Method and apparatus for measuring temperature within a given temperature range using a selected temperature sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016265976-A1
Application number	US-201514656346-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 12, 2015
Priority date	Mar 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device providing a temperature control and/or monitoring and a method for use of the device are disclosed. In the disclosed method and device, a controller receives a minimum temperature value and a maximum temperature value of a temperature range to be measured. The controller correlates a known output signal range of a temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured. Further, the controller receives an output signal from the temperature sensor, and generates a measured temperature value based on the output signal of the temperature sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
providing a device with a controller that effects temperature control or temperature monitoring; receiving, via the controller, a minimum temperature value and a maximum temperature value of a temperature range to be measured; correlating, via the controller, a known output signal range of a temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured; receiving, via the controller, an output signal from the temperature sensor; and generating, via the controller, a measured temperature value based on the output signal of the temperature sensor.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using, via the controller, the measured temperature value to control or monitor temperature with respect to a part whose temperature is being measured.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, via the controller, the measured temperature value in the form of a temperature reading for display to a user.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the output signal is a current signal.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the known output signal range is 4-20 mA.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the current signal is converted to a voltage signal via a biasing resistor.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the output signal is a voltage signal.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor is an infrared (IR) temperature sensor.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein correlating, via the controller, the known output signal range of the temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured includes correlating a minimum output signal of the temperature sensor to the minimum temperature value and correlating a maximum output signal of the temperature sensor to the maximum temperature value.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein correlating, via the controller, the known output signal range of the temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured includes using a linear scale.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the linear scale follows the following relationship:
Temp=(((AD —RawInput −I AD _ RawMin )*( T —MaxTemp −T —MinTemp ))/(( I AD _ RawMax −I —RawMin )))+ T —MinTemp ,
where,
T —MinTemp and T —MaxTemp are the minimum and maximum temperature values, respectively, and
I AD _ RawMin and I AD _ RawMax are analog-to-digital (A/D) values corresponding to minimum and maximum output current signals of the temperature sensor, respectively.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the A/D values are computed as follows:
AD_RawInput=(( I —Output *R —Bias *2̂ scale *Gain))/ V _ ref,

where,
I —Output is a current output signal,
R —Bias is a value of a biasing resistor for conversion of the current output signal to an output voltage signal to be input to the A/D converter, and
Scale, Gain, and V_ref are values of N for an N-bit converter, A/D gain, and reference voltage for the A/D converter, respectively.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is an induction power source.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the minimum temperature and maximum temperature values are selected by a user.

15 . A device, comprising:
a controller; and program logic held in a data storage and executable by the controller to cause the controller to: receive a minimum temperature value and a maximum temperature value of a temperature range to be measured, correlate a known output signal range of a temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured, receive an output signal from the temperature sensor, and generate a measured temperature value based on the output signal of the temperature sensor.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the program logic further causes the controller to control or monitor temperature with respect to a part whose temperature is being measured using the measured temperature value.

17 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the program logic further causes the controller to display the measured temperature value to a user.

18 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the temperature sensor is an infrared (IR) temperature sensor.

19 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the temperature sensor is interconnected with the device via an input interface.

20 . The device of claim 19 , wherein:
the output signal is a current signal, and the input interface carries the output signal converted to a voltage signal via a biasing resistor.

21 . The device of claim 15 , wherein:
the device further comprises one or more temperature sensor inputs for receiving inputs from a temperature sensor of a first temperature sensor type, the temperature sensor is of a second temperature sensor type different from the first temperature sensor type, and the output signal range of the temperature sensor received via the one or more temperature sensor inputs is different from an output signal range of the temperature sensor of the first temperature sensor type received via the one or more temperature sensor inputs such that the two output signal ranges do not overlap.

22 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the program logic causes the controller to correlate a minimum output signal of the temperature sensor to the minimum temperature value and correlate a maximum output signal of the temperature sensor to the maximum temperature value.

23 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the program logic causes the controller to correlate the known output signal range of the temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured using a linear scale.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the linear scale follows the following relationship:
Temp=(((AD —RawInput −I AD _ RawMin )*( T —MaxTemp −T —MinTemp ))/(( I AD _ RawMax −I —RawMin )))+ T —MinTemp ,
where,
T —MinTemp and T —MaxTemp are the minimum and maximum temperature values, respectively, and
I AD _ RawMin and I AD _ RawMax are analog-to-digital (A/D) values corresponding to minimum and maximum output current signals of the temperature sensor, respectively.

25 . The device of claim 24 , wherein:
the device further comprises an A/D converter, and the A/D values are computed as follows:
AD_RawInput=(( I —Output *R —Bias *2̂ Scale *Gain))/ V _ ref

where,
I —output is a current output signal,
R —Bias is a value of a biasing resistor for conversion of the current output signal to an output voltage signal to be input to an A/D converter, and
Scale, Gain, and V_ref are values of N for an N-bit converter, A/D gain, and reference voltage for the A/D converter, respectively.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Joyce Richard Charles
• Minarik Kevin John
• Verhagen Paul

Classifications

• G05D23/22

  the sensing element being a thermocouple · CPC title

• G05D23/27 Primary

  with sensing element responsive to radiation · CPC title

• G05D23/1928

  sensing the temperature of one space · CPC title

• G01J5/12

  using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples · CPC title

• G01J5/0096 Primary

  for measuring wires, electrical contacts or electronic systems · CPC title