Controller and method of controlling an apparatus

• US 20050027373A1
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zarbana Digital Fund LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elverson Hopewell LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Porr, Bernd, Woergoetter, Florentin
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion

Abstract

In the field of electronic or computerised control apparatuses, known methods of compensating for disturbance signals rely on less than ideal analytical or empirical models. There is provided a controller (200) or method of controlling which observes and learns the correlation between various measured signals and automatically learns how to control the apparatus. It has a primary input (x_R) for the measured state of the apparatus, and signal processing means (604, 606) responsive to the input signal for generating a control signal (V) to maintain the apparatus in a desired state, the controller (200) having further input(s) (X₁, X_n) for additional measurements of the apparatus or its environment, the signal processing means using a weighted average (606) of results of different fixed impulse responses (611-615) to each input to modify the control signal, and means (630, 800, 802) for conditioning the response automatically in response to temporal cross-correlation observed between the measurement signal(s) and the control signal. The controller can be pre-taught with an appropriate response, or it can learn it during initial operation.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling a physical apparatus, the controller comprising first input means for receiving a primary input signal representing a measured state of the apparatus, and signal processing means responsive to said primary input signal for generating a control signal for influencing the state of the apparatus so as to maintain a desired state, the controller having at least one further input for a signal representing additional measurements of the apparatus or its environment, said signal processing means including correcting means for including corrections in said control signal in response to said additional measurement signal, and means for conditioning the response of said correcting means automatically in response to temporal cross-correlation observed between said additional measurement signal and said control signal observed during operation of the controller and apparatus together.

2. A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conditioning means comprises means for adjusting a gain and frequency response of a signal path in the correcting means.

3. A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correcting means comprises means for filtering the additional signal via a plurality of filters having different fixed impulse responses and means for forming a weighted sum of the differently filtered signals to derive the correction to be applied, the conditioning means comprising means for adjusting the weightings of the different signal paths in response to their respective observed correlation with the control signal.

4. A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conditioning means is arranged to observe said correlation by multiplying the signal of each path with a derivative of the control signal and to integrate the product of said signals over time to derive said weighting.

5. A controller as claimed in claim 4, wherein said integration is capable of being held at a fixed value such that said conditioning is maintained in the absence of stimulation.

6. A controller as claimed in claim 1 having a plurality of additional inputs, each said input having associated correcting means and conditioning means within the signal processing means.

7. A controller as claimed in claim 6, wherein different quantities of filters are used by each said correcting means.

8. A controller as claimed in claim 6, wherein different filter responses are used by each said correcting means.

9. A controller as claimed in claim 1 arranged to generate plural control signals based on at least some of the same input signals, the signal processing means including correcting means and conditioning means for generation of each control signal.

10. A controller as claimed in claim 9, wherein a first control signal is connected to serve as an additional measurement input to a correcting means for generating a second control signal.

11. A controller as claimed in claim 10, wherein a derivative or other transformation is applied to at least one of said measurement inputs as a preliminary processing step.

12. A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein plural correcting means share filter components.

13. A controller substantially as claimed in claim 1, wherein the correcting means is replaced by one having a fixed response, which has been transferred from another controller which has learned said fixed response in operation.

14. A controller as claimed in claim 1, wherein a non-zero response has been set in the correcting means as a starting condition, said controller then being capable of adjusting the response of the correcting means during its continuing operation.

15. A method of controlling a physical apparatus, the method comprising on a continuous basis:

receiving a primary input signal representing a measured state of the apparatus;

generating a control signal for influencing the state of the apparatus in response to said primary input signal so as to maintain a desired state;

receiving at least one further input for a signal representing additional measurements of the apparatus or its environment;

including corrections in said control signal in response to said additional measurement signal; and

conditioning the response of said correcting means automatically in response to temporal cross-correlation observed between said additional measurement signal and said control signal observed during operation of the controller and apparatus together.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said correcting step comprises filtering the additional signal via a plurality of filter functions having different fixed impulse responses, and forming a weighted sum of the differently filtered signals to derive the correction to be applied, the conditioning step comprising adjusting the weightings of the different signal paths in response to their respective observed correlation with the control signal.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the conditioning step begins from a zero condition.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the conditioning step begins with a non-zero set of conditions.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the conditioning step begins with a non-zero set of conditions learned in another apparatus.