Computer optimizer

Claim 2

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means including an operational amplifier and connected to said voltage source, capacitive feedback means connected from the output to the input of said operational amplifier to cause same to act as an integrator to generate a linearly increasing first output voltage, means to establish a variable voltage at a terminal of said voltage source, an input resistor between said variable voltage terminal and said operational amplifier input whereby the voltage at said variable voltage terminal establishes a predetermined ramp rate for the first output voltage, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, and switch means on the input of said oPerational amplifier to open the input circuit to said amplifier to establish a hold condition holding the variable first output voltage at the value established at the instant of opening said switch means.

Claim 3

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means including an operation amplifier and connected to said voltage source, capacitive feedback means connected from the output to the input of said operational amplifier to cause same to act as an integrator to generate a linearly increasing first output voltage, means to establish a variable voltage at a terminal of said voltage source, an input resistor between said variable voltage terminal and said operational amplifier input whereby the voltage at said variable voltage terminal establishes a predetermined ramp rate for the first output voltage, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, a comparator relay having contacts and having a first input connected to the output of said function generator means, a ramp limit potentiometer having a variable tap connected to a second input of said comparator relay to actuate said comparator relay contacts upon the first output voltage of said function generator means reaching the value of the voltage on said ramp limit potentiometer, and means connecting said relay contacts of said comparator relay in the feedback circuit of said operational amplifier to reset the output of said operational amplifier to the initial condition upon actuation of said comparator relay.

Claim 4

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means including an operation amplifier and connected to said voltage source, capacitive feedback means connected from the output to the input of said operational amplifier to cause same to act as an integrator to generate a linearly increasing first output voltage, means to establish a variable voltage at a terminal of said voltage source, an input resistor between said variable voltage terminal and said operational amplifier input whereby the voltage at said variable voltage terminal establishes a predetermined ramp rate for the first output voltage, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, a comparator relay having contacts and having a first input connected to the output of said function generator means, a ramp limit potentiometer having a variable tap connected to a second input of said comparator relay to actuate said comparator relay contacts upon the first output voltage of said function generator means reaching the value of the voltage on said ramp limit potentiometer, and means connecting said relay contacts of said comparator relay in the feedback circuit of said operational amplifier to reset the output of said operational amplifier to the initial condition upon actuation of said comparator relay.

Claim 5

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means including an operational amplifier and connected to said voltage source, capacitive feedback means connected from the output to the input of said operational amplifier to cause same to act as an integrator to generate a linearly increasing first output voltage, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, a plurality of n function generators in said function generator means, n summing amplifiers in said summing amplifier means, n pairs of a high-comparator relay and a low-comparator relay connected to each of said summing amplifiers, each of said comparator relays having first and second inputs, a high-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said high-comparator relay and a low-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said low-comparator relay, means connecting said first inputs of said pairs of comparator relays to the outputs of said summing amplifiers, respectively, normally open contacts on each said low-limit comparator relay and normally closed contacts on each said high-limit comparator relay with relay contacts of each pair connected in series with a voltage source and an indicator lamp to have said indicator lamp energized when said output from said respective amplifier is within the range of the high and low limits.

Claim 6

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means including an operational amplifier and connected to said voltage source, capacitive feedback means connected from the output to the input of said operational amplifier to cause same to act as an integrator to generate a linearly increasing first output voltage, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, a plurality of n function generators in said function generator means, n summing amplifiers in said summing amplifier means, n pairs of a high-comparator relay and a low-comparator relay connected to each of said summing amplifiers, each of said comparator relays having first and second inputs, a high-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said high-comparator relay and a low-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said low-comparator relay, means connecting said first inputs of said pairs of comparator relays to the outputs of said summing amplifiers, respectively, normally open contacts on each said low-limit comparator relay and normally closed contacts on each said high-limit comparator relay with relay contacts of each pair connected in series with a voltage source and an indicator lamp to have said indicator lamp energized when said output from said respective amplifier is within the range of the high and low limits.

Claim 7

An analog computer as set forth in claim 3, including a logic circuit connected to said comparator relays to indicate the existence of a plurality of summing amplifier outputs being simultaneously within the range between high and low limits.

Claim 8

An analog computer as set forth in claim 4, including a hold relay having contacts, means connecting said hold Relay contacts to control the output voltage of said function generator means, and means to energize said hold relay in accordance with the output of said logic circuit.

Claim 9

An analog computer as set forth in claim 5, including a sequential printout device connected to sequentially print out the voltages on each of said function generators upon said hold relay becoming energized.

Claim 10

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connected to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, an operational amplifier, a potentiometer connected to said voltage source and having a variable tap, and switch means connecting said variable tap and a terminal of said voltage source across the input and output of said operational amplifier to clamp the output voltage of said operational amplifier to said voltage of said variable tap for a manual condition of operation of said function generator means.

