Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
268 words
A method for controlling a system comprised of a plurality of control elements respectively switchable between discrete states in response to a plurality of input conditions, said control elements respectively controlling a state of a plurality of resource elements, comprising the steps: a) storing data that identifies the state of each of said plurality of resource elements for a plurality of control element state combinations; b) storing data that identifies a desired state of each of said resource elements for each of said plurality of input conditions; c) storing data assigning a priority to each of said plurality of input conditions; d) fetching said stored data that identifies the state of said plurality of resource elements for one control element state combination; e) fetching said stored data that identifies a desired resource element state for each of said resource elements for one of said input conditions; f) comparing said fetched stored data in steps d and e, and determining the number of said desired resource element states that result from said one control element combination; g) establishing a partial score for said one control element combination that is a function of said number of desired resource element states and the priority assigned to said one of said input conditions; h) repeating steps e, f and g for a plurality of input conditions; i) establishing a score for said one control element state combination from said partial scores established in step h; j) repeating steps d through h for additional configurations of control element states; and k) selecting a control element state combination on the basis of said score.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
268 words
A method for controlling a system comprised of a plurality of control elements respectively switchable between discrete states in response to a plurality of input conditions, said control elements respectively controlling a state of a plurality of resource elements, comprising the steps: a) storing data that identifies the state of each of said plurality of resource elements for a plurality of control element state combinations; b) storing data that identifies a desired state of each of said resource elements for each of said plurality of input conditions; c) storing data assigning a priority to each of said plurality of input conditions; d) fetching said stored data that identifies the state of said plurality of resource elements for one control element state combination; e) fetching said stored data that identifies a desired resource element state for each of said resource elements for one of said input conditions; f) comparing said fetched stored data in steps d and e, and determining the number of said desired resource element states that result from said one control element combination; g) establishing a partial score for said one control element combination that is a function of said number of desired resource element states and the priority assigned to said one of said input conditions; h) repeating steps e, f and g for a plurality of input conditions; i) establishing a score for said one control element state combination from said partial scores established in step h; j) repeating steps d through h for additional configurations of control element states; and k) selecting a control element state combination on the basis of said score.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
305 words
A method for controlling a system comprised of a plurality of control elements respectively switchable between discrete states in response to a plurality of input conditions, said control elements respectively controlling a state of a plurality of resource elements, comprising the steps: a) storing data that identifies the state of each of said plurality of resource elements for a plurality of control element state combinations; b) storing data that identifies a desired state of each of said resource elements for each of said plurality of input conditions; c) storing data assigning a priority to each of said plurality of input conditions whereby said priority is calculated so that the addition of new input conditions will never result in a decrease in the total number of desired system resource states realized for all input conditions with a higher priority; d) fetching said stored data that identifies the state of said plurality of resource elements for one control element state combination; e) fetching said stored data that identifies a desired resource element state for each of said resource elements for one of said input conditions; f) comparing said fetching stored data in steps d and e, and determining the number of said desired resource element states that result from said one control element combination; g) establishing a partial score for said one control element combination that is a function of said number of desired resource element states and the priority assigned to said one of said input conditions; h) repeating steps e, f and g for a plurality of input conditions; i) establishing a score for said one control element state combination from said partial scores established in step h; j) repeating steps d through h for additional configurations of control element states; and k) selecting a control element state combination on the basis of said score.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
305 words
A method for controlling a system comprised of a plurality of control elements respectively switchable between discrete states in response to a plurality of input conditions, said control elements respectively controlling a state of a plurality of resource elements, comprising the steps: a) storing data that identifies the state of each of said plurality of resource elements for a plurality of control element state combinations; b) storing data that identifies a desired state of each of said resource elements for each of said plurality of input conditions; c) storing data assigning a priority to each of said plurality of input conditions whereby said priority is calculated so that the addition of new input conditions will never result in a decrease in the total number of desired system resource states realized for all input conditions with a higher priority; d) fetching said stored data that identifies the state of said plurality of resource elements for one control element state combination; e) fetching said stored data that identifies a desired resource element state for each of said resource elements for one of said input conditions; f) comparing said fetching stored data in steps d and e, and determining the number of said desired resource element states that result from said one control element combination; g) establishing a partial score for said one control element combination that is a function of said number of desired resource element states and the priority assigned to said one of said input conditions; h) repeating steps e, f and g for a plurality of input conditions; i) establishing a score for said one control element state combination from said partial scores established in step h; j) repeating steps d through h for additional configurations of control element states; and k) selecting a control element state combination on the basis of said score.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as in claim 1 further comprising the steps: l) determining if the configuration selected in step k is achievable; and m) selecting the configuration with the next highest score if the configuration selected in step k is not achievable.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as in claim 2 further comprising the steps: l) determining if the configuration selected in step k is achievable; and m) selecting the configuration with the next highest score if the configuration selected in step k is not achievable.