Information processing apparatus using finite state machine

• US 5,790,898 A
• Filed: 03/24/1997
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamatake-Honeywell Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Yamatake-Honeywell Company Limited
• Inventors: Ito, Kiyoshi, Kishima, Shuzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Application Number:
  US08/828,834
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 395/899, 395/903
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23289 State logic control, finite state, tasks, machine, fsm

Abstract

An information processing apparatus uses a triad-based state transition model which is implemented in a state machine for making rational determinations on the state of a system of interest and for controlling the same to an appropriate state. The triad-based state transition model is stored in a memory unit of the apparatus and made up of a first group of states for defining natural behavior of the system to be controlled irrespective of forced actions; a second group of states for defining forced actions for directing the behavior of the system to be controlled to a target; and a third group of state for defining target states to which the system to be controlled may proceed from the first group of states as a result of determining natural behavior of the system based on a first predetermined threshold value, and as a result of determining a change in the system behavior due to a forced action based on a second predetermined threshold value. The information processing apparatus has an interpreter unit for interpreting the state of the finite state transition machine for processing information on the system to be controlled and for controlling the system to be controlled based on a current state of the system to be controlled represented in the finite state transition machine.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus using a finite state transition machine for processing information on a system to be controlled, comprising:

(a) an interpreter unit having an interpreter for interpreting and executing a state transition model as a program for processing information on the system to be controlled and for controlling the system to be controlled based on a current state of the system to be controlled represented in said finite state transition machine and data inputs to cause a transition from said current state to new state in accordance with transition values associated with said current state;

(b) a memory unit for storing the finite state transition machine as a program and all states and transition conditions associated therewith, said finite state transition machine being interpreted by an interpreter and used as a program for controlling said system to be controlled, said finite state transition machine including;

a group of natural states defining states of said system to be controlled that result from a natural behavior of said system which natural behavior is independent of inputs to force a change of said system;

a group of forcing states defining said inputs to force a change of said system which inputs direct a behavior of said system to be controlled to proceed to a target state; and

a group of target states defining target states to which said system to be controlled proceeds as a result of the system behavior due to said inputs to force a change of state of said system achieving one predetermined transition value, the three groups of states representing all possible states of said system to be controlled;

said state transition machine transitioning from said target states to said natural states in response to a set of transition values associated in said memory unit with said target states and representing a natural behavior of said controlled system defined by one of said natural states;

said state transition machine transitioning from said natural states to said target states in response to a set of transition values associated in said memory unit with said natural states and representing a natural behavior of said controlled system defined by one of said natural states;

said state transition machine transitioning from said natural states to said forcing states in response to a set of transition values representing threshold values associated in said memory unit with said natural states;

said state transition machine transitioning from said forcing states to said target state in response to a set of transition values representing threshold values associated in said memory unit with said forcing states;

said finite state transition machine being interpreted as a program and executed by said interpreter unit; and

(c) an interface unit for interfacing said interpreter unit with the system to be controlled such that control information is communicated between said interpreter unit and said system to be controlled.

2. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said system to be controlled is an air conditioning control plant.