Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for controlling a process having a plurality of independently controllable, manipulable variables and at least one controllable variable dependent upon said independently controllable, manipulable variables, comprising: gathering data about said process by separately introducing a test disturbance in each of said manipulable variables and measuring the effects of said disturbances on said at least one dependent controllable variable; measuring the present values of said variables; calculating for discrete intervals of time from said gathered data about said process, said measured present values, and preselected operating constraints a set of moves for at least said manipulable variables to obtain new values for said variables and to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards at least one of said constraints; and changing said process by adjusting said manipulable variables in accordance with a preselected portion of said set of moves to cause said process to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards said at least one of said constraints.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method for controlling a process having a plurality of independently controllable, manipulable variables and at least one controllable variable dependent upon said independently controllable, manipulable variables, comprising: gathering data about said process by separately introducing a test disturbance in each of said manipulable variables and measuring the effects of said disturbances on said at least one dependent controllable variable; measuring the present values of said variables; calculating for discrete intervals of time from said gathered data about said process, said measured present values, and preselected operating constraints a set of moves for at least said manipulable variables to obtain new values for said variables and to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards at least one of said constraints; and changing said process by adjusting said manipulable variables in accordance with a preselected portion of said set of moves to cause said process to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards said at least one of said constraints.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said process comprises at least one uncontrolled variable that is dependent on said manipulable variables and wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that said uncontrolled variable is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that at least one of said manipulable variables is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of calculating said set of moves comprises calculating said set of moves employing quadratic programming techniques.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that at least one of said manipulable variables is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said process comprises at least one uncontrolled variable that is dependent on said manipulable variables and wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that said uncontrolled variable is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of calculating said set of moves comprises calculating said set of moves employing linear programming techniques.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that at least one of said manipulable variables is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said process comprises at least one uncontrolled variable that is dependent on said manipulable variables and wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that said uncontrolled variable is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that at least one of said manipulable variables is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said process comprises at least one uncontrolled variable that is dependent on said manipulable variables and wherein said step of calculating said set of moves further comprises calculating said set of moves such that said uncontrolled variable is limited to a predetermined constraint.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for controlling a process having a plurality of independently controllable, manipulable variables and at least one controllable variable dependent upon said independently controllable, manipulable variables, comprising: gathering data about said process by separately introducing a test disturbance in each of said manipulable variables and measuring the effects of said disturbances on said at least one dependent controllable variable; measuring the present values of said variables at a first time; calculating for discrete intervals of time from said gathered data about said process, said measured present values, and preselected operating constraints a first set of moves for at least said manipulable variables to obtain new values for said variables and to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards at least one of said constraints; changing said process by adjusting said manipulable variables in accordance with a preselected first portion of said first set of moves to cause said process to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards said at least one of said constraints; and measuring said present values at least at a second time, calculating at least a second set of moves, and changing said process at least in accordance with a preselected portion of said at least second set of moves.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
208 words
A method for controlling a process having a plurality of independently controllable, manipulable variables and at least one controllable variable dependent upon said independently controllable, manipulable variables, comprising: gathering data about said process by separately introducing a test disturbance in each of said manipulable variables and measuring the effects of said disturbances on said at least one dependent controllable variable; measuring the present values of said variables at a first time; calculating for discrete intervals of time from said gathered data about said process, said measured present values, and preselected operating constraints a first set of moves for at least said manipulable variables to obtain new values for said variables and to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards at least one of said constraints; changing said process by adjusting said manipulable variables in accordance with a preselected first portion of said first set of moves to cause said process to move said at least one dependent controllable variable towards said at least one of said constraints; and measuring said present values at least at a second time, calculating at least a second set of moves, and changing said process at least in accordance with a preselected portion of said at least second set of moves.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of controlling a process having a plurality of independently controlled, manipulated variables and at least one controlled variable dependent on said manipulated variables, said method comprising the steps of: gathering data about said process by introducing test disturbances in said manipulated variables and measuring the effect of the disturbances on said controlled variable; measuring the values of said variables at a first time; calculating from said gathered data and said measured values of said variables at said first time a first set of changes in at least one of said manipulated variables such that said controlled variable is driven towards its set point without exceeding a predetermined limit; adjusting said manipulated variables in accordance with at least one change from said first set of calculated changes; measuring the values of said variables at a second time;
Claim 16
Independent Claim
138 words
A method of controlling a process having a plurality of independently controlled, manipulated variables and at least one controlled variable dependent on said manipulated variables, said method comprising the steps of: gathering data about said process by introducing test disturbances in said manipulated variables and measuring the effect of the disturbances on said controlled variable; measuring the values of said variables at a first time; calculating from said gathered data and said measured values of said variables at said first time a first set of changes in at least one of said manipulated variables such that said controlled variable is driven towards its set point without exceeding a predetermined limit; adjusting said manipulated variables in accordance with at least one change from said first set of calculated changes; measuring the values of said variables at a second time;
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
66 words
calculating from said gathered data, said first set of changes and said measured values at said second time a second set of changes in at least one of said manipulated variables such that said controlled variable is driven towards its set point without exceeding a predetermined limit; and adjusting said manipulated variables in accordance with at least one change from said second set of calculated changes.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
66 words
calculating from said gathered data, said first set of changes and said measured values at said second time a second set of changes in at least one of said manipulated variables such that said controlled variable is driven towards its set point without exceeding a predetermined limit; and adjusting said manipulated variables in accordance with at least one change from said second set of calculated changes.