Claim 11

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connected to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, an operational amplifier, a potentiometer connected to said voltage source and having a variable tap, and switch means connecting said variable tap and a terminal of said voltage source across the input and output of said operational amplifier to clamp the output voltage of said operational amplifier to said voltage of said variable tap for a manual condition of operation of said function generator means.

Claim 12

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connector to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, comparator relay means having first and second inputs, and means connecting one of said inputs of said comparator relay means to said summing amplifier means to determine when the output of said summing amplifier means is within a given range between high and low limits.

Claim 13

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connector to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, comparator relay means having first and second inputs, and means connecting one of said inputs of said comparator relay means to said summing amplifier means to determine when the output of said summing amplifier means is within a given range between high and low limits.

Claim 14

An analog computer as set forth in claim 8, including means to establish a high limit, means to establish a low limit, and means to connect said high and low limit means to said comparator relay means.

Claim 15

An analog computer as set forth in claim 9, including contacts on said comparator relay means to be closed upon the condition of said summing amplifier output being between said high and low limits.

Claim 16

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connected to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, three function generators in said function generator means, three summing amplifiers in said summing amplifier means, three pairs of a high-comparator relay and a low-comparator relay with a pair connected to each of said summing amplifiers as three channels, each of said comparator relays having first and second inputs, a high-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said high-comparator relay and a low-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said low-comparator relay, means connecting said first inputs of said pairs of comparator relays to the outputs of said summing amplifiers, respectively, normally open contacts on each said low-limit comparator relay and normally closed contacts on each said high-limit comparator relay with relay contacts of each pair connected in series with a voltage source and an indicator lamp to have said indicator lamp energized when said output from said respective amplifier is within the range of the high and low limits, a logic circuit including diode means establishing an AND channel to indicate the existence of three channels being simultaneously within the range between high and low limits, a hold relay having contacts connected to the input of said function generator means, means to energize said hold relay to open the input to said function generator means upon said logic circuit signalling the condition of said three channels being simultaneously within limits, and a sequential printout device connected to sequentially print out the voltage on each of said function generators upon said hold relay becoming energized.

Claim 17

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connected to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, three function generators in said function generator means, three summing amplifiers in said summing amplifier means, three pairs of a high-comparator relay and a low-comparator relay with a pair connected to each of said summing amplifiers as three channels, each of said comparator relays having first and second inputs, a high-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said high-comparator relay and a low-limit potentiometer connected to said second input of each said low-comparator relay, means connecting said first inputs of said pairs of comparator relays to the outputs of said summing amplifiers, respectively, normally open contacts on each said low-limit comparator relay and normally closed contacts on each said high-limit comparator relay with relay contacts of each pair connected in series with a voltage source and an indicator lamp to have said indicator lamp energized when said output from said respective amplifier is within the range of the high and low limits, a logic circuit including diode means establishing an AND channel to indicate the existence of three channels being simultaneously within the range between high and low limits, a hold relay having contacts connected to the input of said function generator means, means to energize said hold relay to open the input to said function generator means upon said logic circuit signalling the condition of said three channels being simultaneously within limits, and a sequential printout device connected to sequentially print out the voltage on each of said function generators upon said hold relay becoming energized.

Claim 18

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connected to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, means to generate a perturbing signal, means to apply said perturbing signal to said first output voltage of said function generator means, comparator means, means for connecting said comparator means to the output of said summing amplifier means to have an output distinguishing between increasing and decreasing outputs of said summing amplifier means, and feedback means responsive to the decreasing output condition of said summing amplifier means to influence the input to said function generator means.

Claim 19

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means connected to said voltage source to establish a first output voltage variable at a predetermined rate, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, means to generate a perturbing signal, means to apply said perturbing signal to said first output voltage of said function generator means, comparator means, means for connecting said comparator means to the output of said summing amplifier means to have an output distinguishing between increasing and decreasing outputs of said summing amplifier means, and feedback means responsive to the decreasing output condition of said summing amplifier means to influence the input to said function generator means.

Claim 20

An analog computer as set forth in claim 12, wherein said feedback means influences said function generator means in a direction to decrease the output from said summing amplifier means.

Claim 21

An analog computer as set forth in claim 12, wherein said perturbing signal is a square wave.

Claim 22

An analog computer as set forth in claim 12, including an absolute value circuit to establish the absolute value of said second output voltage prior to summing in said summing amplifier means.

Claim 23

An analog computer as set forth in claim 12, including differentiator means connected between the output of said summing amplifier means and said comparator means to have an output which is positive or negative depending upon whether the input to the differentiator is increasing or decreasing.

