Electronic power control for cooktop heaters

1. An electronic cooktop control system comprising:

a cooktop including a first heating element;

an electronic controller operatively connected to the cooktop; and

a rotary position input operatively connected to the electronic controller;

wherein the electronic controller controls a heating level of the cooktop in a first manner in response to rotation of the rotary position input in a first direction, and

wherein the electronic controller controls the heating level of the cooktop in a second manner in response to rotation of the rotary position input in a second direction, and

wherein the first direction and the second direction are different directions.

2. The electronic cooktop control system of claim 1 , wherein the heating level is associated with the first heating element.

3. The electronic cooktop control system of claim 1 , wherein the cooktop further includes a second heating element.

4. A power control system for controlling a plurality of heating elements including a first heating element and a second heating element, the control system comprising:

a digital communication bus;

an electronic controller including an input and an output;

a rotary position input operatively connected to the input of the controller; and

a power unit operatively connected to the electronic controller, the power unit having a first power output that supplies powering electrical energy to the first heating element, and a second power output that supplies powering electrical energy to the second heating element, wherein rotation of the rotary position input in a clockwise manner controls a level of the first power output and rotation of the rotary position input in a counter clockwise manner controls a level of the second power output, and

wherein the electronic controller and the power unit communicate bidirectionally over the digital communication bus.

5. The power control system of claim 4 further comprising:

a first heating element powered by the first power output; and

a second heating element powered by the second power output.

6. An electronic cooktop control system comprising:

an electronic controller that controls a heating level of a heating element in response to rotation of a rotary position input, wherein the electronic controller determines whether the rotation is clockwise or counter-clockwise and determines an angular position of the rotary position input;

wherein the electronic controller controls the heating level of the heating element with a first degree of precision using a first relationship between heating level and a range of angular positions of the rotary position input in response to and based on rotation in the clockwise direction from a starting point, and with a second degree of precision using a second relationship between heating level and another range of angular positions of the rotary position input in response to and based on rotation in the counter-clockwise direction from the starting point,

wherein the first relationship is different than the second relationship and wherein the first degree of precision provides control of the heating level with a different precision than the second degree of precision.

7. The electronic cooktop control system of claim 1 wherein the first direction is clockwise or counter-clockwise and the second direction is opposite from the first direction.