Systems and methods of determining load temperatures

Abstract

Systems and computer-implemented methods of determining a temperature of a load introduced into a chamber are provided. The computer-implemented method includes applying a power output to a medium in at least a portion of a chamber at a level to modify the temperature of the medium to achieve a predetermined medium temperature. A steady state power output level to achieve the predetermined medium temperature is determined using a computer processor. A load having a load temperature other than the predetermined medium temperature is received into the at least a portion of the chamber. The method includes determining that the load temperature is substantially at the predetermined medium temperature using the computer processor when the power output level reaches the determined steady state power output level and without any direct temperature measurement of the load.

What I claim is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a chamber comprising a surrounding medium disposed therein;   a temperature modifying device configured to modify the temperature of the surrounding medium;   a power output level determining device configured to determine the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device; and   a non-transient, computer readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to:   determine a power output level applied to the temperature modifying device to maintain the temperature of the surrounding medium substantially constant about a predetermined surrounding medium temperature; and   determine that a load temperature of a load received into the surrounding medium is substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature when the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device reaches the determined power output level and without any direct temperature measurement of the load.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power output level determining device is further configured to determine that the power output level applied to the temperature monitoring device is substantially constant for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a timer configured to receive an input signal when the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device reaches the determined power output level and to determine when a predetermined period of time has expired after receiving the input signal.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the timer is further configured to provide an indication when the predetermined period of time has expired. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:
 determine that the load temperature of the received load is substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature for a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a signal indicator configured to indicate that the load temperature of the received load is substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a circulating device configured to circulate or agitate the surrounding medium in the chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display configured to display an indication of one or more results selected from the group consisting of: a determined surrounding medium temperature, a determined power output level, a determined load temperature, and an amount of time remaining in a predetermined period of time.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding medium is a gaseous medium. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding medium is a liquid medium. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the load is disposed within a sealed package. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the load comprises a food product inside the sealed package. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:
 determine that each respective load temperature of a plurality of loads received into the surrounding medium at substantially the same time is substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature when the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device reaches the determined power output level and without any direct temperature measurement of any of the plurality of loads.   
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a chamber comprising a surrounding medium disposed therein;   a temperature modifying device configured to modify the temperature of the surrounding medium;   a power output level determining device configured to determine the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device; and   a non-transient, computer readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to:   determining a steady state power output level to achieve a predetermined surrounding medium temperature;   determine that a load temperature of a load received into the surrounding medium is substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature when the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device reaches the determined steady state power output level and without any direct temperature measurement of the load.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a temperature monitoring device configured to monitor the temperature in the surrounding medium; and wherein the program instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to determine the steady state power output level by determining the power output level required to apply to the temperature modifying device to maintain the surrounding medium temperature substantially constant about the predetermined surrounding medium temperature.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the program instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to maintain the load temperature substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature for a predetermined period of time without any direct temperature measurement of the load. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined period of time is an amount of time suitable for neutralizing at least one of bacteria or parasites. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the load is disposed within a sealed package and wherein the program instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to determine that a temperature of the load is substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature when the determined power output level reaches the determined steady state power output level and without any direct temperature measurement of the load or the package. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a timer configured to receive an input signal when the determined power output level reaches the determined steady state power output level and to determine when a predetermined period of time has expired after receiving the input signal.   
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising:
 a chamber comprising a surrounding medium disposed therein;   a temperature modifying device configured to modify the temperature of the surrounding medium;   a power output level determining device configured to determine the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device; and   a non-transient, computer readable storage medium having program instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by a computer processor, cause the computer processor to:   determine a power output level applied to the temperature modifying device to maintain the temperature of the surrounding medium substantially constant about a predetermined surrounding medium temperature; and   determine that a load temperature of a load received into the surrounding medium is maintained substantially at the predetermined surrounding medium temperature for a predetermined period of time when the power output level applied to the temperature modifying device is substantially constant about the determined power output level and without any direct temperature measurement of the load.