METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IDENTIFYING A TEMPERATURE SENSOR CONNECTED TO A CONTROL UNIT

• US 20090010302A1
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Original Assignee: EGO Elektro-Gerã¤Tebau GmbH (EGO Blanc und Fischer & Company GmbH)
• Inventors: Wilde, Eugen, Schilling, Wilfried
• Granted Patent: US 7,654,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 374/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 15/00 Testing or calibrating of thermometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/06 for preparation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0258 For cooking
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2213/07 Heating plates with temperature control means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/746 Protection, e.g. overheat cutoff, hot plate indicator

Abstract

A controller of a hob is connected to a temperature sensor of a radiation based heating element. In principle, two different groups of temperature sensors can be used, whose resistance values differ by approximately a factor of three. When the hob is first used, the resistance of the temperature sensor is measured at room temperature and is classified in one of the two groups of temperature sensors on the basis of a limit value between the two typical temperature profiles of the groups of temperature sensors. On the basis of this, calibration of the controller is carried out for the purpose of adjusting to the established group to which the temperature sensor belongs.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a temperature sensor of a heating device, wherein said temperature sensor is positioned so as to be directly heated by said heating device, wherein said temperature sensor is connected to a control unit and evaluated by said control unit, comprising the steps of:

measuring a resistance value of said connected temperature sensor in response to connecting said control unit to an operating voltage;

comparing said resistance value with at least one preset limit value, wherein said preset limit value characterizes at least two different groups of said temperature sensors with respect to said resistance value of said temperature sensors;

classifying said temperature sensor as belonging to a first group of temperature sensors if said resistance value exceeds said limit value and

classifying said temperature sensor as belonging to a second group of temperature sensor is said resistance value is below said limit value; and

controlling and evaluating said temperature sensor by said control unit by using calibration data to calibrate said temperature sensor using said resistance value according to one of said groups of said temperature sensors.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein measuring said resistance value of said temperature sensor is evaluated prior to activating the heating device and at room temperature.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said change to said resistance value on said first heating of said heating device following connection to said operating voltage is detected and is incorporated into said evaluation, wherein firstly said resistance value is measured and evaluated when said heating device is at room temperature prior to said first heating and then a change to said resistance value is measure and evaluated after heating said heating device, wherein said change is a change based on a specific resistance difference or a change based on a specific time difference.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first group of said temperature sensors has a resistance value at room temperature of approximately 1000 Ohms.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said first group of said temperature sensors comprises platinum temperature sensors.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second group of said temperature sensors has a resistance value at room temperature of approximately 300 Ohms.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said second group of said temperature sensors comprises high temperature-resistant temperature sensors made of tungsten or tungsten alloy.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said heating device is a radiant heater.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calibration takes place following a fixed time interval.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said calibration occurs after said control unit is reconnected to said operating voltage after being separated from said operating voltage.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein prior to calibration or said first step an ambient temperature is measured using a thermistor, wherein said resistance value of said temperature sensor is determined on connection to said operating voltage and is classified into one of said groups of said temperature sensors as a function of said measured ambient temperature.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein calibration occurs after said heating device has been switched off for at least six hours or said temperature sensors have reached a room temperature state and a new starting point for a characteristic of the temperature sensor is determined in a control unit when the heating device is switched on and by means of which temperature determination takes place in said control unit.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein on switching on said heating device a new starting point for said characteristic of said temperature sensor is determined in said control unit, wherein by means of said characteristic said temperature determination takes place in said control unit.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein faster than normal changes of said resistance value of said temperature sensor during operation of said temperature sensor towards either infinity or zero are evaluated as indicative of a defective temperature sensor and lead to a disconnection of power to said heating device.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a signal is output to an operator after evaluation of said temperature sensor as defective.

16. A device for identifying a sensor in a radiant heater, comprising:

a glass ceramic hob having a top and a bottom surface;

a support positioned in a parallel manner below said bottom surface of said glass ceramic hob, said support having a top and bottom surface;

a heating conductor position on said support, said heating conduct capable of generating heat upon application of an operating voltage;

a temperature sensor positioned over said heating conductor, said temperature sensor positioned between said heating conductor and said glass ceramic hob, said temperature sensor having a resistance varying with respect to temperature;

a switch for providing said operating voltage to said heating conductor based on a control input; and

a control unit providing said control input, said control unit configured to measure resistance of the temperature sensor, said control unit configured to measure a first resistance of said temperature sensor prior to providing said control input to said switch providing said operating voltage to said heating conductor and classifying said temperature sensor as belonging to a first group of temperature sensors if said first resistance value exceeds a limit value and classifying said temperature sensor as belonging to a second group of temperature sensors if said first resistance value is less than said limit value.

17. The device according to claim 16 wherein said temperature sensor has said first resistance value of approximately 1000 Ohms.

18. The device according to claim 16 wherein said temperature sensor comprises a high temperature-resistant temperature sensor made of tungsten or tungsten alloy.

19. The device according to claim 16 wherein the control unit determines a temperature based on comparing a second resistance value measured of said temperature sensor with data stored for either the first group or second group of temperature sensors.

20. A system for identifying a sensor in a hob, comprising:

a temperature sensor positioned over a heating conductor in said hob, said temperature sensor positioned between said heating conductor and a glass ceramic surface of said hob, said temperature sensor being either a tungsten based temperature sensor in a sealed envelope or a platinum based temperature sensor, said temperature sensor having a resistance value when measured at ambient room temperature, wherein said platinum based temperature sensor has a corresponding resistance above a threshold and said tungsten based temperature sensor has a corresponding resistance value below said threshold; and

a control unit configured to measure the resistance of the temperature sensor prior to directing an operating voltage be applied to said heating conductor, said control unit classifying said temperature sensor as said tungsten based temperature sensor if said first resistance is below said threshold and classifying said temperature sensor as a platinum sensor is said first resistance is above said threshold.