Adaptive control

Claim 2

A machine for working a material with a machine element comprising; first drive means for providing a first relative motion between said element and said material; means for sensing a first working characteristic of said element while said material is being worked by said element to produce a first working characteristic signal; means for producing a first reference characteristic signal; means responsive to the difference between said first working characteristic signal and said first reference characteristic signal to provide a first error signal; a pulse rate modifier; a logic circuit; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; means for applying said first command pulses to said pulse rate modifier; means for coupling said first error signals to said logic circuit; said logic means coupled to said pulse rate modifier and responsive to said coupled first error signals for controlling the modification of the pulse rate of said applied first command pulses as a function of the value of said error signal; said first drive means responsive to said modified applied first command pulses to provide a first relative movement between said element and said material in accordance with said modified first pulse rate.

Claim 3

An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said logic circuit comprises means responsive to at least the polarity of said applied error signal to cause said pulse rate modifier to modify said first command pulses in an increasing pulse rate direction for one polarity and a decreasing pulse rate direction for the other polarity at a desired rate.

Claim 4

An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said logic circuit also responds to the value of said error signal to cause said pulse rate modifier to modify said first command pulses at a first rate for one range of values of said error signal and at a second different rate for a second range of values of said error signal.

Claim 5

An arrangement according to claim 3 wherein said pulse rate modifier comprises a reversible counter, multiplier gates and a multiplier counter; means fOr coupling said first command pulses to said multiplier counter to divide said first command pulses into a series of pulse trains of different pulse rate; means for coupling said logic circuit to said reversible counter to cause said reversible counter to count-up or count-down at said selected rate; said logic circuit producing a count-up or a count-down logic state signal and control pulses occurring at said selected rate; said gates being coupled to said reversible counter and multiplier counter and responsive to said first command pulses to produce said modified first command pulses.

Claim 6

An arrangement according to claim 4 further comprising a digital to analogue converter coupled to said reversible counter to produce an analogue signal having a value representative of the efficiency with which said material is being worked by said element.

Claim 7

An arrangement according to claim 5 further comprising means responsive to said analogue signal to interrupt at least one of said relative motions between said element and said material.

Claim 8

An arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising means for sensing a second working characteristic of said element while said material is being worked by said element to produce a second working characteristic signal; means for producing a second reference characteristic signal; means responsive to the difference between said second working characteristic signal and said second reference characteristic signal to provide a second error signal; said coupling means further comprising means for combining said first and second error signals to produce a composite signal and for applying said composite signal to said logic circuit.

Claim 9

An arrangement according to claim 7 comprising; second drive means for providing a second relative motion between said element and said material; a source of a second command signal; means responsive to said analogue signal for modifying the value of said second command signal as a function of the value of said analogue signal; said second drive means responsive to said modified second command signal to provide a second relative movement between said element and said material in accordance with the modified value of said second command signal.

Claim 10

An arrangement according to claim 8 wherein said first motion is lineal motion.

Claim 11

An arrangement according to claim 8 wherein said second relative motion is rotational motion.

Claim 12

An adaptive controller for a process for controlling an operation A in response to a modifiable characteristic of an A control signal, and an operation B in response to a modifiable characteristic of a B control signal comprising; means for sensing at least one condition of said process when controlling to provide a first sensed signal; means for producing a first reference signal; means responsive to said first sensed and first reference signals to provide a first error signal; means responsive to said first error signal for modifying said modifiable characteristic of said A control signal as a function of the value of said first error signal; means responsive to said modified A control signal for controlling the processing of said operation A in accorance with its modified characteristic; means responsive to said modified A control signal for modifying said modifiable characteristic of said B control signal; and means responsive to said modified B control signal for controlling the processing of said operation B in accordance with its modified characteristic.

Claim 13

An adaptive controller for a process for controlling an operation A in response to a modifiable characteristic of an A control signal, and an operation B in response to a modifiable characteristic of a B control signal comprising; means for sensing at least one condition of said process when controlling to provide a first sensed signal; means for producing a first reference signal; means responsive to said first sensed and first reference signals to provide a first error signal; means responsive to said first error signal for modifying said modifiable characteristic of said A control signal as a function of the value of said first error signal; means responsive to said modified A control signal for controlling the processing of said operation A in accorance with its modified characteristic; means responsive to said modified A control signal for modifying said modifiable characteristic of said B control signal; and means responsive to said modified B control signal for controlling the processing of said operation B in accordance with its modified characteristic.

