Method and system for updating tuning parameters of a controller

• US 8,620,461 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kihas, Dejan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUGHLIN, NATHAN L
• Application Number:
  US12/565,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20110071653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,559 Days
• Field of Search: 700 28- 32, 717/121, 717/151
• US Class Current: 700/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/042 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/048 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 17/02 electric

Abstract

A method and system for updating tuning parameters associated with a controller without repetitive compilation of a controller code. The controller code represents an algorithm associated with the controller and can be compiled separately from a data set representing a solution for an optimization problem and also from a data set representing parameters required for prediction. The algorithm can be implemented in a programming language code suitable for implementation on an embedded platform or other types of computer platforms. The data sets can be represented in a specified data structure and the variables associated with the data structure can be declared in the controller template code. The variables can be updated independently without varying the compiled code associated with the controller algorithm that is referring to the variables. The controller can also be updated while the controller actively performs online. Such an approach enables repetitive tuning of the controller without repetitive compilation of the code representing the controller algorithm.

Claims

1. A system for updating tuning parameters of a controller, said system comprising:

a controller accessing a memory having one or more memory units for storing a first data set for use with a compiled controller template and a second data set for use with the compiled controller template;

a processor;

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for;

identifying a compiled controller template for operating the controller, the compiled controller template including an algorithm representing a dynamic operating process of a system to be controlled by the controller;

generating the first data set indicative of an explicit control law associated with a solution to a model predictive control optimization problem related to the dynamic operating process of the system, wherein the first data set is associated with a specified data structure having said at least one data set; and

updating variables to generate a second data set, separate from the first data set; and

enabling the controller to switch from using the first data set to using the second data set without altering said compiled controller template in order to repeatedly tune said controller without performing a recompilation with respect to said compiled controller template.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said instructions are further configured for compiling a controller template to generate the compiled controller template.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said instructions are further configured for updating said controller without performing said recompilation.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said instructions are further configured for updating said controller with the second data set without halting operations of said controller.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said instructions are further configured for updating said controller with the second data set online in order to seamlessly update at least one observer data set and ensure a flawless transfer of data thereof.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein updating said controller without performing said recompilation further comprises:

varying a tuning parameter associated with an offline optimization application in order to generate the second data set;

transferring said second data set to said memory via a data communications channel without halting operations associated with said controller; and

switching the controller from operating the compiled control template using the first data set to operating the compiled control template using the second data set.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein updating said controller without halting operations of said controller further comprises:

configuring a data loader to perform a tuning parameter update without halting said controller, wherein said data loader copies data from a first memory location to a second memory location of the memory.

8. A computer-usable medium for updating tuning parameters of a controller, said computer-usable medium embodying computer program code in a non-transient form, said computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

generating a first data set indicative of an explicit control law associated with a solution to first model predictive control optimization problem, wherein the first data set has a specified data structure;

compiling a first controller template indicative of a first controller separate from the first data set, in order to generate a compiled controller template for implementation on a computer platform;

generating a second data set indicative of an explicit control law associated with a solution to a second model predictive control optimization problem, wherein the second data set has the specified data structure;

compiling a second controller template indicative of a second controller separate from the second data set, in order to generate a compiled controller template for implementation on a computer platform; and

switching the controller from operating with the first controller template and the first data set to operating with the second controller template and the second data set, wherein the controller switches between the first controller template and the second controller template without disrupting operation of the controller.

9. The computer-usable medium of claim 8, wherein said controller comprises a MPC-based controller.

10. The computer-usable medium of claim 8, wherein said embodied computer program code further comprises computer executable instructions configured for:

updating said controller without performing said recompilation process;

updating said controller without halting operations of said controller; and

updating said controller online in order to seamlessly update at least one observer data set and ensure a flawless transfer of data thereof.