Patent US4025263A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3564221A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Optimization with random and historical vectors
Assignee: Mobil Oil AS
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Filing: 1960-09-07
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Granted: 1971-02-16
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Expires: 1980-09-07
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to the production of an optimum value of a system output function which is dependent upon a plurality of variables where the effect of changes in the variables upon the function may be determined. An optimum is reached quickly and efficiently by changing each variable repetitively in a random manner initially and thereafter the tendency of the changes to be purely random is modified so that past history in the search for the optimum value tends to weight the randomness in favor of the most desirable direction toward optimum.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert F Wheeling
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 11:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06G; G06G7/00; G06G7/12; G06G7/122; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/28; G01V1/282; G05; G05B; G05B13/00; G05B13/02; G05B13/0205; G05B13/021; G05B13/0235
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
152 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function; the combination of: means for generating input values including those representative of said variables at each of a series of states of said system; means for calculating from said input values the value of said scalar function at each such state; means for storing said value of each said state; means for comparing the value of said scalar function as calculated at each said state with the value thereof as calculated at a precedent state; means for randomly varying said independently variable input values; and means for weighting the random variations of said independEntly variable input values by amounts related to the magnitude of the earlier variations which produced change of said scalar function toward the desired optimum.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
152 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function; the combination of: means for generating input values including those representative of said variables at each of a series of states of said system; means for calculating from said input values the value of said scalar function at each such state; means for storing said value of each said state; means for comparing the value of said scalar function as calculated at each said state with the value thereof as calculated at a precedent state; means for randomly varying said independently variable input values; and means for weighting the random variations of said independEntly variable input values by amounts related to the magnitude of the earlier variations which produced change of said scalar function toward the desired optimum.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
166 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises: generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of said scalar output function; storing in said system an intermediate function representative of said output signal; repetitively changing said variable input signals by amounts of random character to produce output signals of differing magnitude some of which represent improved scalar output functions; and in response to said changes of said variable input signals which produced said improved output functions, changing said variable input signals by an amount of random selection which selection is weighted in dependence upon the earlier changes in the values of said variable input signals which produced said improved output functions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
166 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises: generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of said scalar output function; storing in said system an intermediate function representative of said output signal; repetitively changing said variable input signals by amounts of random character to produce output signals of differing magnitude some of which represent improved scalar output functions; and in response to said changes of said variable input signals which produced said improved output functions, changing said variable input signals by an amount of random selection which selection is weighted in dependence upon the earlier changes in the values of said variable input signals which produced said improved output functions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
141 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated, and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises: generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of said scalar output function; storing in said system an intermediate function representative of said output signal; periodically changing said variable input signals by amounts of random character to produce output signals of differing magnitude some of which represent improved scalar output functions; and thereafter weighting the random change of said variable input signals by amounts related to the magnitude of the earlier changes which produced said improved output functions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
141 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated, and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises: generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of said scalar output function; storing in said system an intermediate function representative of said output signal; periodically changing said variable input signals by amounts of random character to produce output signals of differing magnitude some of which represent improved scalar output functions; and thereafter weighting the random change of said variable input signals by amounts related to the magnitude of the earlier changes which produced said improved output functions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
158 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated, and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises the following steps: generating in the system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of said scalar output function; storing in said system an intermediate function representative of said output signal; changing said variable input signals by amounts of random character to produce output signals of differing magnitude some of which may produce output signals representative of improved scalar output functions; thereafter repetitively changing said variable input signals by amounts dependent upon random selections; and weighting the random selections by amounts related to the magnitude of the earlier changes which produced output signals representing improved scalar output functions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
158 words
In optimizing a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are independently variable, are interrelated, and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises the following steps: generating in the system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of said scalar output function; storing in said system an intermediate function representative of said output signal; changing said variable input signals by amounts of random character to produce output signals of differing magnitude some of which may produce output signals representative of improved scalar output functions; thereafter repetitively changing said variable input signals by amounts dependent upon random selections; and weighting the random selections by amounts related to the magnitude of the earlier changes which produced output signals representing improved scalar output functions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
206 words
The combination which comprises a process unit in which there is developed a physical output quantity which is to be optimized and which unit has a plurality of control elements, control means connected to said elements for changing control characteristics of said elements from initial levels to incrementally different levels, change selector means for each said control means for repeatedly actuating the same randomly both as to sense and magnitude, means for storing a first physical quantity responsive to and representative of a scalar characteristic of said output quantity, meAns for generating a second physical quantity responsive to and representative of said characteristic of said output quantity following each change in said elements, comparison means responsive to differences in magnitude between said first physical quantity and said second physical quantity of one sense only for establishing new initial levels in said control characteristics and for changing the storage of said first physical quantity to a level corresponding with that of said second physical quantity, and means for interconnecting said control elements and said change selector means for modifying the random character of said change selector means in accordance with the rates of changes of said control elements from the respective initial levels thereof to new levels.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
206 words
