Control system for controlling a heater

A method for controlling a heater system having a plurality of resistive heating elements that define a plurality of heater zones, the method comprising:

• providing, by a plurality of zone control circuits, power to the plurality of resistive heating elements;
• measuring, by the plurality of zone control circuits, electrical characteristics of the plurality of resistive heating elements;
• providing, by a primary controller, an operation set-point for each of the plurality of heater zones based on the electrical characteristics;
• controlling, by a plurality of power controllers, the power provided to the plurality of heater zones based on the operation set-point;
• and
• monitoring, by a plurality of sensor controllers, operation of the heater zones based on the electrical characteristics, wherein each of the plurality of sensor controllers is coupled to the primary controller and each of the plurality of zone control circuits.

A control system for controlling a heater system having a plurality of resistive heating elements that define a plurality of heater zones, the control system comprising:

• a plurality of zone control circuits configured to provide power to the plurality of resistive heating elements and measure electrical characteristics of the plurality of resistive heating elements;
• a primary controller configured to provide an operation set-point for each of the plurality of heater zones based on the electrical characteristics;
• a plurality of power controllers configured to control the power provided to the plurality of heater zones based on the operation set-point;
• and
• a plurality of sensor controllers configured to monitor operation of the heater zones based on the electrical characteristics, wherein each of the plurality of sensor controllers is coupled to the primary controller and each of the plurality of zone control circuits, and wherein:
• each power controller from among the plurality of power controllers is coupled to the primary controller and a set of zone control circuits from among the plurality of zone control circuits;
• and
• the plurality of sensor controllers is configured to perform one or more diagnostics based on the electrical characteristics.