Method and apparatus for testing signal quality in a burner control system

Claim 1

A method for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the method comprising the steps of: sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles performed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; determining a ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during a predetermined time interval and a total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval; and controlling the heating system based on the ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during the predetermined time interval and the total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval.

Claim 2

A method for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the method comprising the steps of: sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles performed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; determining a ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during a predetermined time interval and a total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval; and controlling the heating system based on the ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during the predetermined time interval and the total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval.

Claim 4

A method for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the method comprising the steps of: sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles preformed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; storing the number of good read cycles counted during a plurality of successive predetermined time intervals; determining an average number of good read cycles counted during each successive predetermined time interval over the plurality of successive predetermined time intervals; and controlling the heating system based on the average number of good read cycles counted during each successive predetermined time interval over the plurality of successive predetermined time intervals.

Claim 5

A method for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the method comprising the steps of: sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles preformed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; storing the number of good read cycles counted during a plurality of successive predetermined time intervals; determining an average number of good read cycles counted during each successive predetermined time interval over the plurality of successive predetermined time intervals; and controlling the heating system based on the average number of good read cycles counted during each successive predetermined time interval over the plurality of successive predetermined time intervals.

Claim 9

A method for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the method comprising the steps of: sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting a number of bad read cycles which represent the read cycles scheduled to be performed and which are not performed because the AC system signal is below the minimum threshold level; setting a low quality flag to a set state when the number of bad read cycles reaches a predetermined threshold; and controlling the heating system based on the state of the low quality flag.

Claim 10

A method for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the method comprising the steps of: sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting a number of bad read cycles which represent the read cycles scheduled to be performed and which are not performed because the AC system signal is below the minimum threshold level; setting a low quality flag to a set state when the number of bad read cycles reaches a predetermined threshold; and controlling the heating system based on the state of the low quality flag.

Claim 11

An apparatus for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the apparatus comprising: sampling means for sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting means, coupled to the sampling means, for counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles performed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; ratio determining means, coupled to the counting means, for determining a ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during a predetermined time interval and a total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval; and a controller, coupled to the ratio determining means, for controlling the heating system based on the ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during the predetermined time interval and the total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval.

Claim 12

An apparatus for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the apparatus comprising: sampling means for sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting means, coupled to the sampling means, for counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles performed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; ratio determining means, coupled to the counting means, for determining a ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during a predetermined time interval and a total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval; and a controller, coupled to the ratio determining means, for controlling the heating system based on the ratio between the number of good read cycles counted during the predetermined time interval and the total number of read cycles scheduled to be performed during the predetermined time interval.

Claim 14

An apparatus for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the apparatus comprising: sampling means for sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting means, coupled to the sampling means, for counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles performed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; storing means, coupled to the counting means, for storing the number of good read cycles counted during a plurality of predetermined time intervals; calculating means coupled to the storing means, for calculating an average number of good read cycles counted during each predetermined time interval for the plurality of predetermined time intervals; and a controller, coupled to the calculating means for controlling the heating system based on the average number of good read cycles counted during each predetermined time interval for the plurality of predetermined time intervals.

Claim 15

An apparatus for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the apparatus comprising: sampling means for sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting means, coupled to the sampling means, for counting a number of good read cycles representing the read cycles performed when the AC system signal is above the minimum threshold level; storing means, coupled to the counting means, for storing the number of good read cycles counted during a plurality of predetermined time intervals; calculating means coupled to the storing means, for calculating an average number of good read cycles counted during each predetermined time interval for the plurality of predetermined time intervals; and a controller, coupled to the calculating means for controlling the heating system based on the average number of good read cycles counted during each predetermined time interval for the plurality of predetermined time intervals.

Claim 20

An apparatus for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the apparatus comprising: sampling means for sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting means, coupled to the sampling means, for counting a number of bad read cycles which represent the read cycles scheduled to be performed and which are not performed when the AC system signal is below the minimum threshold level; flag means, coupled to the counting means, for setting a low quality flag to a set state when the number of bad read cycles reaches a predetermined threshold; and a controller, coupled to the flag means, for controlling the heating system based on the state of the law quality flag.

Claim 21

An apparatus for controlling a heating system based on signal quality of AC input signals to a control system where the AC input signals and an AC system signal are substantially phase-synchronous and where a read cycle for reading the AC input signals is scheduled to be performed during periodic cycles of the AC system signal, the apparatus comprising: sampling means for sampling the AC system signal to determine the presence or absence of the AC system signal above a minimum threshold level; counting means, coupled to the sampling means, for counting a number of bad read cycles which represent the read cycles scheduled to be performed and which are not performed when the AC system signal is below the minimum threshold level; flag means, coupled to the counting means, for setting a low quality flag to a set state when the number of bad read cycles reaches a predetermined threshold; and a controller, coupled to the flag means, for controlling the heating system based on the state of the law quality flag.