Device for controlling a coffee maker
First Claim
1. A coffee maker controller for controlling the operation of an electric coffee maker, the electric coffee maker being configured to be powered by an AC power source and having an electrically powered heater operatively connected in series with a power switch, a thermostat, and a thermal fuse, said coffee maker controller comprising:
- a programmable microcontroller controlled by programmable logic, said programmable microcontroller having initializable memory variables, stored program values and settable user programmable time and user operating systems;
a power supply electrically connected to said microcontroller for powering said microcontroller;
an output relay interconnecting said programmable microcontroller and power supply;
said programmable microcontroller having an algorithm for controlling the operation of said programmable microcontroller;
said algorithm evaluating the state of said coffeemaker thermostat status to operate said output relay;
a switching device electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for selecting the operating state and for setting the user programmable operating settings;
an LCD display electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for displaying the time and user selected operating settings;
a current sensing device connectable in series with the electrically powered heater for detecting current through the heater, said current sensing device being selected from the group consisting of a Hall-effect sensor coil connected in series with the output relay;
a Hall-effect sensor with magnetic coil having enamelled copper wire wound around a ferric iron wire, said magnetic coil having a gap to induce a magnetic field through said Hall-effect sensor;
a resistive shunt connected in series with the output relay;
a current transformer primary in series with the output relay; and
said current sensing device being electrically connected to said microcontroller to switch the operating mode of the said microcontroller according to the output of said sensor; and
an AC plug electrically connected to said power supply, said sensor device and said output relay for conveying electrical power to said power supply, said sensor and said output relay upon being plugged into an AC power receptacle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control module suitable for controlling a manual switch type automatic drip coffeemaker (ADC) enabling the addition of fully automatic brewing start, programmable brewing strengths, programmable heater levels for keeping the coffee warm after the brewing cycle is complete, programmable shut-off time periods, automatic cleaning detector, automatic self cleaning cycle with automatic shut-off, and programmable twelve hour AM/PM or twenty-four hour time format. The control module contains a micro-controller, application specific firmware, a keypad, a liquid crystal display, a control relay, a current or a voltage sensor, indicator LED'"'"'s, a piezo audible alarm, and power supply components.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A coffee maker controller for controlling the operation of an electric coffee maker, the electric coffee maker being configured to be powered by an AC power source and having an electrically powered heater operatively connected in series with a power switch, a thermostat, and a thermal fuse, said coffee maker controller comprising:
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a programmable microcontroller controlled by programmable logic, said programmable microcontroller having initializable memory variables, stored program values and settable user programmable time and user operating systems; a power supply electrically connected to said microcontroller for powering said microcontroller; an output relay interconnecting said programmable microcontroller and power supply; said programmable microcontroller having an algorithm for controlling the operation of said programmable microcontroller; said algorithm evaluating the state of said coffeemaker thermostat status to operate said output relay; a switching device electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for selecting the operating state and for setting the user programmable operating settings; an LCD display electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for displaying the time and user selected operating settings; a current sensing device connectable in series with the electrically powered heater for detecting current through the heater, said current sensing device being selected from the group consisting of a Hall-effect sensor coil connected in series with the output relay;
a Hall-effect sensor with magnetic coil having enamelled copper wire wound around a ferric iron wire, said magnetic coil having a gap to induce a magnetic field through said Hall-effect sensor;
a resistive shunt connected in series with the output relay;
a current transformer primary in series with the output relay; and
said current sensing device being electrically connected to said microcontroller to switch the operating mode of the said microcontroller according to the output of said sensor; andan AC plug electrically connected to said power supply, said sensor device and said output relay for conveying electrical power to said power supply, said sensor and said output relay upon being plugged into an AC power receptacle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A control device for controlling the operation of an electric automatic drip coffee maker having a power switch, a heater, a thermal fuse, a thermostat having a thermostat status and being connected in series with the heater for terminating electricity to the heater if the temperature of the heater exceeds a predetermined threshold, said control device comprising:
a power controller for being supplied by an AC power source, said power controller being settable with user settings to a desired output and being programmable by a programmable logic;
said power controller comprising;a power switch for selectively supplying power from the AC power source to the electric automatic drip coffeemaker; a current sensor for sensing the status of the thermostat of the coffee maker, said sensor is a Hall-effect sensor with magnetic coil, said magnetic coil comprising an enameled copper wire wound upon a ferric iron wire;
said magnetic coil having a gap to induce a magnetic field through said Hall-effect sensor;a display device showing the time of day and user settings; an input switching device for operating said control device and programming user settings into said power controller; and a control apparatus for inputting the thermostat status into said power controller, and control algorithms for evaluating said thermostat status to operate the power controller. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A coffee maker controller for controlling the operation of an electric coffee maker, the electric coffee maker being configured to be powered by an AC power source and having an electrically powered heater operatively connected in series with a power switch, a thermostat, and a thermal fuse, said coffee maker controller comprising:
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a programmable microcontroller controlled by programmable logic, said programmable microcontroller having initializable memory variables, stored program values and settable user programmable time and user operating systems; a power supply electrically connected to said microcontroller for powering said microcontroller; an output relay interconnecting said programmable microcontroller and power supply; said programmable microcontroller having an algorithm for controlling the operation of said programmable microcontroller; said algorithm evaluating the state of said coffeemaker thermostat status to operate said output relay; a switching device electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for selecting the operating state and for setting the user programmable operating settings; an LCD display electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for displaying the time and user selected operating settings; a current sensing device connectable in series with the electrically powered heater for detecting current through the heater, said sensor device being electrically connected to said microcontroller to switch the operating mode of the said microcontroller according to the output of said sensor; an AC plug electrically connected to said power supply, said sensor device and said output relay for conveying electrical power to said power supply, said sensor and said output relay upon being plugged into an AC power receptacle; and a duty cycle power switch device connectable to the heater for setting the power to the heater according to the formula;
PFL=PFULL×
(FLont/FLtp)=PFULL×
[1−
((FLtp−
least time period)/(FLtp×
(NL−
1)×
(FL−
1))]where PFL=power per flavor setting, PFULL=full power of heater, FLont=flavor level power switch ON time FLtp=arbitrarily set time period NL=number of flavor levels FL=flavor level setting=power setting arbitrarily set to a user'"'"'s desired flavor of the coffee. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A coffee maker controller for controlling the operation of an electric coffee maker, the electric coffee maker having a heater and being configured to be powered by an AC power source and having an electrically powered heater operatively connected in series with a power switch, a thermostat, and a thermal fuse, said coffee maker controller comprising:
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a programmable microcontroller controlled by programmable logic, said programmable microcontroller having initializable memory variables, stored program values and settable user programmable time and user operating systems; a power supply electrically connected to said microcontroller for powering said microcontroller; an output relay interconnecting said programmable microcontroller and power supply; said programmable microcontroller having an algorithm for controlling the operation of said programmable microcontroller; said algorithm evaluating the state of said coffeemaker thermostat status to operate said output relay; a switching device electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for selecting the operating state and for setting the user programmable operating settings; an LCD display electronically connected to said programmable microcontroller for displaying the time and user selected operating settings; a sensor device selected from the group consisting of a voltage sensing device for sensing voltage across the electrically powered heater and a current sensing device connectable in series with the electrically powered heater for detecting current through the heater, said sensor device being electrically connected to said microcontroller to switch the operating mode of the said microcontroller according to the output of said sensor; an AC plug electrically connected to said power supply, said sensor device and said output relay for conveying electrical power to said power supply, said sensor and said output relay upon being plugged into an AC power receptacle; and a power switch connectable to the heater for setting the keep-warm to the heater according to the formula;
PKWC=PFULL×
(ton/tcalc) =PFULL×
(ton/(tw×
NHL/HLS))where PFULL=full power of heater, PKWC=keep warm controlled power, ton=the thermostat ON time in keep warm state, tw=normal thermostat OFF time in keep warm state, tcalc=calculated OFF time for power switch device, NHL=number of heater levels, and HLS=heater level selected. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A control device for controlling the operation of an electric automatic drip coffee maker having a power switch, a heater, a thermal fuse, a thermostat having a thermostat status and being connected in series with the heater for terminating electricity to the heater if the temperature of the heater exceeds a predetermined threshold, said control device comprising:
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a power controller for being supplied by an AC power source, said power controller being settable with user settings to a desired output and being programmable by a programmable logic;
said power controller comprising;a power switch for selectively supplying power from the AC power source to the electric automatic drip coffeemaker; a sensor for sensing the status of the thermostat of the coffee maker, said sensor being selected from the group consisting of current sensor and a voltage sensor; a display device showing the time of day and user settings; an input switching device for operating said control device and programming user settings into said power controller; and a control apparatus for inputting the thermostat status into said power controller, and control algorithms for evaluating said thermostat status to operate the power controller, wherein said control algorithms include an algorithm by duty cycle limiting of the power to the heater to control the brew strength of the coffee and said power level is manually set according to the formula; Pav=PFULL*[Ton/Tperiod]=PFULL* (% min*(1−
(FL/FLmax)+(FL/FLmax)), wherein Pav is average power, PFULL is full power of the heater, Ton is the ON time of the power switch, and Tperiod is the chosen duty cycle time % min is the decimal value for the minimum ON time percentage of the period time, FL is the flavor level setting, and FLmax is the maximum number of flavor settings. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A control device for controlling the operation of an electric automatic drip coffee maker having a power switch, a heater, a thermal fuse, a thermostat having each of a thermostat status and being connected in series with the heater for terminating electricity to the heater if the temperature of the heater exceeds a predetermined threshold, and an open time period tw being greater than a specified time period, said control device comprising:
a power controller for being supplied by an AC power source, said power controller being settable with user settings to a desired output and being programmable by a programmable logic;
said power controller comprising;a power switch for selectively supplying power from the AC power source to the electric automatic drip coffeemaker, wherein said power switch has a power switch OFF time; sensor for sensing the status of the thermostat of the coffee maker, said sensor being selected from the group consisting of a current sensor and a voltage sensor; a display device showing the time of day and user settings; an input switching device for operating said control device and programming user settings into said power controller; and a control apparatus for inputting the thermostat status into said power controller, and control algorithms for evaluating said thermostat status to operate the power controller, said controller algorithms including a control algorithm for calculating a relay OFF time, tcalc, that is equal to the thermostat open time, tw, times the Number of Heater Levels, NHL, divided by the Heater Level Selected, HLS, by the user, given by the formula;
tcalc=tw*(NHL/HLS); and
said power switch OFF time reducing the power to said coffee maker in the WARM state.- View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
Specification