Claim 14

An arrangement according to claim 11 wherein said A control signal is a pulse signal having a modifiable recurrence rate and said means for modifying said modifiable characteristic of said A control signal is a pulse rate modifier circuit.

Claim 15

An arrangement according to claim 12 wherein said B control signal is an analogue signal having a modifiable characteristic and said means for modifying said B Control signal comprises a digital to analogue converter for converting said modified A control signal to analogue form.

Claim 16

A material working machine for moving a machine element relative to a material comprising; first and second drive means for providing first and second relative motions between said element and said material; means for sensing a plurality of different working characteristics of said element to produce a plurality of working characteristic signals; means for adjusting the relative weighting of the values of said working characteristic signals; a source of reference characteristic signals; means for comparing said working characteristic signals with said reference characteristic signals to provide an error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; a source of second command signals; means responsive to said error signal for modifying the pulse rate of said first command pulses as a function of the value of said error signal; said first drive means responsive to said modified first command pulses to control said first relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to said modified first pulse rate; means responsive to said modified first command pulses to modify the value of said second command signal; and said second drive means responsive to said modified second command signal to control said second relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to the value of said modified second command signal.

Claim 17

A material working machine for moving a machine element relative to a material comprising; first and second drive means for providing first and second relative motions between said element and said material; means for sensing a plurality of different working characteristics of said element to produce a plurality of working characteristic signals; means for adjusting the relative weighting of the values of said working characteristic signals; a source of reference characteristic signals; means for comparing said working characteristic signals with said reference characteristic signals to provide an error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; a source of second command signals; means responsive to said error signal for modifying the pulse rate of said first command pulses as a function of the value of said error signal; said first drive means responsive to said modified first command pulses to control said first relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to said modified first pulse rate; means responsive to said modified first command pulses to modify the value of said second command signal; and said second drive means responsive to said modified second command signal to control said second relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to the value of said modified second command signal.

Claim 18

An arrangement according to claim 14 wherein said means for sensing comprises means for sensing at least one of the following working characteristics: element temperature, element vibration, element deflection and element torque developed during working of said material by said element.

Claim 19

A machine for working a material with a machine element comprising; first drive means for providing lineal motion of said element with respect to said material; second drive means for providing rotational motion of said element with respect to said material; means for sensing the working temperature of said element to produce a working temperature signal; means for sensing the working vibration of said element to produce a working vibration signal; means for sensing the deflection of said element to produce a working deflection signal means for sensing the working torque developed by said element; means for adjusting the relative weighting of the values of said temperature, vibration, deflection and torque signals; means for producing corresponding reference signal for each of said sensed signals; means responsive to selected ones of said working temperature, vibration, deflection and torque signals and their corresponding reference signal to provide a composite signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; a source of a second command signal; means responsive to said composite signal for modifying the pulse rate of said first command pulses as a function of the value of said composite signal; means responsive to the modified pulse rate of said modified first command pulses to produce a first control signal; said first drive means responsive to said modified first command pulses to control the lineal motion of said element with respect to said material at a speed proportional to said modified first pulse rate; said second drive means responsive to said second command signals and said first control signals to control the rotational motion of said element with respect to said material.

Claim 20

A machine for working a material with a machine element comprising; first drive means for providing lineal motion of said element with respect to said material; second drive means for providing rotational motion of said element with respect to said material; means for sensing the working temperature of said element to produce a working temperature signal; means for sensing the working vibration of said element to produce a working vibration signal; means for sensing the deflection of said element to produce a working deflection signal means for sensing the working torque developed by said element; means for adjusting the relative weighting of the values of said temperature, vibration, deflection and torque signals; means for producing corresponding reference signal for each of said sensed signals; means responsive to selected ones of said working temperature, vibration, deflection and torque signals and their corresponding reference signal to provide a composite signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; a source of a second command signal; means responsive to said composite signal for modifying the pulse rate of said first command pulses as a function of the value of said composite signal; means responsive to the modified pulse rate of said modified first command pulses to produce a first control signal; said first drive means responsive to said modified first command pulses to control the lineal motion of said element with respect to said material at a speed proportional to said modified first pulse rate; said second drive means responsive to said second command signals and said first control signals to control the rotational motion of said element with respect to said material.

Claim 21

A machine for working a material with a machine element comprising; first drive means for providing an output establishing a first relative motion between said element and said material; means for sensing a first working characteristic of said element while said material is being worked by said element to produce a first working charactEristic signal; means for producing a first reference characteristic signal; means responsive to the difference between said first working characteristic signal and said first reference characteristic signal to provide a first error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate, means responsive to said first error signals and said first command pulses for producing second command pulses having a repetition rate which is a function of the value of said error signals and the rate of said first command pulses; said first drive means responsive to said second command pulses such that changes to said second command pulses resulting from said first error signal produce changes in the output of said first drive means in a direction to reduce the value of said error to an acceptable value.

Claim 22

A machine for working a material with a machine element comprising; first drive means for providing an output establishing a first relative motion between said element and said material; means for sensing a first working characteristic of said element while said material is being worked by said element to produce a first working charactEristic signal; means for producing a first reference characteristic signal; means responsive to the difference between said first working characteristic signal and said first reference characteristic signal to provide a first error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate, means responsive to said first error signals and said first command pulses for producing second command pulses having a repetition rate which is a function of the value of said error signals and the rate of said first command pulses; said first drive means responsive to said second command pulses such that changes to said second command pulses resulting from said first error signal produce changes in the output of said first drive means in a direction to reduce the value of said error to an acceptable value.

Claim 23

A machine for working a material with a machine element comprising; first drive means for providing an output establishing a first relative motion between said element and said material; means for sensing a first working characteristic of said element while said material is being worked by said element to produce a first working characteristic signal; means for producing a first reference characteristic signal; means responsive to the difference between said first working characteristic signal and said first reference characteristic signal to provide a first error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; means responsive to said first error signals and said first command pulses for producing second command pulses having a repetition rate which is a function of the rate of said first command pulses and the integral of the value of said error signal; said first drive means responsive to said second command pulses such that changes to said second command pulses in response to said first error signal produce changes in the output of said first drive means in a direction to reduce the value of said error to a predetermined value.

Claim 24

A machine for working a material with a machine element comprising; first drive means for providing an output establishing a first relative motion between said element and said material; means for sensing a first working characteristic of said element while said material is being worked by said element to produce a first working characteristic signal; means for producing a first reference characteristic signal; means responsive to the difference between said first working characteristic signal and said first reference characteristic signal to provide a first error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; means responsive to said first error signals and said first command pulses for producing second command pulses having a repetition rate which is a function of the rate of said first command pulses and the integral of the value of said error signal; said first drive means responsive to said second command pulses such that changes to said second command pulses in response to said first error signal produce changes in the output of said first drive means in a direction to reduce the value of said error to a predetermined value.

Claim 29

A material working machine for moving a machine element relative to a material comprising; first and second drive means for providing first and second realtive motions between said element and said material; means for sensing a plurality of different working characteristics of said element to produce a plurality of working characteristic signals; means for selecting desired ones of said working characteristic signals; means for adjusting the relative weighting of the values of said selected working characteristic signals; a source of reference characteristic signals; means for comparing said relative weighted working characteristic signals with said reference characteristic signals to provide an error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; a source of second command signals; means responsive to said error signal for modifying the pulse rate of said first command pulses as a function of the value of said error signal; said first drive means responsive to said modified first command pulses to control said first relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to said modified first pulse rate; means responsive to said modified first command pulses to modify the value of said second command signal; and said second drive means responsive to said modified second command signal to control said second relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to the value of said modified second command signal.

Claim 30

A material working machine for moving a machine element relative to a material comprising; first and second drive means for providing first and second realtive motions between said element and said material; means for sensing a plurality of different working characteristics of said element to produce a plurality of working characteristic signals; means for selecting desired ones of said working characteristic signals; means for adjusting the relative weighting of the values of said selected working characteristic signals; a source of reference characteristic signals; means for comparing said relative weighted working characteristic signals with said reference characteristic signals to provide an error signal; a source of first command pulses occurring at a first rate; a source of second command signals; means responsive to said error signal for modifying the pulse rate of said first command pulses as a function of the value of said error signal; said first drive means responsive to said modified first command pulses to control said first relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to said modified first pulse rate; means responsive to said modified first command pulses to modify the value of said second command signal; and said second drive means responsive to said modified second command signal to control said second relative motion of said element and said material at a speed proportional to the value of said modified second command signal.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said means for selecting desired ones of said working characteristic signals comprise means for automatically selecting said desired ones of said working characteristic signals according to a predetermined relationship.

Claim 32

Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said selected ones of said working characteristic signals comprise the one signal which first exceeds a predetermined limit.

Claim 33

Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein selected ones of said working characteristic signals are sequentially compared with said reference characteristic signals to provide an error signal.

Claim 34

Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said reference characteristic signals comprise a plurality of reference characteristic signals and means for selecting desired ones of said reference characteristic signals for comparison with respective ones of said selected working characteristic signals to provide said error signal.