Remote control for gas valve

• US 7,823,581 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2006
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maxitrol Company
• Original Assignee: Maxitrol Company
• Inventors: Velasquez, Juan F., Happe, Barbara
• Primary Examiner(s): McAllister; Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUERETH, SARAH ELIZABETH
• Application Number:
  US11/403,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20060254575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 126/500, 126/503, 431/37, 340/5.2
• US Class Current: 126/503
• CPC Class Codes: F24B 1/1808 Simulated fireplaces
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 3/122 on stoves

Abstract

A gas valve (14) control system (10) uses a control signal (16) to enable a valve (14) and a validation signal (22) to validate the control signal (16). The system (10) includes a valve (14) connected to a burner (12). A receiver (18) is electrically connected to the valve (14) and provides the valve (14) with the control signal (16). A controller (20) has a control transmitter (24) in wireless communication with the receiver (18) to transmit the control signal (16) to the receiver (18) at a speed of light. The controller (20) further includes a validation transmitter (26) to transmit a validation signal (22) to the receiver (18) at a speed of sound. The valve (14) is enabled by the control signal (16) if a time delay between the receiver (18) receiving the control signal (16) and the validation signal (22) is shorter than a maximum delay period. The control signal (16) is discarded if the time delay is longer than the maximum delay period.

Claims

1. A gas valve control system comprising:

a burner;

a valve operatively connected to said burner for supplying fuel to said burner;

a controller including

a control transmitter for transmitting a control signal at a speed of light to control said valve; and

a validation transmitter for transmitting a validation signal at a speed of sound; and

a receiver electrically connected to said valve and including

an antenna for receiving the control signal and the validation signal from said controller;

a counter for measuring the time delay between the control signal and the validation signal;

a processor electrically connected to said counter for calculating a distance between said receiver and said controller based on the time delay;

a comparator electrically connected to said processor for comparing the distance calculated by said processor to a maximum distance and either passing the control signal to said valve or preventing the control signal from reaching said valve based on the time delay; and

said comparator passes the control signal to said valve in response to the distance being lower than the maximum distance and discards the control signal in response to the distance being greater than the maximum distance.

2. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said processor calculates the distance between said receiver and said controller by multiplying the time delay by the speed of sound.

3. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 1 further including a control filter disposed in said receiver and electrically connected between said antenna and said counter for distinguishing the control signal from the validation signal.

4. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 3 further including a validation filter disposed in said receiver and electrically connected between said antenna and said counter for distinguishing the validation signal from the control signal.

5. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control transmitter transmits the control signal in an electromagnetic frequency spectrum.

6. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the electromagnetic frequency spectrum is further defined as a radio frequency band.

7. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said validation transmitter transmits the validation signal in an ultrasonic frequency band.

8. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 1 further including a signal generator disposed in said controller and electrically connected to said control transmitter for generating the control signal.

9. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said signal generator is electrically connected to said validation transmitter for generating the validation signal.

10. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 8 further including an input operatively connected to said controller for enabling said signal generator to create the control signal and the validation signal and to transmit the control signal and the validation signal to said receiver.

11. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said input is further defined as an ignite button for enabling said controller to transmit the control signal and the validation signal to said receiver to ignite said burner.

12. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said input includes an increase heat button for enabling said controller to transmit the control signal and the validation signal to said receiver to instruct said valve to provide more fuel to said burner.

13. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said input includes a decrease heat button for enabling said controller to transmit the control signal and the validation signal to said receiver to instruct said valve to provide less fuel to said burner.

14. A gas valve control system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a memory storage device disposed in said receiver and electrically connected to said comparator for storing the maximum distance.