Anti-condensation control system
First Claim
1. An anti-condensation control apparatus comprising:
- a sensor circuit comprising a humidity sensor and configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of a relative humidity (RH) on or near a control surface; and
a control circuit comprising a phase control circuit configured to;
receive the sensor signal and a high-voltage AC power input, andmodulate a phase of the high-voltage AC power input at least partly in response to the sensor signal indicative of the RH on or near the control surface and without use of a temperature sensor, the phase control circuit configured to modulate the phase of the high-voltage AC power input in such a manner that a phase-modulated AC power output provided to a heater is;
a) substantially constant at a minimum power level (Pmin) in a low RH region ranging from 0% RH to a first RH (RH1),b) linearly varying from Pmin to a maximum power level (Pmax) in an intermediate RH region ranging from RH1 to a second RH (RH2), andc) substantially constant at Pmax in a high RH region ranging from RH2 to 100% RH,wherein the phase control circuit does not comprise a digital logic circuit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
System and methods for providing anti-condensation system are disclosed. A relative humidity (RH) sensor signal from a sensor on or near a control surface is received. An AC power input is received. A phase of the AC power input is modulated at least partly in response to the sensor signal in such a manner that a phase-modulated AC power output provided to a heater is a) substantially constant at a first power level (P1st) in a low RH region ranging from 0% RH to a first RH (RH1), b) varying as a function of the sensor signal from P1st to a second power level (P2nd) in an intermediate RH region ranging from RH1 to a second RH (RH2), and c) substantially constant at P2nd in a high RH region beginning at RH2.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An anti-condensation control apparatus comprising:
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a sensor circuit comprising a humidity sensor and configured to provide a sensor signal indicative of a relative humidity (RH) on or near a control surface; and a control circuit comprising a phase control circuit configured to; receive the sensor signal and a high-voltage AC power input, and modulate a phase of the high-voltage AC power input at least partly in response to the sensor signal indicative of the RH on or near the control surface and without use of a temperature sensor, the phase control circuit configured to modulate the phase of the high-voltage AC power input in such a manner that a phase-modulated AC power output provided to a heater is; a) substantially constant at a minimum power level (Pmin) in a low RH region ranging from 0% RH to a first RH (RH1), b) linearly varying from Pmin to a maximum power level (Pmax) in an intermediate RH region ranging from RH1 to a second RH (RH2), and c) substantially constant at Pmax in a high RH region ranging from RH2 to 100% RH, wherein the phase control circuit does not comprise a digital logic circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of preventing condensation anti condensation comprising:
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receiving a relative humidity (RH) sensor signal from a sensor on or near a control surface; receiving an AC power input; modulating a phase of the AC power input at least partly in response to the sensor signal and without use of a temperature sensor, wherein the phase of the AC power input is modulated in such a manner that a phase-modulated AC power output provided to a heater is; a) substantially constant at a first power level (P1st) in a low RH region ranging from 0% RH to a first RH (RH1), b) varying as a function of the sensor signal from P1st to a second power level (P2nd) in an intermediate RH region ranging from RH1 to a second RH (RH2), and c) substantially constant at P2nd in a high RH region beginning at RH2. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An anti-condensation control apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
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a sensor module configured to measure a relative humidity (RH) and/or a water condensation on or near a control surface, and provide a sensor signal indicative of the RH and/or the water condensation; a control module configured to receive the sensor signal and an AC power input, and provide a phase-modulated AC power output to a heater at least partly in response to the sensor signal and without using a temperature sensor, the control module comprising; an alternating current (AC) switch configured to receive a phase-control input that triggers the AC switch to deliver the phase-modulated AC power output to the heater during a specified phase of the AC power input, a first output control circuit configured to provide at least a portion of a first control voltage to the phase-control input to cause the AC switch to provide a first substantially constant phase-modulated AC power output to the heater in a low RH region, a second output control circuit configured to provide at least a portion of a second control voltage to the phase-control input to cause the AC switch to provide a substantially linearly varying phase-modulated AC power output to the heater in an intermediate RH region, and a third output control circuit configured to provide at least a portion of a third control voltage to the phase-control input to cause the AC switch to provide a second substantially constant phase-modulated AC power output to the heater in a high RH region. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification