# US 2019/0169015 A1 · System and Method for Generating a Drive Signal

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- Number: US 2019/0169015 A1
- Document ID: US20190169015A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/266,772
- Filed: 2019-02-04
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2006-03-06
- Assignees: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
- Applicants: DEKA Products Limited Partnership
- Inventors: Russell H. Beavis; James J. Dattolo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190169015A1

## CPC

- B67D 1/122: {modulating a pumping rate}
- B67D 1/0034: {for controlling the amount of each component}
- B67D 1/0036: {based on the timed opening of valves}
- B67D 1/0888: {Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)}
- B67D 1/10: Pump mechanism (in general F04)
- B67D 1/104: {by the liquid to be dispensed}
- F04B 13/02: of two or more fluids at the same time
- F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers}
- F04B 51/00: Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
- F04D 15/0027: {Varying behaviour or the very pump (F04D15/0055 and F04D29/46 take precedence)}
- G05B 15/02: electric
- B67D 2001/0097: {using a pump}
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)
- F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F)
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)

## Abstract

A method and computer program product for defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential. The PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly. At least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal are pulse width modulated to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal. The second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential, wherein the PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly associated with a micro-ingredient subsystem;
pulse width modulating at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal, wherein the pump assembly is regulated by the second duty cycle in order to control a flow through the pump assembly; and
measuring a second flow generated by a plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly is a solenoid piston pump.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly is configured for use within a beverage dispensing system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly is configured to releasably engage a product container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the pump assembly is rigidly attached to a product module assembly.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the defined voltage potential is 28 VDC.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration of approximately 15 milliseconds.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the “off” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration within a range of 15-185 milliseconds.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the second duty cycle is within a range of 50-100%.

### Claim 10

A computer program product residing on a computer readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential, wherein the PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly associated with a micro-ingredient subsystem;
pulse width modulating at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal, wherein the pump assembly is regulated by the second duty cycle in order to control a flow through the pump assembly; and
measuring a second flow generated by a plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the pump assembly is a solenoid piston pump.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the pump assembly is configured for use within a beverage dispensing system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10 wherein at least one of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration of approximately 15 milliseconds.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10 wherein at least one of the “off” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration within a range of 15-185 milliseconds.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the second duty cycle is within a range of 50-100%.

### Claim 16

A method comprising:
defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential, wherein the PWM drive signal has a plurality of “on” portions and a plurality of “off” portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly associated with a micro-ingredient subsystem included within a beverage dispensing system;
pulse width modulating at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal, wherein the pump assembly is regulated by the second duty cycle in order to control a flow through the pump assembly; and
measuring a second flow generated by a plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the pump assembly is a solenoid piston pump.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the pump assembly is configured to releasably engage a product container.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein the pump assembly is rigidly attached to a product module assembly.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein:
at least one of the “on” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration of approximately 15 milliseconds;
at least one of the “off” portions of the PWM drive signal has a duration within a range of 15-185 milliseconds; and
the second duty cycle is within a range of 50-100%.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein:
the feedback controller system includes a trajectory shaping controller configured to receive the control signal from a control logic subsystem.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21 wherein:
the trajectory shaping controller filters a control curve to form a smoothed control curve configured to be processed by the flow controller.

### Claim 23 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10 wherein:
the feedback controller system includes a trajectory shaping controller configured to receive the control signal from a control logic subsystem.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The computer program product of claim 23 wherein:
the trajectory shaping controller filters a control curve to form a smoothed control curve configured to be processed by the flow controller.

### Claim 25 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein:
the feedback controller system includes a trajectory shaping controller configured to receive the control signal from a control logic subsystem.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 wherein:
the trajectory shaping controller filters a control curve to form a smoothed control curve configured to be processed by the flow controller.