Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100248176 | BOILER CONTROL METHODS - A method for controlling a boiler includes firing a boiler, and monitoring a temperature deviation between a boiler temperature and a heating temperature profile over time. If the temperature deviation exceeds an allowable deviation, the boiler is shut off. | 09-30-2010 |
20110048340 | HEAT BALANCING SYSTEM - A heat balancing system for a natural draft gas burning appliance having a flue. When the appliance is in a standby mode, a main burner is shut off and the pilot light remains on. Temperature in the heat exchanger (e.g., temperature of water in a heater tank) may be decreased or increased, respectively, by opening or closing a damper in a flue as needed. If opening the damper does not sufficiently reduce the temperature of the heat exchanger, then the pilot light may be shut off to further reduce the temperature. The pilot light may be turned on again to bring up the temperature. There may be a control or controller to operate the damper to maintain the temperature of the exchanger within a certain range. Electrical power may be provided for the system from a power line, a storage device, or other source. | 03-03-2011 |
20110054711 | DAMPER CONTROL SYSTEM - A damper control system having energy efficient mechanisms. The system may use a heat-to-electric power converter such as a thermopile. Heat may come from a pilot light used for igniting a flame for an appliance. The system may store electric energy in a storage module which could be a sufficiently large capacitor. The system may monitor the position of a damper in a vent or the like and provide start and stop movements of the damper using minimal energy. One way that the system may control electrical energy to a damper motor or another electrical mover of the damper is to use pulse width modulated signals. | 03-03-2011 |
20110247604 | SPARK DETECTION IN A FUEL FIRED APPLIANCE - A control system for a fuel-fired appliance and methods of operating are disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment, when an electrical characteristic of an optical detector, such as a resistance, does not change by at least a predetermined amount during an ignition trial, and/or when a level of EMI or electrical noise detected by an antenna in a burner assembly of the fuel-fired appliance does not increase during the ignition trial, the control system may determine that the ignition assembly is not sparking properly. In some instances, the control system may also be programmed to activate an indicator that would indicate to a user or technician a potential problem with the ignition assembly (e.g. not sparking properly to ignite fuel). | 10-13-2011 |
20110250546 | FLAME DETECTION IN A FUEL FIRED APPLIANCE - A control system for a fuel-fired appliance and methods of operating are disclosed. When an electrical characteristic of a flame detector fails to cross a threshold level during an ignition attempt and when the electrical characteristic of the flame detector changes by a predetermined amount, the control system may activate an indicator indicating a problem with the flame detector (e.g. dirty, misaligned, or otherwise unable to properly detect the flame). | 10-13-2011 |
20110250548 | SELECTIVE LOCKOUT IN A FUEL-FIRED APPLIANCE - A control system for a fuel-fired appliance and methods of operating are disclosed. When a failed ignition of a burner is detected, the control system is configured to enter a soft lockout state if the voltage level of a burner of the fuel-fired appliance is low during the failed ignition and a hard lockout state if the voltage level of the burner is not low during the failed ignition. In some cases, if a period of time has elapsed and/or the voltage level of the burner has increased after the control system enters the soft lockout state, the control system may be configured to initiate one or more subsequent ignition trials. In some cases, if the one or more subsequent ignition trials fail, the control system may be configured to then enter the hard lockout state. | 10-13-2011 |
20110270544 | STORAGE DEVICE ENERGIZED ACTUATOR HAVING DIAGNOSTICS - A system having unified diagnostics where an electrical energy storage device may supply an actuator. Various techniques may be used to determine energy storage capacity and actuator current usage. Measured storage capacity and actuator current may indicate the health of the energy storage device and the actuator, respectively. Also, operation of a service switch for the actuator may be checked relative to its state. | 11-03-2011 |
20120208132 | SELECTIVE LOCKOUT IN A FUEL-FIRED APPLIANCE - A control system for a fuel-fired appliance and methods of operating are disclosed. When a failed ignition of a burner is detected, the control system is configured to enter a soft lockout state if the voltage level of a burner of the fuel-fired appliance is low during the failed ignition and a hard lockout state if the voltage level of the burner is not low during the failed ignition. In some cases, if a period of time has elapsed and/or the voltage level of the burner has increased after the control system enters the soft lockout state, the control system may be configured to initiate one or more subsequent ignition trials. In some cases, if the one or more subsequent ignition trials fail, the control system may be configured to then enter the hard lockout state. | 08-16-2012 |
20140199640 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN IGNITION SEQUENCE FOR AN INTERMITTENT FLAME-POWERED PILOT COMBUSTION SYSTEM - A locally powered intermittent pilot combustion controller may include an igniter, a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device that produces an electrical signal having power when exposed to a flame, and a local power source for providing power when the thermal electric and/or photoelectric device is not exposed to a flame. In some cases, the intermittent pilot combustion controller may include a memory for storing information about an ignition sequence for igniting a pilot flame, and a controller coupled to the memory. The controller may be configured to initiate the ignition sequence of the pilot flame using information stored in the memory, determine whether the ignition was successful by monitoring the electrical signal produced by the thermal electric and/or photoelectric device, and adjust the information stored in the memory based on whether the ignition sequence completed successfully. | 07-17-2014 |
20140199641 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR STARTING AN INTERMITTENT FLAME-POWERED PILOT COMBUSTION SYSTEM - A flame powered intermittent pilot combustion controller may include a first power source and a second power source separate from the first power source, a thermal electric and/or photoelectric device, an igniter and a controller. The thermal electric and/or photoelectric device may charge the first power source when exposed to a flame. The controller and the igniter may receive power from the first power source when the first power source has sufficient available power, and may receive power from the second power source when the first power source does not have sufficient available power. | 07-17-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090082665 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING MEDICAL DEVICE - In one embodiment, a method of detecting a distortion is provided. The method comprises steps of identifying a change in transmitter gain for a first transmitter coil, identifying a change in transmitter gain for a second transmitter coil, comparing the change in transmitter gain for the first transmitter coil with the change in transmitter gain for the second transmitter coil and identifying a first condition upon determining that the change in transmitter gain for the first transmitter coil is different from the change in transmitter gain for the second transmitter coil. | 03-26-2009 |
20090088756 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURING SURGICAL IMPLANT - In one embodiment, a system for locating a transverse hole disposed at a predetermined location in a surgical implant inserted into a fractured bone of a patient and for drilling the fractured bone coaxially with the transverse hole is provided. The system comprises a first electromagnetic sensor unit coupled to the surgical implant, a surgical instrument for drilling a hole through the fractured bone coaxially with the transverse hole, the surgical instrument having a main axis disposed in parallel to the axis of the transverse hole, an electromagnetic drive unit coupled to the surgical instrument for energizing the first electromagnetic sensor unit to transmit a signal, a second electromagnetic sensor unit configured for receiving the signal and a display unit for converting the signal into visual signals enabling a user to change the position of the surgical instrument to align the surgical instrument with the transverse hole of the surgical implant. | 04-02-2009 |
20100056905 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRACKING MEDICAL DEVICE - In one embodiment, a method for electromagnetic tracking is provided. The method comprises mounting at least one receiver coil array on each of a plurality of primary distortion sources, selecting one of the primary distortion source as a secondary distortion source, acquiring mutual inductance signals between a transmitter coil array and the secondary distortion source, the transmitter coil array being rigidly attached to a surgical tool, acquiring mutual inductance signals between the transmitter coil array and at least one primary distortion source, estimating an initial position for the surgical tool in the presence of the primary distortion source and the secondary distortion source, refining the estimated position of the surgical tool and estimating an orientation of the surgical tool. | 03-04-2010 |
20100130853 | SYSTEM FOR TRACKING OBJECT - In one embodiment, a tracking system for tracking an object positioned inside the body of a patient is provided. The tracking system comprises a reference sensor, the reference sensor comprising at least one of a transmitter, a receiver and a transceiver, a first tracker sensor coupled to a first object, a second tracker sensor coupled to a second object and tracker electronics coupled to the reference sensor and each of the tracker sensors. The tracker electronics is configured to determine position and orientation of each of the tracker sensors relative to the reference sensor based on the relationship between the reference sensor and each of the tracker sensors. Further, each of the tracker sensors is one of a transmitter, a receiver and a transceiver. | 05-27-2010 |