Claim 24

An analog computer as set forth in claim 16, wherein said comparator means includes a comparator relay having contacts which are closed whenever the derivative voltage is negative.

Claim 25

An analog computer as set forth in claim 12, including an error detection circuit connected to receive said second output voltage.

Claim 26

An analog computer as set forth in claim 18, wherein said error detection circuit has adjustment means to adjust the input to said summing amplifier means at a predetermined value for calibration purposes, and means to apply said second output voltage to said error detection circuit to determine the magnitude of the error between the specified and the actual value of said second output voltage.

Claim 27

An analog computer as set forth in claim 19, including an absolute value circuit to establish the absolute value of said second output voltage.

Claim 28

An analog computer as set forth in claim 12, including first and second unity gain inverters connected in cascade and having an input from said function generator means, and means to apply said perturbing signal to the input of said second inverter.

Claim 29

An analog computer as set forth in claim 21, wherein said feedback means apPlies a voltage to the input to said function generator means to change the first output voltage in the same direction as the instantaneous change caused by said perturbing signal.

Claim 30

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means including an operational amplifier and connected to said voltage source, capacitive feedback means connected from the output to the input of said operational amplifier to cause same to act as an integrator to generate a linearly increasing first output voltage, means to establish a variable voltage at a terminal of said voltage source, an input resistor between said variable voltage terminal and said operational amplifier input whereby the voltage at said variable voltage terminal establishes a predetermined ramp rate for the first output voltage, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, a plurality of function generators in said function generator means, a plurality of inverter circuits each having first and second unity gain inverters connected in cascade and each connected to the input of one of the plurality of function generators, said plurality of inverter circuits having outputs through said multiplying means to a plurality of error detection circuits, each of said error detection circuits including an error detection amplifier and an absolute value circuit, each of said absolute value circuits including a pair of first and second unity gain amplifiers connected in cascade to establish on the output of said second amplifier a voltage proportional to a weighting factor times the absolute value of the second output voltage error from its desired value, said summing amplifier means summing the error signals from said plurality of error detection circuits, a differentiator having an input connected to said summing amplifier means to have an output which is positive or negative depending upon whether the total sum error is increasing or decreasing, a comparator relay connected to the output of said differentiator to be energized whenever the total error is decreasing and hence the derivative voltage is negative, a scanner switch having a first pole and a second pole, a perturbing signal square wave generator having first and second outputs, means connecting said square wave generator first output through said scanner switch second pole successively to said second cascaded inverter in each of said inverter circuits as a perturbing signal, and feedback means connecting said square wave signal through said comparator relay contacts and said scanner switch first pole to the inputs of said integrators to change the value of the respective integrator output in a direction to decrease the total sum error.

Claim 31

An analog computer comprising, in combination, a voltage source, function generator means including an operational amplifier and connected to said voltage source, capacitive feedback means connected from the output to the input of said operational amplifier to cause same to act as an integrator to generate a linearly increasing first output voltage, means to establish a variable voltage at a terminal of said voltage source, an input resistor between said variable voltage terminal and said operational amplifier input whereby the voltage at said variable voltage terminal establishes a predetermined ramp rate for the first output voltage, means for multiplying said first output voltage of said function generator means by a first predetermined value to produce a second output voltage proportional to the product of said first output voltage and said first value, summing amplifier means, means connecting said second output voltage to said summing amplifier means to establish an amplified output, a plurality of function generators in said function generator means, a plurality of inverter circuits each having first and second unity gain inverters connected in cascade and each connected to the input of one of the plurality of function generators, said plurality of inverter circuits having outputs through said multiplying means to a plurality of error detection circuits, each of said error detection circuits including an error detection amplifier and an absolute value circuit, each of said absolute value circuits including a pair of first and second unity gain amplifiers connected in cascade to establish on the output of said second amplifier a voltage proportional to a weighting factor times the absolute value of the second output voltage error from its desired value, said summing amplifier means summing the error signals from said plurality of error detection circuits, a differentiator having an input connected to said summing amplifier means to have an output which is positive or negative depending upon whether the total sum error is increasing or decreasing, a comparator relay connected to the output of said differentiator to be energized whenever the total error is decreasing and hence the derivative voltage is negative, a scanner switch having a first pole and a second pole, a perturbing signal square wave generator having first and second outputs, means connecting said square wave generator first output through said scanner switch second pole successively to said second cascaded inverter in each of said inverter circuits as a perturbing signal, and feedback means connecting said square wave signal through said comparator relay contacts and said scanner switch first pole to the inputs of said integrators to change the value of the respective integrator output in a direction to decrease the total sum error.