Evolutionary controlling system

• US 6,304,862 B1
• Filed: 10/20/1999
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Masashi, Kamihira, Ichikai
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US09/421,843
• Time in Patent Office: 727 Days
• Field of Search: 706/12, 706/13, 706/14, 706/23, 706/25
• US Class Current: 706/13
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1401 characterised by the control or regulation method F02D41/1473, F02D41/1477 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1405 Neural network control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/027 using neural networks only
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/126 Evolutionary algorithms, e.g. genetic algorithms or genetic programming

Abstract

An evolutionary control for a subject such as an engine installed in a vehicle is conducted by the steps of: selecting coefficients, as genes, affecting the control characteristics of the control system; creating plural control units as chromosomes, each being constituted by plural genes; expressing the genes of each chromosome as control characteristics by controlling the subject using the control system having the control characteristics; selecting at least one chromosome from the created chromosomes based on the control characteristics expressed by the genes in view of the user'"'"'s preference; and causing the at least one chromosome to evolve using a genetic algorithm, thereby obtaining control characteristics suitable for the user. In this method, the characteristics of the product can effectively be adjusted after its purchase based on the user'"'"'s preference.

Claims

1. A method of real-time adaptation of a control unit of a machine to a user who manipulates the machine, the output of which machine is recognized by a user, said control unit being programmed to formulate multiple sets of coefficients under predetermined rules, each set of coefficients being assigned to a different control module, each control module outputting an operation signal to operate the machine when receiving a pre-selected signal, the coefficients regulating the input-output relationship of each control module, said machine being provided with an indicator which indexes and displays to the user output of the machine indicative of the control module in use and which allows the user to select or not select the control module as an adaptive control module based on the user'"'"'s preference for the output of the machine, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) formulating multiple sets of coefficients for control modules;

(b) inputting to each control module a pre-selected signal to output an operation signal from the control module into the machine;

(c) while the machine is in operation, displaying to the user via the indicator the indexed output of the machine indicative of the control module in use;

(d) selecting, by the user using the indicator, at least one control module from the multiple control modules, based on the user'"'"'s preference for output of the machine corresponding to each control module;

(e) formulating subsequent sets of coefficients for control modules based on the coefficients of the selected control module(s), if the selected control module is not final;

(f) repeating steps (b) through (e) until the machine is operated adaptively to the user on a real-time basis, using the last selected control module.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input-output relationship of each control module is regulated by parameters, and in step (e), the multiple control modules are formulated by evolutionary computing wherein the parameters are used as genes.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the parameters'"'"' values are restricted to prevent sudden changes in the output of the machine.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein steps (a) through (f) are repeated periodically while the machine is in operation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein steps (a) through (f) are repeated on the user'"'"'s request.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein information on the finally selected control module is saved in a memory and retrieved on the user'"'"'s request.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a display monitor with selection buttons which allows the user to input the user'"'"'s evaluation of the output of the machine.