Patent ID: 6939346

Claim:
A method of controlling a power output to a probe, the method comprising: (a) providing in a memory at least one set of settings for said probe including at least one gain parameter and corresponding predetermined operating characteristics for said probe; (b) receiving a target probe temperature; (c) receiving a first probe setting corresponding to a desired set of operating characteristics for said probe; (d) selecting from said at least one set of probe settings a set of settings in response to said first probe setting; (e) generating an error signal e(t) from a comparison of a sensed temperature sensed by a probe temperature sensor and said target probe temperature; (f) providing a controller with a control function for generating an output power control signal Pout definable in part by: Pout=k 4 , when said error signal is greater than or equal to a threshold value, and definable in part by: P out =Kp·P+Ki·I+Kd·D when said error signal is less than the threshold value; where k 4 is a constant, Kp is a proportional gain factor associated with said control function, Ki is an integral gain factor associated with said control function, Kd is a derivative gain factor associated with said control function, and P, I, and D are proportion, integration, and derivation functions associated with said control function; and (g) using said error signal e(t) to dynamically control at least one of said Kp, Ki, and Kd to determine said Pout; and (h) controlling the power output to a probe thermal element responsive to said Pout.