Wireless method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling food temperature

• US 6,378,315 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Emerson Climate Technologies Retail Solutions Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Computer Process Controls Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Aggers, John, Gelber, Scott Michael, Singh, Abtar
• Primary Examiner(s): WAYNER, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US09/702,993
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 621/75, 622/17, 236/51, 236/78.B, 236/78.R, 236/78.D
• US Class Current: 62/80
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/075 with parallel compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/22 Refrigeration systems for supermarkets
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2600/07 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/04 Calculation of parameters
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/10 Sensors measuring the temperature of the evaporator
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/12 Sensors measuring the inside temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/123 more than one sensor measuring the inside temperature in a compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2007/422 Dummy objects used for estimating temperature of real objects
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1905 associated with tele control

Abstract

A system and method for controlling refrigeration including a temperature sensor operable to measure a temperature from a refrigeration case and a transceiver in communication with the temperature sensor and operable to wirelessly transmit data. A repeater receives the wirelessly transmitted data and further wirelessly transmits the data to a receiver. A controller in communication with the receiver controls the refrigeration system based upon the wirelessly transmitted data from the refrigeration case. The refrigeration case also includes a mode switch for suspending temperature reading and control for a period of time. For example, the mode switch can be used by an operator during cleaning or maintenance of the refrigerator case. Temperature control algorithms are used by the controller, and include: dead-band range (DB), proportional/integral (PI), proportional/integral/differentiation (PID) and fuzzy-logic (FL).

Claims

1. A system for controlling refrigeration, comprising:

at least one refrigeration case;

a temperature sensor operable to measure a temperature from said at least one refrigeration case;

a transmitter in communication with said temperature sensor and operable to wirelessly transmit data including said temperature;

a receiver adapted to receive said wirelessly transmitted data including said temperature;

a controller in communication with said receiver to receive said wirelessly transmitted data and operable to control said temperature of at least one refrigeration case based upon said wirelessly transmitted data from said at least one refrigeration case; and

a mode switch for selectively suspending said controller from control of said temperature of said at least one refrigeration case.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said transmitter is a first transceiver adapted to transmit and receive signals.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said receiver is a second transceiver adapted to transmit data to said first transceiver.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein activation of said mode switch to a first mode transmits a unique message from said transmitter to said receiver for signaling said controller to suspend control of said temperature of said at least one refrigeration case.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensor is a simulated product temperature sensor including a housing containing a thermal mass having thermo-physical properties similar to food product and a thermistor for measuring the temperature of said thermal mass.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensor is an ambient case air temperature sensor operable to measure an ambient case air temperature in said at least one refrigeration case.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensor is a defrost termination temperature sensor operable to measure a defrost termination temperature in said at least one refrigeration case and in communication with said transmitter, said wirelessly transmitted data including said defrost termination temperature.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said sensor is a thermostat switch.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said temperature sensor measures an ambient temperature of said refrigeration case, and further comprising a defrost termination temperature sensor operable to measure a defrost termination temperature and a simulated product temperature sensor operable to measure a simulated product temperature;

said wirelessly transmitted data including said ambient air temperature, said defrost termination temperature, and said simulated product temperature.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller is configured to include user-defined alarm limits for said wirelessly transmitted data.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a remote monitoring station for remotely monitoring said wirelessly transmitted data and remotely signaling said alarm limits.

12. A method for refrigeration system control, said method comprising:

measuring a first parameter from at least one refrigeration case;

wirelessly transmitting said measured first parameter to a repeater;

transmitting a polling signal from a receiver to said repeater;

transmitting a response signal to said polling signal from said repeater to said receiver; and

communicating said response signal from said receiver to a remote controller electronically controlling said at least one refrigeration case by said remote controller to affect said measured first parameter.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein said step of transmitting a polling signal includes repeatedly transmitting a polling signal until said receiver receives said response signal.

14. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein said response signal includes said first parameter.

15. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein said first signal comprises a data request.

16. The method as defined in claim 12 wherein said response signal further includes a signal notifying said receiver that said repeater has transmitted all data.

17. The method as defined in claim 12 further comprising:

measuring a second parameter from another refrigeration case;

transmitting said response signal to said receiver, wherein said response signal includes said second parameter; and

electronically controlling said another refrigeration case to affect said measured second parameter.

18. The method as defined in claim 17 wherein said at least one refrigeration case is in a first circuit and said another refrigeration case is in a second circuit.

19. A method for refrigeration system control, said method comprising:

setting a set point temperature for a circuit having at least one refrigerator case;

determining a temperature for said at least one refrigerator case;

wirelessly transmitting said temperature from said circuit to a system controller;

determining an error value as a function of said set point and said temperature;

determining a compressor control value as a function of said error value;

wirelessly controlling a compressor as a function of said compressor control value;

dividing upper and lower limits of a dead-band range in half; and

comparing said error value to said halves of said upper and lower limits of said dead-band range;

wherein said compressor control value is controlled off if said error value is greater than half of said upper limit and is controlled on if said error value is less than half of said lower limit.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein determining a compressor control value as a function of said error value includes the steps of:

calculating a first value by multiplying said error value by a first constant;

calculating a second value as a summation of said error value over a defined time and multiplying said summation by a second constant; and

adding said first and second values to determine said compressor control value.

21. The method of claim 20 further including the steps of:

calculating a third value as a change is said error value over a defined time and multiplying by a third constant; and

adding said third value to said first and second values.

22. A method for refrigeration system control, said method comprising:

setting a set point temperature for a circuit having at least one refrigerator case;

determining a temperature for said at least one refrigerator case;

wirelessly transmitting said temperature from said circuit to a system controller;

determining an error value as a function of said set point and said temperature;

determining a compressor control value as a function of said error value;

wirelessly controlling a compressor as a function of said compressor control value;

sampling said error value over a period of time;

determining an error rate over said period of time;

determining a first set of values as a function of a specific error value and said error rate;

determining a second set of values as a function of said specific error value and said error rate; and

calculating said compressor control value as a function of said first and second sets of values.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said first and second sets of values are determined from a look-up table.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein determining a compressor control value as a function of said error value includes the steps of:

calculating a first value by multiplying said error value by a first constant;

calculating a second value as a summation of said error value over a defined time and multiplying said summation by a second constant; and

adding said first and second values to determine said compressor control value.

27. The method of claim 26 further including the steps of:

calculating a third value as a change is said error value over a defined time and multiplying by a third constant; and

adding said third value to said first and second values.

24. A method for refrigeration system control, said method comprising:

setting a set point temperature for a circuit having at least one refrigerator case;

determining a temperature for said at least one refrigerator case;

wirelessly transmitting said temperature from said circuit to a system controller;

determining an error value as a function of said set point and said temperature;

determining a compressor control value as a function of said error value; and

wirelessly controlling a compressor as a function of said compressor control value;

wherein said temperature is one of either a minimum temperature, a maximum temperature or an average temperature of said refrigeration cases in a circuit of refrigeration cases.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein determining a compressor control value as a function of said error value includes the steps of:

dividing upper and lower limits of a dead-band range in half; and

comparing said error value to said halves of said upper and lower limits of said dead-band range;

wherein said compressor control valve is controlled off if said error value is greater than half of said upper limit and is controlled on if said error value is less than or equal to half of said lower limit.