gas-operated catalytic-style
space heater 300" according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
[0034] Shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base unit 200 also may include
one or more LED indicators 281 and a sound generator 282, both of
which are coupled to microcontroller 220. In the event that the
base unit 200 separately controls the heater elements 310 and the
fan 320, two LED indicators 281 may indicate the independent
activation of the heater elements 310 or the fan 320. The LED
indicator 281 may luminesce when the associated space heater 300 is
activated. The sound generator 282 may beep or chirp to acknowledge
reception of instructions from the remote control 100 or to sound
an alarm signaled by the status detection circuit 260. The sound
generator 282 may comprise a loudspeaker, a piezoelectric element,
or the like.
[0035] Given the intelligence of microcontrollers 160 and 220, the
remote control system may perform a wide variety of functions.
Generally, each function will have an associated field on the
display 130. The LCD 131 may have fixed fields 133 and variable
fields 134 that are activated when the associated function is being
programmed and displayed. For example, a preheat function may be
displayed by a fixed field 133 to indicate that the preheat
function is active or being programmed. Conversely, a clock
function requires a variable field 134 to display the passage of
time. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an exemplary LCD 131 may display
information regarding the status of, among others, the power
(On/Off/Auto), heating level, the time, heating times, and the
heating duration.
[0036] As discussed, a space heater control device may employ
several different methods to regulate the heating of the heater
300. In conjunction with the microcontroller 160 of the remote
control 100, the microcontroller 220 of the base unit 200 may
regulate the heating of a heater 300 coupled to the base unit 200.
A user may input a desired heating regime into the remote control
100, and the remote control 100 may program the base unit 200
accordingly. Alternatively, all the programming may reside in the
remote control 100. The base unit 200 may regulate the heating of a
heater 300 by varying start and stop times, the duration of the
heating, the intensity level of the heat, and the desired
temperature of the heater 300.
[0037] By combining two or more of these variables, the base unit
200, for example, may preheat a heater 300 quickly to a desired
temperature or level by applying the maximum heat for a short
period until the desired status is reached and then reducing the
heat to maintain the desired status. Similarly, the base unit 200
may intermittently heat the heater 300 over a longer period,
possibly to conserve power and maintain a desired temperature.
Intermittent ramping of heat may generate heat more efficiently
with less excess, avoid overheating the heater 300, and prolong the
life of the heater 300.
[0038] A number of embodiments of the present invention have been
described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various
modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within
the scope of the following claims. It is intended that all matter
contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying
drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting
sense. It is also understood that the following claims are intended
to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention
herein described and all statements regarding the scope of the
invention.
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