Temperature compensation control

Claim 3

A method of temperature control according to claim 1 wherein the voltage drops across said pn junctions are algebraically summed to obtain said control voltage, said temperature conditioning system is a heating system, said source is a heat source and said changing the operation consisting of enabling said heat source when said control voltage exceeds said reference voltage and inhibiting said heat source when said control voltage is less than said reference voltage.

Claim 4

A method of temperature control according to claim 2 wherein said heat source includes a burner, said enabling comprises turning on said burner and said inhibiting comprises turning off said burner.

Claim 5

A method of temperature control according to claim 1 wherein said control voltage is derived by dividing the difference of the pn junction voltage drop at the thermal reservoir and the pn junction voltage drop at the heat transfer medium with a voltage divider and selecting a point on such voltage divider for connection as a control voltage terminal.

Claim 6

Electrical apparatus for varying the temperature of a heat transfer medium in a temperature conditioning system inversely with the temperature of the thermal reservoir producing the undesired heat exchange comprising: a. first at least one semiconductor pn junction for location thermally coupled to said thermal reservoir; b. second at least one semiconductor pn junction for location thermally coupled to a heat transfer medium issuing from a temperature conditioning source; c. first electrical circuit means for interconnecting all of said pn junctions and providing forward electrical bias to each said pn junction; d. a differential amplifier having a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal; e. second electrical circuit means connected to said first input terminal to provide a reference voltage; f. electrical connection means connecting said pn junctions to said second input terminal for applying a voltage to said input terminal that varies directly with the sum of the voltage drops across all said pn junctions; and, g. electrical contactor means connected to said output terminal for driving a control of a temperature conditioning source as the voltage between said first input terminal and said second input terminal changes polarity.

Claim 7

Electrical apparatus for varying the temperature of a heat transfer medium in a temperature conditioning system inversely with the temperature of the thermal reservoir producing the undesired heat exchange comprising: a. first at least one semiconductor pn junction for location thermally coupled to said thermal reservoir; b. second at least one semiconductor pn junction for location thermally coupled to a heat transfer medium issuing from a temperature conditioning source; c. first electrical circuit means for interconnecting all of said pn junctions and providing forward electrical bias to each said pn junction; d. a differential amplifier having a first input terminal, a second input terminal and an output terminal; e. second electrical circuit means connected to said first input terminal to provide a reference voltage; f. electrical connection means connecting said pn junctions to said second input terminal for applying a voltage to said input terminal that varies directly with the sum of the voltage drops across all said pn junctions; and, g. electrical contactor means connected to said output terminal for driving a control of a temperature conditioning source as the voltage between said first input terminal and said second input terminal changes polarity.

Claim 8

Electrical apparatus according to claim 5 wherein all of said semiconductor pn junctions are connected in series and said electrical connection is a connection from one end of said series to said second input terminal.

Claim 9

Electrical apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said first at least one semiconductor is connected in series with an impedance with a first junction point therebetween, said second at least one semiconductor is connected in series with a further impedance with a second junction point therebetween, and a third impedance is connected between said first junction point and said second junction point, said third impedance having a tap connected to said second input terminal.

Claim 10

Electrical apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said tap is moveable along said third impedance to provide weighting between the voltage at said first junction compared to the voltage at said second junction.

Claim 11

Electrical apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said electrical contactor is a relay with a set of normally-closed contacts.

Claim 12

Electrical apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said electrical contactor is a thyristor connected in series with a control device.

Claim 13

Electrical apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said apparatus is connected into the central heating system controller for a building and wherein said first at least one semiconductor comprises two diodes connected in series and mounted outside of the building, said second at least one semiconductor comprises two diodes connected in series and mounted in thermal contact against a conductor for the heat transfer medium of the system, said electrical contactor opens and closes a circuit to the heat source of said system; and, said apparatus is connected to receive electrical power from a thermostat transformer located at said controller.