Patent ID: 8704630
Filing Date: 2014-04-22
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for controlling the operations of temperature-sensitive electronic devices in an enclosure based on a requisite temperature range, the apparatus comprising: a main circuit board having plurality of secondary circuit board connectors operative to connect secondary circuit boards to the main circuit board; one or more temperature sensors operative to sense temperature within the enclosure; one or more selectively actuatable heating elements mounted to the main circuit board in proximity to the plurality of secondary circuit board connectors, each heating element operative to emit heat when actuated; and a programmable processor, wherein the one or more temperature sensors and the one or more heating elements are operatively connected to the processor, and wherein the processor is programmed to, cause the one or more temperature sensors to sense the temperature within the enclosure and, if the sensed temperature within the enclosure is below the requisite temperature range, actuate at least one of the heating. elements, and set an incremental counter operative to count each iteration of sensing the temperature, and actuate at least one more of the heating elements, up to a predetermined count limit and, if the sensed temperature within the enclosure is below the requisite temperature range when the incremental counter reaches the count limit, selectively disable corresponding connected secondary circuit boards; and if the sensed temperature is above the requisite temperature range, selectively disable at least one of the heating elements.