System and method for generating a drive signal
AssigneeDEKA Products Limited Partnership
InventorsRussell Herbert Beavis, James Jason 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.
Claims26
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 second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly, wherein the pump assembly is regulated by the second duty cycle in order to control a flow through the pump assembly;
- measuring a second flow generated by a plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device;
- and
- supplying a flow feedback signal to a feedback controller system, wherein the feedback controller system compares the flow feedback signal to a desired flow volume.
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 second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly, wherein the pump assembly is regulated by the second duty cycle in order to control a flow through the pump assembly;
- measuring a second flow generated by a plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device;
- and
- supplying a flow feedback signal to a feedback controller system, wherein the feedback controller system compares the flow feedback signal to a desired flow volume.
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 second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly, wherein the pump assembly is regulated by the second duty cycle in order to control a flow through the pump assembly;
- measuring a second flow generated by a plumbing/control subsystem using a flow measuring device;
- and
- supplying a flow feedback signal to a feedback controller system, wherein the feedback controller system compares the flow feedback signal to a desired flow volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.