System and method for controlling temperature control elements that are used to alter liquid temperature

Abstract

A system for controlling temperature control elements used to alter temperatures of a liquid comprises a temperature sensor, a first temperature control element, a second temperature control element, and logic. The temperature sensor is configured to sense temperatures of the liquid, and the first and second temperature control elements are each configured to alter a temperature of the liquid. The logic is configured to selectively control, based on the sensed temperatures, activation states of the first and second temperature control elements such that a total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is substantially equal to a total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.

Now, therefore, the following is claimed:  
     
         1 . A system for controlling temperature control elements used to alter temperatures of a liquid residing within a tank, comprising: 
 a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the liquid;    a first temperature control element configured to alter a temperature of the liquid;    a second temperature control element configured to alter a temperature of the liquid; and    logic configured to determine a first value and a second value, the first value indicative of a total amount of time that the first temperature control element is activated and the second value indicative of a total amount of time that the second temperature control element is activated, the logic configured to perform a comparison between the first and second values, the logic configured to make a determination, based on the temperature sensor, that a temperature of the liquid is to be altered, the logic further configured to select, based on the comparison, one of the temperature control elements and to activate the selected temperature control element in response to the determination.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second temperature control elements comprise heating elements for increasing a temperature of the liquid.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second temperature control elements comprise cooling elements for decreasing a temperature of the liquid.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic is configured to select, based on the comparison, the first temperature control element if the amount indicated by the second value is greater than the amount indicated by the first value.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic is configured to ensure that the total amount of time that the first temperature control element is activated substantially matches the total amount of time that the second temperature control element is activated.  
     
     
         6 . A system, comprising: 
 a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the liquid;    a plurality of temperature control elements configured to alter a temperature of the liquid; and    logic configured to track usage of the temperature control elements, the logic further configured to selectively control, based on the tracked usage, the temperature control elements in response to determinations, based on the temperature sensor, to alter a temperature of the liquid.    
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a tank, wherein the liquid resides within the tank.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the logic is configured to selectively activate, based on the tracked usage, the temperature control elements such that a total activation time associated with one of the temperature control elements is substantially equal to a total activation time associated with another of the temperature control elements.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the logic is configured to selectively deactivate, based on the tracked usage, the temperature control elements such that a total activation time associated with one of the temperature control elements is substantially equal to a total activation time associated with another of the temperature control elements.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the logic is configured to determine a value based on the usage tracked by the logic, the value indicative of a total amount of time that at least one of the temperature control elements has been activated, wherein the logic is further configured to selectively activate the temperature control elements based on the value.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the logic is configured to determine a value based on the usage tracked by the logic, the value indicative of a total amount of time that at least one of the temperature control elements has been activated, wherein the logic is further configured to selectively deactivate the temperature control elements based on the value.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a clock, wherein the logic is configured to track the usage of the temperature control elements based on time values indicated by the clock.  
     
     
         13 . A system, comprising: 
 means for holding the liquid;    means for sensing a temperature of the liquid;    first means for altering a temperature of the liquid;    second means for altering a temperature of the liquid;    means for tracking a total amount of time that the first altering means is activated and for tracking a total amount of time that the second altering means is activated; and    means for selectively controlling the first and second means based on the sensing means and the tracking means.    
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the activating means is configured to ensure that, over the life of the first altering means, the total amount of time that the first altering means is activated substantially matches the total amount of time that the second altering means is activated.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the controlling means is configured to selectively activate the first and second means based on the sensing means and the tracking means.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the controlling means is configured to selectively deactivate the first and second means based on the sensing means and the tracking means.  
     
     
         17 . A system for controlling temperature control elements used to alter temperatures of a liquid, comprising: 
 a temperature sensor configured to sense temperatures of the liquid;    a first temperature control element configured to alter a temperature of the liquid;    a second temperature control element configured to alter a temperature of the liquid; and    logic configured to selectively control, based on the sensed temperatures, activation states of the first and second temperature control elements such that a total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is substantially equal to a total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.    
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the logic is control the activation states based on whether the total activation time associated with the first temperature is greater than the total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the logic is configured to deactivate the first temperature control element in response to a determination, by the logic, that the total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is greater than the total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the logic is configured to activate the first temperature control element in response to a determination, by the logic, that the total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is less than the total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.  
     
     
         21 . A method for controlling temperature control elements used to alter temperatures of a liquid, comprising the steps of: 
 sensing a temperature of the liquid;    determining, based on the sensed temperature, to alter a temperature of the liquid;    determining a first value indicative of a total amount of time that a first temperature control element is activated;    determining a second value indicative of a total amount of time that a second temperature control element is activated;    comparing the first and second values; and    selectively activating, based on the comparing step, the first and second temperature control elements in response to the determining to alter step.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of heating the liquid via the at least one temperature control element in response to the activating step.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of cooling the liquid via the at least one temperature control element in response to the activating step.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the activating step comprises the step of activating the first temperature control element if the amount indicated by the second value is greater than the amount indicated by the first value.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of ensuring, over the life of the first temperature control element, that the total amount of time that the first temperature control element is activated substantially matches the total amount of time that the second temperature control element is activated.  
     
     
         26 . A method, comprising the steps of: 
 sensing a temperature of the liquid;    altering a temperature of the liquid via a plurality of temperature control elements;    tracking usage of the temperature control elements; and    selectively controlling the temperature control elements based on the sensing and tracking steps.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the tracking step comprises the steps of: 
 determining a first value indicative of a total amount of time that a first one of the temperature control elements is activated; and    determining a second value indicative of a total amount of time that a second one of the temperature control elements is activated,    wherein the controlling step further comprises the step of selecting the first and second temperature control elements for activation such that the total amount of time that the first temperature control element is activated substantially matches the total amount of time that the second temperature control element is activated.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the tracking step comprises the steps of: 
 determining a first value indicative of a total amount of time that a first one of the temperature control elements is activated; and    determining a second value indicative of a total amount of time that a second one of the temperature control elements is activated,    wherein the controlling step further comprises the step of selecting the first and second temperature control elements for deactivation such that the total amount of time that the first temperature control element is activated substantially matches the total amount of time that the second temperature control element is activated.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of determining a value indicative of a total amount of time that at least one of the temperature control elements has been activated, wherein the selectively controlling step is based on the value.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising the step of reading a clock, wherein the tracking step is based on the reading step.  
     
     
         31 . A method for controlling temperature control elements used to alter temperatures of a liquid, comprising the steps of: 
 sensing temperatures of the liquid;    altering temperatures of the liquid via a first temperature control element and a second temperature control element; and    selectively controlling, based on the sensed temperatures of the liquid, activation states of the first temperature control element and the second temperature control element such that a total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is substantially equal to a total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the controlling step is based on whether the total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is greater than the total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the controlling step comprises the step of deactivating the first temperature control element in response to a determination that the total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is greater than the total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the controlling step comprises the step of activating the first temperature control element in response to a determination that the total activation time associated with the first temperature control element is less than the total activation time associated with the second temperature control element.