Patent ID: 7127361

Claim:
A method of determining fuel delivery frequency and volume for a combustion system having a fuel tank said fuel tank having a fuel tank volume, comprising: a) collecting a delivery history of a number of fuel deliveries to said fuel tank over a preselected period of time, each said delivery substantially filling said fuel tank, said delivery history including: i) volume of fuel delivered for each said delivery of said plurality of fuel deliveries and ii) number of days elapsing between each said delivery of said plurality of fuel deliveries; and b) ascertaining heating degree days for each time period between deliveries; c) calculating a volume of fuel used per day between each delivery; d) establishing a relationship between the volume of fuel used per day and heating degree days per day for said plurality of fuel deliveries for said combustion system; e) selecting a desired volume of fuel for the next delivery; f) tracking the number of elapsed days from a last fuel delivery to said combustion system and the elapsed number of heating degree days per day; g) periodically calculating an expected fuel use by applying said relationship between volume per day of fuel used and heating degree days per day from said tracked number of elapsed days from the last delivery and the elapsed number of heating degree days per day until said expected use equals said desired volume of fuel; h) providing a delivery signal indicating said combustion system fuel tank requires said desired volume amount.