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A power control system for an electric cooktop. The power level is set by a knob connected to a potentiometer. Potentiometer information is digitally communicated by a controller over a serial communication bus to a power unit. The power unit communicates power level display information back to the

A power control system for an electric cooktop. The power level is set by a knob connected to a potentiometer. Potentiometer information is digitally communicated by a controller over a serial communication bus to a power unit. The power unit communicates power level display information back to the controller over the same serial communication bus. The display information is displayed as numbers on a digital display by the controller. The power unit controls a heating element of the cooktop according to the potentiometer information. A second potentiometer can be added to control a second heating element by operating as a slave to the first controller. Further, multiple heating elements can be controlled by a single potentiometer by dividing the angular rotation into multiple segments or ranges.

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1. A power control system for an electric heating element, the control system comprising:a communication bus; a controller connected to the communication bus; a variably resistive device connected to the controller; a digital display connected to the controller; and a power unit connected to the com

1. A power control system for an electric heating element, the control system comprising:a communication bus; a controller connected to the communication bus; a variably resistive device connected to the controller; a digital display connected to the controller; and a power unit connected to the communication bus, the power unit haying a power output; wherein the variably resistive device controls a level of the power output, and wherein a relationship between rotation of the first variably resistive device and the level of the power output is nonlinear. 2. A power control system for an electric heating element, the control system comprising:a communication bus; a controller connected to the communication bus; a variably resistive device connected to the controller; a digital display connected to the controller; and a power unit connected to the communication bus, the power unit having a power output; wherein the power unit has a second power output, and wherein: a position of the variably resistive device in a first range of angular rotation controls a level of the first power output; and a position of the variably resistive device in a second range of angular rotation controls a level of the second power output. 3. A power control system for an electric heating element, the control system comprising:a communication bus; a controller connected to the communication bus; a variably resistive device connected to the controller; a digital display connected to the controller; and a power unit connected to the communication bus, the power unit having a first power, output and a second power output; wherein: a position of the variably resistive device in a first range of angular rotation controls a level of the first power output; and a position of the variably resistive device in a second range of angular rotation concurrently controls the level of the first power output and a level of the second power output. 4. The control system of claim 3, further comprising:a second variably resistive device; and a third power output of the power unit; wherein: a position of the second variably resistive device in a first range of angular rotation controls a level of the third power output; and a position of the second variably resistive device in a second range of angular rotation disables control by the first variably resistive device and concurrently controls the level of the first power output, the level of the second power output, and the level of the third power output. 5. The control system of claim 3, further comprising a heating element comprising a first subelement connected to said power output and a second subelement connected to said second power output.6. The control system of claim 5, further comprising a thermal limiter operatively associated with the heating element.7. A power control system for an electric heating element, the control system comprising:a communication bus; a controller connected to the communication bus; a first variably resistive device connected to the controller; a digital display connected to the controller; and a power unit connected to the communication bus, the power unit having a first power output, a second power output, and a third power output; and a second variably resistive device; wherein: the first variably resistive device controls a level of the first power output; a position of the second variably resistive device in a first range of angular rotation controls a level of the second power output; and a position of the second variably resistive device in a second range of angular rotation causes the first variably resistive device to concurrently control the level of the first power output, a level of the second power output and a level of the third power output. 8. The control system of claim 7, wherein:a position of the first variably resistive device in a first range of angular rotation controls the level of the first power output; and a position of the first variably resistive device in a second range of angular rotation controls the level of the second power output. 9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the position of the first variably resistive device in the second range of angular rotation concurrently controls the level of the first power output and the level of the second power output.10. The control system of claim 7, wherein the position of the second variably resistive device in the second range of angular rotation causes a position of the first variably resistive device in a first range of angular rotation to concurrently control the level of the first power output, the level of the second power output and the level of the third power output; and wherein the position of the second variably resistive device in the second range of angular rotation causes a position of the first variably resistive device in a second range to concurrently control the level of the first power output, the level of the second power output and the level of the third power output.11. A power control system for controlling a plurality of heating elements, the control system comprising:a first rotational control input having a first range of angular rotation and a second range of angular rotation; a first heating element; and a second heating element; wherein a position of the control input in the first range controls the first heating element and a position of the control input in the second range controls the second heating element. 12. The control system of claim 11, further comprising a thermal limiter associated with one of the first heating element and the second heating element.13. The control system of claim 11, wherein the position of the control input in the second range concurrently controls the first heating element and the second heating element.14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the second heating element surrounds the first heating element.15. The control system of claim 11, further comprising a third heating element; and wherein the second heating element is a bridge element located between the first heating element and the third heating element.16. The control system of claim 15, further comprising a second rotational control input having a first range of angular rotation and a second range of angular rotation;wherein a position of the second control input in the first range controls the third heating element; and wherein a position of second control input in the second range disables control by the first control input and concurrently controls the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element. 17. A power control system for controlling a plurality of heating elements, the control system comprising:a first rotational control input; a second rotational control input having a first range of angular rotation and a second range of angular rotation; a first heating element; a second heating element; and a third heating element; wherein the second heating element is a bridge element positioned between the first element and the third element; wherein the first control input controls the first heating element; wherein a position of the second control input in the first range controls the third heating element; and wherein a position of the second control input in the second range causes the first control input to concurrently control the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element. 18. The control system of claim 17, further comprising a thermal limiter operatively associated with at least one of the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element.19. The control system of claim 17, wherein the first rotational control input has a first range of angular rotation and a second range of angular rotation; wherein the a position of the first control input in the first range controls the first heating element; and wherein a position of the first control input in the second range concurrently controls the first heating element and the second heating element.20. The control system of claim 19, wherein the position of the second control input in the second range causes each of the position of the first control input in the first range and the position of the first control input in the second range to concurrently control the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element.21. The control system of claim 19, wherein the position of the second control input in the second range causes a position of the first control input in a full range of the first control input to concurrently control the first heating element, the second heating element, and the third heating element.22. A power control system for an electric heating element, the control system comprising:a communication bus; a controller connected to the communication bus; a control input device connected to the controller, the control input device having a first control range and a second control range; a digital display connected to the controller; and a power unit connected to the communication bus, the power unit having a power output; wherein over the first control range, incrementing the control input device by one power setting level causes the power unit increase a power output level by a first step size; and wherein over the second control range, incrementing the control input device by one power setting level causes the power unit to increase a power output level by a second step size being greater than the first step size. 23. The power control system of claim 22 wherein the control input device comprises a variable resistive device.24. The power control system of claim 22 wherein the control input device comprises a rotational control device.25. The power control system of claim 22 wherein setting the control input device within the second control range results in greater power output than setting the control input device within the first control range.26. A power control system for controlling power to electrical heating elements, the system comprising:a communication bus; a first power controller for controlling power to a heating element of an oven, the first power controller being connected to the communication bus; a second power controller for controlling power to a heating element of a cooktop, the second power controller being connected to the communication bus; wherein when one of the first power controller and the second power controller initiates a lockout condition, the other one of the first power controller and the second power controller initiates a corresponding lockout condition in response to a lockout signal being provided on the communication bus. 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the lockout condition is initiated for the purpose of at least one of:preventing operation of the second power controller during a self-cleaning operation of the first power controller; and preventing initiation of the self-cleaning operation of the first power controller during a heating operation of the second power controller.