The combination which comprises a process unit in which there is developed a physical output quantity which is to be optimized and which unit has a plurality of control elements, control means connected to said elements for changing control characteristics of said elements from initial levels to incrementally different levels, change selector means for each said control means for repeatedly actuating the same randomly both as to sense and magnitude, means for storing a first physical quantity responsive to and representative of a scalar characteristic of said output quantity, meAns for generating a second physical quantity responsive to and representative of said characteristic of said output quantity following each change in said elements, comparison means responsive to differences in magnitude between said first physical quantity and said second physical quantity of one sense only for establishing new initial levels in said control characteristics and for changing the storage of said first physical quantity to a level corresponding with that of said second physical quantity, and means for interconnecting said control elements and said change selector means for modifying the random character of said change selector means in accordance with the rates of changes of said control elements from the respective initial levels thereof to new levels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
209 words
The combination which comprises a process unit in which there is developed a physical output quantity which is to be optimized and which unit has a plurality of control elements, control means connected to said elements for changing control characteristics of said elements from initial levels to incrementally different levels, change selector means for each said control means for repeatedly actuating the same randomly both as to sense and magnitude, means for storing a first physical quantity responsive to and representative of a scalar characteristic of said output quantity, means for generating a second physical quantity responsive to and representative of said characteristic of said output quantity following each change in said elements, comparison means responsive to differences in magnitude between said first physical quantity and said second physical quantity of one sense only for establishing new initial levels in said control characteristics and for changing the storage of said first physical quantity to a level corresponding with that of said second physical quantity, means for separately interconnecting each said control element and its associated change selector means for modifying the random character of each said change selector means in accordance with the rate of change of said control elements from the respective initial levels thereof to new levels.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
209 words
The combination which comprises a process unit in which there is developed a physical output quantity which is to be optimized and which unit has a plurality of control elements, control means connected to said elements for changing control characteristics of said elements from initial levels to incrementally different levels, change selector means for each said control means for repeatedly actuating the same randomly both as to sense and magnitude, means for storing a first physical quantity responsive to and representative of a scalar characteristic of said output quantity, means for generating a second physical quantity responsive to and representative of said characteristic of said output quantity following each change in said elements, comparison means responsive to differences in magnitude between said first physical quantity and said second physical quantity of one sense only for establishing new initial levels in said control characteristics and for changing the storage of said first physical quantity to a level corresponding with that of said second physical quantity, means for separately interconnecting each said control element and its associated change selector means for modifying the random character of each said change selector means in accordance with the rate of change of said control elements from the respective initial levels thereof to new levels.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
227 words
A system of optimizing the magnitude of a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function, which comprises: means for generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; means for generating from said input signals an output signal representative of the magnitude of said scalar output function; means for repeatedly and randomly varying said variable input signals for producing a plurality of values of said output signal some of which represent change in said scalar output function in the optimal direction; means for storing said output signals representing said change in said output function in said optimal direction; comparison means for comparing each new value of said output signal with the stored value of the output signal; means for weighting subsequent random changes of said variable input signals by amounts which increase with the extent to which previous changes of said variable input signals caused said output function to approach its optimum value; and means operative under the control of said comparison means for controlling said weighting means for operation only when said new values of said output signal represent change of said output function toward its optimum value.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
227 words
A system of optimizing the magnitude of a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function, which comprises: means for generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding with said independently variable input values; means for generating from said input signals an output signal representative of the magnitude of said scalar output function; means for repeatedly and randomly varying said variable input signals for producing a plurality of values of said output signal some of which represent change in said scalar output function in the optimal direction; means for storing said output signals representing said change in said output function in said optimal direction; comparison means for comparing each new value of said output signal with the stored value of the output signal; means for weighting subsequent random changes of said variable input signals by amounts which increase with the extent to which previous changes of said variable input signals caused said output function to approach its optimum value; and means operative under the control of said comparison means for controlling said weighting means for operation only when said new values of said output signal represent change of said output function toward its optimum value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
186 words
In optimizing the magnitude of a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises: generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding witH said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of the magnitude of said scalar output function; repeatedly and randomly varying said variable input signals for producing a plurality of values of said output signal some of which represent change in said scalar output function in the optimal direction; storing said output signals representing said change in said output function in said optimal direction; and in response to said random variations of said variable input signals which produced change of said scalar function in said optimal direction weighting subsequent random changes of said variable input signals by amounts which increase with the extent to which previous changes of said variable input signals caused said output function to change in said optimal direction.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
186 words
In optimizing the magnitude of a scalar output function of a system where a set of input values to said system some of which are variable, are interrelated and coact to produce said scalar output function, the method which comprises: generating in said system input signals representative of said input values, some of which are independently variable corresponding witH said independently variable input values; generating from said input signals an output signal representative of the magnitude of said scalar output function; repeatedly and randomly varying said variable input signals for producing a plurality of values of said output signal some of which represent change in said scalar output function in the optimal direction; storing said output signals representing said change in said output function in said optimal direction; and in response to said random variations of said variable input signals which produced change of said scalar function in said optimal direction weighting subsequent random changes of said variable input signals by amounts which increase with the extent to which previous changes of said variable input signals caused said output function to change in said optimal direction.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-02-15 | 1974-08-17 | 1975-02-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-02-15 | 1978-08-17 | 1979-02-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-02-15 | 1982-08-17 | 1983-02-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |