System and method for heater power prioritization and distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429331-B2
Application number	US-201314132609-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2013
Priority date	Dec 18, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A heater management system provides heat to heated zones of a mobile unit. For each heated zone, the heater management system includes a heater driver and a sensor. The heater driver is controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone. The sensor senses environmental data external and internal to the heated zone. The heater management system includes a memory storing a heater driver prioritization database. The heater management system includes a heater control logic unit programmed to receive periodic reports from each of the sensors, prioritize the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports, and determine power to be provided to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation.

First claim

We claim:

1. A heater management system for a mobile unit (MU), the MU including a plurality of heated zones, the heater management system comprising:
for each of the heated zones:
a heater driver controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone; and
a sensor sensing environmental data external and internal to the heated zone;

a memory storing a heater driver prioritization database; and
a heater management processor programmed to:
receive periodic reports from each of the sensors;
prioritize the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports; and
determine power to be provided to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation;
wherein the heater driver prioritization database includes a plurality of heater driver prioritization orders, each heater driver prioritization order being associated with a predetermined condition based upon the environmental data, the heated zones being prioritized based upon the heater driver prioritization order.

2. The heater management system of claim 1 , wherein the environmental data includes a temperature value and a humidity value.

3. The heater management system of claim 1 , wherein the heater management processor provides the power to a first one of the heated zones, the first heated zone having a highest priority, the heater management processor being further programmed to:
determine when the first heated zone has reached a first desired temperature; and
determine a first maintenance power to the first heated zone such that the first desired temperature is maintained.

4. The heater management system of claim 3 , wherein the first desired temperature is determined based upon the environmental data.

5. The heater management system of claim 3 , wherein the power to the first heated zone is a portion of a total dedicated power as indicated by the global power limitation.

6. The heater management system of claim 5 , wherein the heater management processor provides the power to a second one of the heated zones, the second heated zone having a lower priority than the first heated zone, the heater management processor being further programmed to:
determine when the second heated zone has reached a second desired temperature; and
determine a second maintenance power to the second heated zone such that the second desired temperature is maintained.

7. The heater management system of claim 6 , wherein the global power limitation indicates that the power provided to the second heated zone is limited to a difference between the total dedicated power and the first maintenance power.

8. The heater management system of claim 7 , wherein the first heated zone includes a display device and the second heated zone includes an input device.

9. The heater management system of claim 1 , wherein the power is provided based on at least one predetermined safety limitation.

10. A method, comprising:
generating a heater driver prioritization database for a heater management system of a mobile unit (MU), the MU including a plurality of heated zones, each of the heated zones including a heater driver controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone and a sensor sensing environmental data external and internal to the heated zone;
receiving periodic reports from each of the sensors;
prioritizing the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports; and
providing power to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation;
wherein the heater driver prioritization database includes a plurality of heater driver prioritization orders, each heater driver prioritization order being associated with a predetermined condition based u s on the environmental data the heated zones being prioritized based upon the heater driver prioritization order.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the environmental data includes a temperature value and a humidity value.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the prioritized power is provided to a first one of the heated zones, the first heated zone having a highest priority, the method further comprising:
determining when the first heated zone has reached a first desired temperature; and
determining a first maintenance power to the first heated zone such that the first desired temperature is maintained.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first desired temperature is determined based upon the environmental data.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the prioritized power to the first heated zone is a portion of a total dedicated power as indicated by the global power limitation.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the prioritized power is provided to a second one of the heated zones, the second heated zone having a lower priority than the first heated zone, the method further comprising:
determining when the second heated zone has reached a second desired temperature; and
determining a second maintenance power to the second heated zone such that the second desired temperature is maintained.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the global power limitation indicates that the prioritized power provided to the second heated zone is limited to a difference between the total dedicated power and the first maintenance power.

17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the prioritized power is provided based on at least one predetermined safety limitation.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform operations comprising:
generating a heater driver prioritization database for a heater management system of a mobile unit (MU), the mobile MU including a plurality of heated zones, each of the heated zones including a heater driver controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone and a sensor sensing environmental data external and internal to the heated zone;
receiving periodic reports from each of the sensors;
prioritizing the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports; and
providing power to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation;
wherein the heater driver prioritization database includes a plurality of heater driver prioritization orders each heater driver prioritization order being associated with a predetermined condition based upon the environmental data, the heated zones being prioritized based upon the heater driver prioritization order.

Assignees

• Symbol Technologies Inc
• Symbol Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Poon Chung Keung
• Koch Thomas
• Nazeer Armia N

Classifications

• G06F1/206

  comprising thermal management · CPC title

• G05D23/1932

  to control the temperature of a plurality of spaces · CPC title

• F24D19/10 Primary

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices (only the heater being controlled F24H9/20) · CPC title

• Y02B30/70

  Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating · CPC title

• Y02D10/00

  Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management · CPC title