Optimizer industrial test unit

• US 4,306,284 A
• Filed: 08/14/1979
• Issued: 12/15/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optimizer Control Corporation
• Original Assignee: Optimizer Control Corporation
• Inventors: Malcolm, Donald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruggiero, Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US06/066,418
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 364/105, 364/431, 364/106, 123/32 EA, 123/32 EB, 123/32 EC, 123/148 E, 123/416, 123/487
• US Class Current: 700/38
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1455 by using a second control of the closed loop type dependent on pinking F02P5/152
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An electronic test instrument for facilitating the analysis of a machine'"'"'s response to cyclic perturbations in one of its control parameters and for adjusting the control parameter based upon the observed response so as to optimize the machine'"'"'s performance. The instrument permits manual control over the rate and magnitude of the perturbation, the amount of bias, i.e., the deviation of the actual operating point from the optimum, and the upper and lower limits between which correction is permissible. To prevent undue hunting of the control parameter about an operating point, the instrument includes a buffering network that requires that the system call for a predetermined number of control parameter adjustments in a given direction before an actual correction will be effected. The number is selectable by manually settable switches.

Claims

1. In an optimizing control system for use with an energy consuming machine of the type having means for cyclicly perturbating a machine control parameter with respect to an initial reference setting, means for measuring a change in the machine'"'"'s output performance occasioned by said perturbation of said machine control parameter, and means for changing said control parameter from said initial reference setting in discrete steps in a direction dependent upon the output of said measuring means such that the changed reference setting is made to approach an optimum operating point, the improvement comprising:

(a) first circuit means for establishing an upper limit value for said reference setting on one side of said optimum operating point said first circuit means comprising;

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said further means comprises:

(a) a bistable circuit coupled to said at least one output of said comparator and adapted to be switched from a first state to a second state when said binary word representative of said changed reference setting exceeds said binary word representative of said predetermined limit; and

(b) gating means coupled to the output of said bistable circuit for passing updating pulses modifying said reference setting only when said bistable circuit is in its first state.

2. a set of switches connected to a source of reference potential such that a first or a second binary signal level can be selectively applied to the pole of the individual switches in the set, the binary signals appearing collectively at the poles of said set of switches defining a binary word representative of a predetermined limit,comparator means having first and second pluralities of input terminals and at least one output terminal,means coupling said poles of said set of switches to said first plurality of comparator input terminals, andmeans coupling a binary word representative of said changed reference setting to said second plurality of comparator input terminals,

(b) second circuit means for establishing a lower limit value for said reference setting on the other side of said optimum operating point comprising:

1. a further set of switches connected to a source of reference potential such that a first or a second binary signal level can be selectively applied to the pole of the individual switches in said further set, the binary signals appearing collectively at the poles of said further set of switches defining a binary word representative of a predetermined limit,

2.

5. Apparatus as in claim 2 and further including manually operable means coupled to said correction circuit means for manually generating said correction control signals whereby said reference setting may be moved in discrete steps in either direction within said range.

6. Apparatus as in claim 2 and further including buffer means coupled to said correction circuit means and to said digital logic means, said buffer means inhibiting the generation of said correction control signals until a predetermined number of cycles of said cyclic perturbations have occured.

9. Apparatus as in claim 6 and further including means coupling the output terminal of said flip-flop to said means for changing said control parameter.

3. further comparator means having first and second pluralities of input terminals and at least one output terminal,means coupling said poles of said further set of switches to said first plurality of input terminals of said further comparator means, andmeans coupling a binary word representative of said changed reference setting to said second plurality of input terminals of said further comparator,

(c) further means responsive to said first and second circuit means for inhibiting said means for changing said control parameter such that said reference setting is constrained to lie between said upper and lower limit

4. values. 2. In an optimizing control system for use with an energy consuming machine of the type having means for cyclicly perturbating a machine control parameter in opposite directions about an initial reference setting, means coupled to the machine'"'"'s output shaft for generating tach pulses at a rate proportional to the machine'"'"'s output shaft speed, means for accumulating said tach pulses during first and second predetermined intervals of the period of said cyclic perturbation, digital logic means for comparing the number of said tach pulses accumulated during said first and second predetermined intervals, correction circuit means responsive to the output of said logic means for generating correction control signals, and control parameter changing means coupled to receive said correction control signals for changing said reference setting from said initial value in a direction tending to increase the number of said tach pulses generated during one of said first and second predetermined intervals, the improvement comprising:

(a) programmable means for establishing first and second digital values corresponding to predetermined upper and lower limits for said reference setting, respectively;

(b) digital comparator means coupled to said programmable means and adapted to receive digital signals representing a current reference setting for producing an out-of-bounds signal when said reference setting is outside of a range defined by said first and second digital value; and

(c) further means responsive to said out-of-bounds signal and coupled to said correction circuit means for changing said reference setting such that said reference setting is returned to said range defined by said first and second digital values.

8. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said buffer means comprises:

(a) a digital counter having a plurality of outputs;

(b) a coincident circuit having a plurality of inputs and an output;

(c) switch means coupling the output of said digital counter to said inputs of coincident circuit;

(d) a flip-flop having a set and a reset state, a toggle input terminal coupled to said output of said coincident circuit and an output terminal; and

(e) means for advancing said digital counter at the end of each perturbation cycle, the arrangement being such that said flip-flop is set when the number of said perturbation cycles reaches a value established by said switch means.