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US5357449A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Combining estimates using fuzzy sets

Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
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Filing: 1992-12-23
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Granted: 1994-10-18
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Expires: 2012-12-23
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Abstract

Abstract A system for obtaining a estimate of a physical parameter. The system is a multiple point system, in that estimates are obtained from a number of distributed sensors at a single observation time, or alternatively, from a single sensor at a number of observation times. Each sensor point is associated with a processor that calculates an estimate pair, consisting of an estimate of the parameter and a variance. Each estimate pair is used to construct a membership function. The membership functions are combined, and the combined function is optimized to determine a final estimate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Sang G. Oh

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 10:15
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01D; G01D1/00; G06; G06N; G06N7/00; G06N7/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S706/00; Y10S706/90

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 149 words
A distributed sensor system for estimating a value of a physical parameter, comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting a physical process and quantifying said physical process as a parameter; a plurality of sensor processors, each of said sensor processors being associated with one of said sensors, respectively, wherein each of said sensor processors is programmed to calculate an estimate and a variance for each observation of said sensors; a central unit in communication with said sensor processors, wherein said central unit is programmed to convert said estimate from each of said sensor processors in accordance with fuzzy logic and a membership function from a plurality of membership functions and combining said plurality of membership functions and determining a minimum area under a curve corresponding to said combined membership functions, to determine a final estimate; and a communications link from each of said sensor processors to said central unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 149 words
A distributed sensor system for estimating a value of a physical parameter, comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting a physical process and quantifying said physical process as a parameter; a plurality of sensor processors, each of said sensor processors being associated with one of said sensors, respectively, wherein each of said sensor processors is programmed to calculate an estimate and a variance for each observation of said sensors; a central unit in communication with said sensor processors, wherein said central unit is programmed to convert said estimate from each of said sensor processors in accordance with fuzzy logic and a membership function from a plurality of membership functions and combining said plurality of membership functions and determining a minimum area under a curve corresponding to said combined membership functions, to determine a final estimate; and a communications link from each of said sensor processors to said central unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 11 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors are frequency sensors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 12 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors observe angles of arrival.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 39 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors detect multiple components of said physical process, and wherein said sensor processors calculate an additional estimate for each of said multiple components and a further estimate for the number of components.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said central unit is further programmed to distinguish estimates on the basis of reliability.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said central unit is further programmed to derive each of said membership functions from said estimate and said variance of each observation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 23 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said central unit is further programmed to calculate said final estimate by optimizing said combined membership functions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 114 words
A single-sensor system for estimating a value of a physical parameter, comprising: a sensor for detecting observation values at a predetermined number of observation times; a first processor associated with said sensor, wherein said first processor calculates an estimate and a variance for each observation corresponding to said observation values; and a second processor associated with said sensor, wherein said second processor is programmed to convert each estimate corresponding to said sensor in accordance with fuzzy logic and a membership function from a plurality of membership functions and to combine said plurality of membership functions to determine a minimum area under a curve corresponding to said combined membership functions to determine a final estimate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 114 words
A single-sensor system for estimating a value of a physical parameter, comprising: a sensor for detecting observation values at a predetermined number of observation times; a first processor associated with said sensor, wherein said first processor calculates an estimate and a variance for each observation corresponding to said observation values; and a second processor associated with said sensor, wherein said second processor is programmed to convert each estimate corresponding to said sensor in accordance with fuzzy logic and a membership function from a plurality of membership functions and to combine said plurality of membership functions to determine a minimum area under a curve corresponding to said combined membership functions to determine a final estimate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
The system of claim 8, wherein said second processor is further programmed to derive each of said membership functions from said estimate and said variance of each observation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system of claim 8, wherein said second processor is further programmed to calculate said final estimate by optimizing said combined functions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 149 words
A distributed sensor system for estimating a value of a physical parameter, comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting a physical process and quantifying said physical process as a parameter; a plurality of sensor processors, each of said sensor processors being associated with one of said sensors, respectively, wherein each of said sensor processors is programmed to parallel process and to calculate an estimate and a variance for each observation of said sensors; a central unit in communication with said sensor processors, wherein said central unit is programmed to convert each estimate from each of said sensor processors by using fuzzy logic and a membership function from a plurality of membership functions and to combine said membership functions to determine a minimum area under a curve corresponding to said combined membership function a final estimate; and a communications link from each of said sensor processors to said central unit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 149 words
A distributed sensor system for estimating a value of a physical parameter, comprising: a plurality of sensors for detecting a physical process and quantifying said physical process as a parameter; a plurality of sensor processors, each of said sensor processors being associated with one of said sensors, respectively, wherein each of said sensor processors is programmed to parallel process and to calculate an estimate and a variance for each observation of said sensors; a central unit in communication with said sensor processors, wherein said central unit is programmed to convert each estimate from each of said sensor processors by using fuzzy logic and a membership function from a plurality of membership functions and to combine said membership functions to determine a minimum area under a curve corresponding to said combined membership function a final estimate; and a communications link from each of said sensor processors to said central unit.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4839823A Cited
US4837725A Cited
US5051932A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-10-17 1998-04-18 1998-10-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-10-17 2002-04-18 2002-10-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
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