Potentiometer based controller for oven

Abstract

A temperature control system for controlling an oven temperature comprises a potentiometer and a processor. The potentiometer comprises a shaft and at least a first and a second terminal, and provides a variable resistance between the first terminal and the second terminal in response to a rotation of the shaft. The variable resistance forms a resistance output value. The processor is configured to detect one of a plurality of set point modes each comprising a different number of non-sequential temperature set points each of which span a range of resistances of the potentiometer, and convert the output resistance of the potentiometer into a temperature setting signal that corresponds with a temperature assigned to the resistance range of the measured resistance output.

1 . A temperature control system for controlling an oven temperature, comprising:
 a potentiometer having a shaft and at least a first and a second output terminal, the potentiometer configured to provide a variable resistance between the first and the second output terminal in response to a rotation of the shaft, the variable resistance forming a resistance output signal; and   a processor configured to convert the resistance output signal into one of a plurality of discrete temperature settings, where each discrete temperature setting spans a range of resistances of the potentiometer that is less than a full resistance of the potentiometer.   
     
     
         2 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , where the plurality of discrete temperature settings comprise three different temperatures. 
     
     
         3 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , where the plurality of discrete temperature settings comprises five different temperatures. 
     
     
         4 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , where the plurality of discrete temperature settings comprise eight different temperatures. 
     
     
         5 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , where the range of resistances comprises three equally sized regions. 
     
     
         6 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , where the range of resistances comprises five equally sized regions. 
     
     
         7 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , where the range of resistances comprises eight equally sized regions. 
     
     
         8 . The temperature control system of  claim 1 , where the range of resistances comprises at least one region whose resistance range is larger than another region's resistance range.