VARIABLE FREQUENCY HEATING CONTROLLER

• US 20100294751A1
• Filed: 05/22/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NCS Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Innovative Engineering & Product Development, Inc.
• Inventors: Chandler, Douglas, Au, Uy Duong Dieu, Chandler, Lance
• Application Number:
  US12/471,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20100294751A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/494
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/036 Heaters specially adapted for garment heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/342 heaters used in textiles

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, and apparatuses related to maintaining a temperature of a target element. Some of the embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus comprising a heating element configured to heat a target element, a temperature sensing device configured to provide an output proportional to a temperature of the heating element or the target element, and a controller configured to modulate an amplitude, duration and frequency of individual current pulses of a series of current pulses applied to the heating element, based at least in part on the output of the temperature sensing device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a heating element configured to heat a target element;

a temperature sensing device configured to be thermally coupled to the heating element or the target element to provide an output proportional to a temperature of the heating element or the target element to which the temperature sensing device is thermally coupled; and

a controller configured to modulate an amplitude, duration and frequency of individual current pulses of a series of current pulses applied to the heating element, based at least in part on the output of the temperature sensing device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first and a second current pulse, and wherein a duration of the first current pulse is different from that of the second current pulse.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first and a second current pulse, and wherein an amplitude of the first current pulse is different from that of the second current pulse.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first, second, and third current pulse, wherein the first, second, and third current pulses are three consecutive current pulses in the series of current pulses, and wherein a time between a start of the first current pulse and a start of the second current pulse is different from a time between the start of the second current pulse and a start of the third current pulse.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch to be controlled by the controller to modulate the individual current pulses.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to modulate the individual current pulses such that a temperature of the target element tracks a target temperature.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to modulate the individual current pulses based at least in part on a heating mode of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a programming interface configured to receive the heating mode from a user of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a garment.

10. A method comprising:

heating a target element by applying current to a heating element that is thermally coupled to the target element;

sensing the temperature of the target element or the heating element; and

modulating an amplitude, duration and frequency of individual current pulses of a series of current pulses applied to the heating element, based at least in part on said sensing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first and a second current pulse, and wherein said modulating further comprises:

modulating the first and second current pulse such that a duration of the first current pulse is different from that of the second current pulse.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first and a second current pulse, and wherein said modulating further comprises:

modulating the first and second current pulse such that an amplitude of the first current pulse is different from that of the second current pulse.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first, second and third current pulse, wherein the first, second, and third current pulses are three consecutive current pulses in the series of current pulses, and wherein said modulating further comprises:

modulating the first, second and third current pulse such that a time between a start of the first current pulse and a start of the second current pulse is different from a time between the start of the second current pulse and a start of the third current pulse.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said modulating further comprises:

modulating the individual current pulses of the series of current pulses based at least in part on a heating mode.

15. An apparatus comprising:

means for applying current to a heating element that is thermally coupled to a target element;

means for sensing a temperature of the target element or the heating element; and

means for modulating an amplitude, duration and frequency of individual current pulses of a series of current pulses applied to the heating element, based at least in part on said means for sensing.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first and a second current pulse, and wherein said means for modulating further comprises:

means for modulating the first and second current pulse such that a duration of the first current pulse is different from that of the second current pulse.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first and a second current pulse, and wherein said means for modulating further comprises:

means for modulating the first and second current pulse such that an amplitude of the first current pulse is different from that of the second current pulse.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the series of current pulses includes at least a first, second and third current pulse, wherein the first, second, and third current pulses are three consecutive current pulses in the series of current pulses, and wherein said means for modulating further comprises:

means for modulating the first, second and third current pulse such that a time between a start of the first current pulse and a start of the second current pulse is different from a time between the start of the second current pulse and a start of the third current pulse.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said means for modulating further comprises:

means for modulating the individual current pulses of the series of current pulses based at least in part on a heating mode.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for inputting the heating mode.