Temperature control system
AssigneeBritish Gas Trading Limited
InventorJohn Mulcahy
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Abstract
A method of generating a control signal for a temperature control system is disclosed. The control signal has one of an “on” state in which the temperature control system is to be activated and an “off” state in which the temperature control system is to be deactivated. The method comprises calculating a temperature error measure in dependence on a target temperature and a current temperature value. A rate of temperature change in the environment is determined and used to set a variable error threshold. The method switches between a continuous “on” signal mode and a pulse-width-modulation (PWM) mode, in which the output signal comprises alternating “off” and “on” periods in accordance with a PWM pattern. The switch occurs in dependence on the temperature error measure and the variable error threshold.
Claims20
A method of generating a control signal for a temperature control system, the control signal having one of an “on” state in which the temperature control system is to be activated and an “off” state in which the temperature control system is to be deactivated, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication of a target temperature for a temperature-controlled environment;
- receiving a current temperature value determined based on a measurement of a current temperature in the environment;
- calculating a temperature error measure in dependence on the target temperature and the current temperature value;
- determining a rate of temperature change in the environment;
- setting a variable error threshold based on the determined rate of temperature change;
- generating the control signal, wherein the generated control signal comprises, in a first, continuous mode, a substantially continuous “on” signal, and wherein, in a second, pulse-width-modulation (PWM) mode, the output signal comprises alternating “off” and “on” periods in accordance with a PWM pattern;
- and
- switching between the first mode and second mode in dependence on the temperature error measure and the variable error threshold.
Apparatus for generating a control signal for a temperature control system, the control signal having one of an “on” state in which the temperature control system is to be activated and an “off” state in which the temperature control system is to be deactivated, the apparatus comprising a control module configured to:
- receive an indication of a target temperature for a temperature-controlled environment;
- receive a current temperature value determined based on a measurement of a current temperature in the environment;
- calculate a temperature error measure in dependence on the target temperature and the current temperature value;
- determine a rate of temperature change in the environment;
- set a variable error threshold based on the determined rate of temperature change;
- generate the control signal, wherein the generated control signal comprises, in a first, continuous mode, a substantially continuous “on” signal, and wherein, in a second, pulse-width-modulation (PWM) mode, the output signal comprises alternating “off” and “on” periods in accordance with a PWM pattern;
- and
- switch between the first mode and second mode in dependence on the temperature error measure and the variable error threshold.
A non-transient, computer readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform the method of generating a control signal for a temperature control system, the control signal having one of an “on” state in which the temperature control system is to be activated and an “off” state in which the temperature control system is to be deactivated, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication of a target temperature for a temperature-controlled environment;
- receiving a current temperature value determined based on a measurement of a current temperature in the environment;
- calculating a temperature error measure in dependence on the target temperature and the current temperature value;
- determining a rate of temperature change in the environment;
- setting a variable error threshold based on the determined rate of temperature change;
- generating the control signal, wherein the generated control signal comprises, in a first, continuous mode, a substantially continuous “on” signal, and wherein, in a second, pulse-width-modulation (PWM) mode, the output signal comprises alternating “off” and “on” periods in accordance with a PWM pattern;
- and
- switching between the first mode and second mode in dependence on the temperature error measure and the variable error threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.