SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLING THE FLOW RATES OF FLUIDS
First Claim
1. A fluid flow control system for controlling the flow rate of a fluid, comprising:
- a first electronic flow control valve configured to selectively control the flow rate of a first fluid;
a second electronic flow control valve configured to selectively control the flow rate of a second fluid;
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause the processor to perform a method comprising;
displaying a graphical user interface;
receiving a selection of one of a direct flow control mode and a total flow control mode;
receiving one of;
a selection of a total flow rate of the first and second fluids when the total flow control mode is selected; and
a selection of a flow rate of the first fluid when the direct flow control mode is selected;
receiving a selection of a flow rate of the second fluid; and
transmitting a control signal to each of the first and second electronic flow control valves to control the flow rate of the first and second fluids, based on the received selections of flow rates.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In various embodiments, two or more electronic flow selectors of an electronic fluid flow control system may be used to control the flow rates of multiple fluids. In a total flow control mode, a first electronic flow selector may be used to select a total flow rate of two or more fluids. A second electronic flow selector may be used to select a flow rate or ratio of a flow rate of one fluid to the total flow rate of the two or more fluids. In a direct flow control mode, each electronic flow selector may be used to select a flow rate of a unique fluid. One of the fluids may be oxygen, and the other fluid, a balance gas, may be selected as either nitrous oxide or air using an electronic balance gas selector.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A fluid flow control system for controlling the flow rate of a fluid, comprising:
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a first electronic flow control valve configured to selectively control the flow rate of a first fluid; a second electronic flow control valve configured to selectively control the flow rate of a second fluid; a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause the processor to perform a method comprising; displaying a graphical user interface; receiving a selection of one of a direct flow control mode and a total flow control mode; receiving one of; a selection of a total flow rate of the first and second fluids when the total flow control mode is selected; and a selection of a flow rate of the first fluid when the direct flow control mode is selected; receiving a selection of a flow rate of the second fluid; and transmitting a control signal to each of the first and second electronic flow control valves to control the flow rate of the first and second fluids, based on the received selections of flow rates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A fluid flow control system for controlling the flow rate of a fluid, comprising:
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a first electronic flow control valve configured to selectively control the flow rate of a first fluid; a second electronic flow control valve configured to selectively control the flow rate of a second fluid; a processor; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in communication with the processor, the computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause the processor to perform a method comprising; displaying a graphical user interface; receiving a selection of a total flow rate of the first and second fluids; and receiving a selection of a flow rate of the second fluid; and transmitting a control signal to each of the first and second electronic flow control valves to control the flow rate of the first and second fluids, based on the received selections of flow rates. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions configured to cause a machine to perform a method for controlling the flow rate of one or more fluids via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:
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receiving a selection of one of a direct flow control mode and a total flow control mode; receiving one of; a selection of a total flow rate of the first and second fluids when the total flow control mode is selected; and a selection of a flow rate of the first fluid when the direct flow control mode is selected; receiving a selection of a flow rate of the second fluid; transmitting a control signal to a first electronic flow control valve to selectively control the flow rate of the first fluid, based on the received selections of flow rates; and transmitting a control signal to a second electronic flow control valve to selectively control the flow rate of the second fluid, based on the received selections of flow rates. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions configured to cause a machine to perform a method for controlling the flow rate of one or more fluids via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:
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receiving a selection of a total flow rate of the first and second fluids; receiving a selection of a flow rate of the second fluid; transmitting a control signal to a first electronic flow control valve to selectively control the flow rate of the first fluid, based on the received selections of flow rates; and transmitting a control signal to a second electronic flow control valve to selectively control the flow rate of the second fluid, based on the received selections of flow rates. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification