System and method for generating a drive signal
AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership
InventorsRussell H. Beavis, James J. Dattolo
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims10
A method of for controlling the flow rate of a plurality of fluids though a dispensing system having a user interface, a controller, and a plurality of pumps comprising:
- receiving a user selection at the user interface and transmitting a selection signal to the controller;
- generating a first off pump drive signal having a first voltage for a first cycle of periodic off times;
- transmitting the first pump drive signal from the controller to a first pump;
- generating a first on pump drive signal for a second cycle of periodic on times wherein during the periodic on times the on pump drive signal periodically alternates between the first voltage and the voltage potential of a second voltage to generate an effective third voltage between the first voltage and the second voltage;
- transmitting the first pump on signal from the controller to the first pump;
- generating a second off pump drive signal having a first voltage for a first cycle of periodic off times;
- transmitting the second off pump signal from the controller to a second pump;
- generating a second on pump drive signal for a second cycle of periodic on times wherein during the periodic on times the on pump drive signal periodically alternates between the first voltage and the voltage potential of a second voltage to generate an effective third voltage between the first voltage and the second voltage;
- and
- transmitting the second off pump signal from the controller to the second pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.