System and method for controlling temperature of a liquid residing within a tank

Abstract

A system for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank comprises a temperature sensor, a temperature control element, memory, and logic. The temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the liquid residing within the tank, and the temperature control element is coupled to the tank. The memory stores data indicative of a usage history of the tank, and the logic is configured to automatically control the temperature control element based on the data.

Now, therefore, the following is claimed:  
     
         1 . A system for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank, comprising: 
 a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the liquid;    a temperature control element configured to alter the temperature of the liquid;    a clock; and    logic configured to automatically select a temperature threshold based on a time value indicated by the clock and to perform a comparison between the selected temperature threshold and the temperature detected by the temperature sensor, the logic further configured to control the temperature control element based on the comparison.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature control element comprises a heating element.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature control element comprises a cooling element.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic is further configured to detect a length of time that the temperature detected by the temperature sensor remains within a specified temperature range, the logic configured to control the temperature control element, in response to a determination that the length of time exceeds a threshold, such that the temperature control element causes the detected temperature to increase above a threshold for a sufficient amount of time to ensure that bacteria within the tank is substantially killed.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic is configured to select said temperature threshold based on a plurality of temperatures detected by a plurality of temperature sensors.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic is configured to automatically generate data indicative of a usage history of the tank, the logic further configured to automatically select the threshold based on the data.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the logic is configured to activate and deactivate the temperature control element based on the temperature threshold and another temperature threshold, thereby providing an activation hysteresis for the temperature control element, the logic further configured to change the activation hysteresis based on the data.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic is configured to determine a value indicative of an amount of the liquid drawn from the tank during a particular time period, the logic further configured to select the temperature threshold based on the value.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the logic is configured to determine a total amount of time that the temperature control element is activated during the particular time period and to determine the value based on the total amount of time.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the logic is configured to determine the value based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.  
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising: 
 a tank;    a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a liquid residing within the tank;    a temperature control element coupled to the tank;    memory for storing data indicative of a usage history of the tank; and    logic configured to automatically control the temperature control element based on the data.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the data is input via a user of the system.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the logic is configured to monitor a usage of the tank over time in order to define the data.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the logic is configured to monitor the temperature control element in order to define the data.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the logic is configured to monitor the temperature sensor in order to define the data.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the logic is configured to ensure that the temperature control element is periodically controlled such that an amount of bacteria within the tank remains within a desired range.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a second temperature control element, wherein the logic is configured to control the second temperature control element and to perform a verification that the second temperature control element is actually activated when the logic attempts to activate the second temperature control element, and wherein the logic is configured to automatically define the usage history based on the verification.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the logic is configured to define the data based on a plurality of temperatures sensed by a plurality of temperature sensors.  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the logic is configured to control the temperature control element such that the temperature control element has an activation hysteresis, the logic configured to change the activation hysteresis based on the data.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the logic is configured to decrease the hysteresis in response to a prediction that a high usage event associated with the tank is imminent.  
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising: 
 a tank;    a temperature sensor coupled to the tank;    a temperature control element for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within the tank; and    logic configured to determine a value indicative of an amount of the liquid drawn from the tank during a first time period and to establish a temperature threshold for a second time period based on the value, the logic configured to perform a comparison between the temperature threshold and a temperature of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor during the second time period, the logic further configured to control the temperature control element based on the comparison.- 22 .    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the logic is configured to determine a total amount of time that the temperature control element is in an activation state during the first time period, wherein the value is based on the total amount of time.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the logic is configured to determine the value based on a temperature detected by the temperature sensor.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the logic is further configured to change an activation hysteresis for the temperature control element based on the value.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the logic is further configured to ensure that the temperature control element is periodically controlled such that the temperature of the liquid remains at a sufficiently high level for a sufficient amount of time for preventing an amount of bacteria within tank from exceeding a desired level.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a second temperature control element, wherein the logic is configured to control the second temperature control element and to perform a verification that the second temperature control element is actually activated when the logic attempts to activate the second temperature control element, and wherein value is based on the verification.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the value is based on temperatures detected by a plurality of temperature sensors.  
     
     
         28 . A method for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank, comprising the steps of: 
 detecting the temperature of the liquid;    storing data indicative of a usage history of the tank; and    automatically controlling a temperature of the liquid based on the detected temperature and the data.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the step of receiving the data via a user input.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the controlling step comprises the step of controlling a state of a temperature control element, and wherein the method further comprising the step of ensuring that the temperature control element is periodically controlled such that an amount of bacteria within the tank remains within a desired range.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the step of defining the data based on a plurality of temperatures sensed by a plurality of temperature sensors.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the controlling step comprises the step of controlling a temperature control element, and wherein the method further comprises the step of changing an activation hysteresis of the temperature control element based on the data.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the steps of: 
 controlling a plurality of temperature control elements;    attempting to activate one of the temperature control elements;    verifying whether the one temperature control element is activated in response to the attempting step; and    automatically defining the data based on the verifying step.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the steps of: 
 monitoring usage of the tank; and    automatically generating the data based on the monitoring.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the controlling step comprises the step of controlling a temperature control element, and wherein the monitoring step comprises the step of monitoring the temperature control element.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the monitoring step comprises the step of monitoring a temperature sensor.  
     
     
         37 . A method for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank, comprising the steps of: 
 determining a value indicative of an amount of the liquid drawn from the tank during a first time period;    correlating the first time period with a second time period;    establishing a temperature threshold for the second time period based on the value;    detecting a temperature of the liquid during the second time period;    comparing the detected temperature and the temperature threshold; and    controlling a temperature of the liquid based on the comparing step.    
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the controlling step comprises the step of activating a temperature control element, and wherein the determining step comprises the step of determining a total amount of time that the temperature control element is activated during the first time period.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the step of detecting a second temperature of the liquid, wherein the value is based on the second temperature.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the steps of: 
 detecting a second temperature of the liquid via a temperature control element; and    changing an activation hysteresis for the temperature control element based on the value.    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the step of ensuring that the temperature of the liquid is periodically controlled such that the temperature of the liquid remains at a sufficiently high level for a sufficient amount of time to prevent an amount of bacteria within the tank from exceeding a desired level.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the controlling step comprises the step of controlling a plurality of temperature control elements, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: 
 attempting to activate one of the temperature control elements; and    verifying whether the one temperature control element is activated in response to the attempting step,    wherein the value is based on the verifying step.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising the step of detecting a plurality of temperatures of the liquid via a plurality of temperature sensors, wherein the value is based on the plurality of temperatures.  
     
     
         44 . A method for controlling a temperature of a liquid residing within a tank, comprising the steps of: 
 detecting a temperature of the liquid;    reading a time value from a clock;    selecting a temperature threshold based on the time value;    comparing the selected temperature threshold and the detected temperature; and    altering a temperature of the liquid based on the comparing step.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising the steps of: 
 detecting when the temperature of the liquid remains within a specified temperature range for a specified amount of time; and    controlling, in response to the detecting when step, the temperature of the liquid such that the temperature of the liquid increases above a threshold for a sufficient amount of time for ensuring that an amount of bacteria within the tank remains within a desired range.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising the step of detecting a plurality of temperatures of the liquid via a plurality of temperature sensors, wherein the selecting step is based on each of the plurality of temperatures.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the altering step comprises the step of activating and deactivating a temperature control element, thereby providing an activation hysteresis for the temperature control element, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of: 
 generating data indicative of a usage history of the tank; and    changing the activation hysteresis based on the data,    wherein the selecting step is based on the data.