System and method for controlling temperature of a liquid residing within a tank
First Claim
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1. A system for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank, comprising:
- a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the liquid;
a temperature control element configured to alter the temperature of the liquid;
a clock; and
logic configured to track usage of the temperature control element by monitoring an activation state of the temperature control element during a first time period while the temperature control element is being controlled based on a first temperature threshold, the logic further configured to automatically select, based on a time value indicated by the clock and the usage of the temperature control element during the first time period, a second temperature threshold for controlling the temperature control element during a second time period, the logic further configured to perform a comparison between the selected temperature threshold and a value indicative of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor during the second time period and to control the temperature control element during the second time period based on the comparison.
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Abstract
A system for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank comprises a temperature sensor, a temperature control element, memory, and logic. The temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the liquid residing within the tank, and the temperature control element is coupled to the tank. The memory stores data indicative of a usage history of the tank, and the logic is configured to automatically control the temperature control element based on the data.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank, comprising:
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a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the liquid;
a temperature control element configured to alter the temperature of the liquid;
a clock; and
logic configured to track usage of the temperature control element by monitoring an activation state of the temperature control element during a first time period while the temperature control element is being controlled based on a first temperature threshold, the logic further configured to automatically select, based on a time value indicated by the clock and the usage of the temperature control element during the first time period, a second temperature threshold for controlling the temperature control element during a second time period, the logic further configured to perform a comparison between the selected temperature threshold and a value indicative of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor during the second time period and to control the temperature control element during the second time period based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system, comprising:
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a tank;
a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a liquid residing within the tank;
a temperature control element coupled to the tank;
memory for storing data indicative of a usage history of the temperature control element; and
logic configured to automatically monitor the temperature control element in order to automatically define the data, the logic further configured to automatically select, based on the data, a threshold to be used for controlling the temperature control element and to control the temperature control element based on a comparison of the threshold to a value indicative of the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, wherein the usage history defines a schedule of classified time slots, each of the time slots classified based on an amount of time that the temperature control element is activated during a time period corresponding to the respective time slot. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system, comprising:
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a tank;
a temperature sensor coupled to the tank;
a temperature control element for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within the tank; and
logic configured to determine a value indicative of a total amount of time that the temperature control element is activated during a first time period and to establish a temperature threshold for a second time period based on the value, the logic configured to perform a comparison between the temperature threshold and a value indicative of a temperature of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor during the second time period, the logic further configured to control the temperature control element based on the comparison. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method, comprising the steps of:
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selectively activating a temperature control element to keep a liquid within a tank within a desired temperature range during a first time period;
detecting activations of the temperature control element during the first time period;
automatically selecting a temperature threshold for the temperature control element based on the detecting step and a time value indicated by a clock;
measuring a temperature of the liquid during a second time period;
comparing a value indicative of the measured temperature to the temperature threshold; and
activating the temperature control element based on the comparing step. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method, comprising the steps of:
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detecting changes in temperature of a liquid within a tank over time;
activating a temperature control element based on the changes in temperature;
tracking an activation state of the temperature control element;
defining, based on the tracking step, a schedule of classified time slots, each of the time slots classified based on an amount of time that the temperature control element is activated during a time period corresponding to the respective time slot;
automatically selecting a temperature threshold based on the schedule of the classified time slots; and
controlling the temperature control element based on the selected temperature threshold.
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Specification