Patent ID: 6162217
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method for controlling a power output of a probe connected to a system including controller circuitry to maintain a target temperature, the probe having a thermal element and a temperature sensor, the temperature sensor providing a sensed temperature, comprising the steps of:providing, in a memory, at least one set of probe settings including at least one gain parameter and corresponding to predetermined operating characteristics for a particular probe;receiving the target temperature;receiving a first probe setting corresponding to a desired set of operating characteristics for a probe;selecting a set from the at least one set of probe settings in response to the first probe setting;generating an error signal by comparing the sensed temperature to the target temperature;determining an output control signal by applying a control function to the error signal, the control function using the at least one gain parameter from the selected set; andcontrolling an amount of power output to the thermal element in response to the output control signal to maintain the target temperature.