Systems and methods for controlling a water heater
First Claim
1. A control system for a water heater having a tank, the control system comprising:
- a lower sensor disposed to sense a temperature associated with water in a lower portion of the tank of the water heater;
an upper sensor disposed to sense a temperature associated with water in an upper portion of the tank;
a water heater controller coupled to the lower sensor and the upper sensor, the water heater controller configured to receive the sensed temperatures from the upper and lower sensors, the water heater controller configured to determine a value as a function of a maximum number of a plurality of selectively-illuminable segmented portions included in a display device, the value being determined based at least partially on a first temperature differential equal to a desired set-point temperature less the upper sensor temperature and a second temperature differential equal to the desired set-point temperature less the lower sensor temperature, the water heater controller configured to wirelessly transmit at least one signal indicative of said value andthe display device including the plurality of selectively-illuminable segmented portions arranged in a linear array, the display device configured to receive the transmitted at least one signal and to selectively illuminate a number of the segmented portions corresponding to said value as a bar gauge depicting water available at the desired set-point relative to a total water volume of the tank.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A control system for a water heater generally includes a water heater controller configured to receive upper and lower sensor temperatures associated with water in the respective upper and lower portions of the tank. The water heater controller is configured to determine a value indicative of a portion of water in the tank at a desired set-point temperature as a function of the upper sensor temperature, the lower sensor temperature, and the desired set-point temperature. The water heater controller is configured to wirelessly transmit at least one signal indicative of said value indicative of the portion of water in the tank at the desired set-point temperature. A user interface includes a plurality of selectively illuminated segmented portions. The user interface is configured to receive said value from the water heater controller and to selectively illuminate a number of segmented portions representative of said value.
41 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A control system for a water heater having a tank, the control system comprising:
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a lower sensor disposed to sense a temperature associated with water in a lower portion of the tank of the water heater; an upper sensor disposed to sense a temperature associated with water in an upper portion of the tank; a water heater controller coupled to the lower sensor and the upper sensor, the water heater controller configured to receive the sensed temperatures from the upper and lower sensors, the water heater controller configured to determine a value as a function of a maximum number of a plurality of selectively-illuminable segmented portions included in a display device, the value being determined based at least partially on a first temperature differential equal to a desired set-point temperature less the upper sensor temperature and a second temperature differential equal to the desired set-point temperature less the lower sensor temperature, the water heater controller configured to wirelessly transmit at least one signal indicative of said value and the display device including the plurality of selectively-illuminable segmented portions arranged in a linear array, the display device configured to receive the transmitted at least one signal and to selectively illuminate a number of the segmented portions corresponding to said value as a bar gauge depicting water available at the desired set-point relative to a total water volume of the tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A control system for a water heater appliance including a tank having an upper portion and a lower portion, the control system comprising:
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a water heater controller configured to receive an upper sensor temperature associated with water in the upper portion of the tank and to receive a lower sensor temperature associated with water in the lower portion of the tank, the water heater controller configured to determine a value indicative of a portion of water in the tank at a desired set-point temperature as a function of the upper sensor temperature, the lower sensor temperature, the desired set-point temperature, and a maximum number of a plurality of selectively-illuminable segmented portions included in a user interface, the water heater controller configured to wirelessly transmit at least one signal indicative of said value indicative of the portion of water in the tank at the desired set-point temperature; and the user interface including the plurality of selectively illuminated segmented portions, the user interface configured to receive said value from the water heater controller and to selectively illuminate a number of segmented portions representative of said value as a bar gauge depicting water available at the desired set-point relative to a total water volume of the tank. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for use in indicating a portion of the water within a tank of a water heater at a desired set-point temperature, the water heater including an upper sensor associated with an upper portion of the tank and a lower sensor associated with a lower portion of the tank, the method comprising:
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sensing, at the upper sensor, a temperature of water in the upper portion of the tank; sensing, at the lower sensor, a temperature of water in the lower portion of the tank; determining, at a water heater controller, a value representing a portion of water within the tank at a desired set-point temperature, based on the upper sensor and lower sensor temperatures and as a function of a maximum number of a plurality of selectively-illuminable segmented portions included in a display device; wirelessly transmitting said value to the display device; and selectively illuminating a number of the plurality of illuminable segmented portions corresponding to said value, to thereby indicate the portion of the water within the tank at the desired set-point temperature as a bar gauge depicting water available at the desired set-point relative to a total water volume of the tank. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification