US5933345A — Method and apparatus for dynamic and steady state…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 197 words

A dynamic controller for controlling the operation of a plant by predicting a change in the dynamic input values to the plant to effect a change in the output of the plant from a current output value at a first time to a different and desired output value at a second time to achieve predetermined objectives of the dynamic controller, comprising: a dynamic predictive model for receiving the current input value and the desired output value and predicting a plurality of input values at different time positions between the first time and the second time to define a dynamic operation path of the plant between the current output value and the desired output value at the second time; and an optimizer for optimizing the operation of the dynamic controller over a plurality all of the different time positions from the first time to the second time in accordance with a predetermined optimization method that optimizes the objectives of the dynamic controller to achieve a desired path from the first time to the second time, such that the objectives of the dynamic predictive model from the first time to the second time vary as a function of time.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 197 words

A dynamic controller for controlling the operation of a plant by predicting a change in the dynamic input values to the plant to effect a change in the output of the plant from a current output value at a first time to a different and desired output value at a second time to achieve predetermined objectives of the dynamic controller, comprising: a dynamic predictive model for receiving the current input value and the desired output value and predicting a plurality of input values at different time positions between the first time and the second time to define a dynamic operation path of the plant between the current output value and the desired output value at the second time; and an optimizer for optimizing the operation of the dynamic controller over a plurality all of the different time positions from the first time to the second time in accordance with a predetermined optimization method that optimizes the objectives of the dynamic controller to achieve a desired path from the first time to the second time, such that the objectives of the dynamic predictive model from the first time to the second time vary as a function of time.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 176 words

The dynamic controller of claim 1, wherein said dynamic predictive model comprises: a dynamic forward model operable to receive input values at each of said time positions and map said received input values through a stored representation of the plant to provide a predicted dynamic output value; an error generator for comparing the predicted dynamic output value to the desired output value and generating a primary error value as the difference therebetween for each of said time positions; an error minimization device for determining a change in the input value to minimize the primary error value output by said error generator; a summation device for summing said determined input change value with an original input value, which original input value comprises the input value before the determined change therein, for each time position to provide a future input value as a summed input value; and a controller for controlling the operation of said error minimization device to operate under control of said optimizer to minimize said primary error value in accordance with said predetermined optimization method.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 140 words

The dynamic controller of claim 2, wherein said controller controls the operation of said summation device to iteratively minimize said primary error value by storing the summed output from said summation device in a latch in a first pass through said error minimization device and input the latch contents to said dynamic forward model in subsequent pass and for a plurality of subsequent passes, with the output of said error minimization device summed with the previous contents of said latch with said summation device, said latch containing the current value of the input on the first pass through said dynamic forward model and said error minimization device, said controller outputting the contents of said latch as the input to the plant after said primary error value has been determined to meet the objectives in accordance with said predetermined optimization method.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The dynamic controller of claim 2, wherein said dynamic forward model is a dynamic linear model with a fixed gain.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The dynamic controller of claim 4 and further comprising a gain adjustment device for adjusting the gain of said linear model for substantially all of said time positions.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 94 words

The dynamic controller of claim 5, wherein said gain adjustment device comprises: a non-linear model for receiving an input value and mapping the received input value through a stored representation of the plant to provide on the output thereof a predicted output value, and having a non-linear gain associated therewith; said linear model having parameters associated therewith that define the dynamic gain thereof; and a parameter adjustment device for adjusting the parameters of said linear model as a function of the gain of said non-linear model for at least one of said time positions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 62 words

The dynamic controller of claim 6, wherein said gain adjustment device further comprises an approximation device for approximating the dynamic gain for a plurality of said time positions between the value of the dynamic gain at said first time and the determined dynamic gain at the one of said time positions having the dynamic gain thereof determined by said parameter adjustment device.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

The dynamic controller of claim 7, wherein the one of said time positions at which said parameter adjustment device adjusts said parameters as a function of the gain of said non-linear model corresponds to the maximum at the second time.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 14 words

The dynamic controller of claim 6, wherein said non-linear model is a steady-state model.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 53 words

The dynamic controller of claim 2, wherein said error minimization device includes a primary error modification device for modifying said primary error value to provide a modified error value, said error minimization device optimizing the operation of the dynamic controller to minimize said modified error value in accordance with said predetermined optimization method.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

The dynamic controller of claim 10, wherein said primary error value is weighted as a function of time from the first time to the second time.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 46 words

The dynamic controller of claim 11, wherein said weighting function decreases as a function of time such that said primary error value is attenuated at a relatively high value proximate to the first time and attenuated at a relatively low level proximate to the second time.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 66 words

The dynamic controller of claim 2, wherein said error minimization device receives said predicted output value from said dynamic forward model and determines a change in the input value maintaining a constraint on the predicted output value such that minimization of the primary error value through a determined input change would not cause said predicted output value from said dynamic forward model to exceed said constraint.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 34 words

The dynamic controller of claim 2, and further comprising a filter determining the operation of said error minimization device when the difference between the predicted dynamic output and the desired output value is insignificant.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The dynamic controller of claim 14, wherein said filter determines when the difference between the predicted dynamic output and the desired output value is not significant by determining the accuracy of the model upon which the dynamic forward model is based.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 42 words

The dynamic controller of claim 15, wherein the accuracy is determined as a function of the standard deviation of the error and a predetermined confidence level, wherein said confidence level is based upon the accuracy of the training over the mapped space.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 225 words

A method for predicting an output value from a received input value, comprising the steps of: modeling a set of static data received from a plant in a predictive static model over a first range, the static model having a static gain of K and modeling the static operation of the plant; modeling a set of dynamic data received from the plant in a predictive dynamic model over a second range smaller than the first range, the dynamic model having a dynamic gain k and modeling the dynamic operation of the plant over the second range, and the dynamic model being independent of the operation of the static model; adjusting the gain of the dynamic model as a predetermined function of the gain of the static model to vary the model parameters of the dynamic model; predicting the dynamic operation of the predicted input value for a change in the input value between a first input value at a first time and a second input value at a second time; subtracting the input value from a steady-state input value previously determined and inputting the difference to the dynamic model and processing the input through the dynamic model to provide a dynamic output value; and adding the dynamic output value from the dynamic model to a steady-state output value previously determined to provide a predicted value.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 225 words

A method for predicting an output value from a received input value, comprising the steps of: modeling a set of static data received from a plant in a predictive static model over a first range, the static model having a static gain of K and modeling the static operation of the plant; modeling a set of dynamic data received from the plant in a predictive dynamic model over a second range smaller than the first range, the dynamic model having a dynamic gain k and modeling the dynamic operation of the plant over the second range, and the dynamic model being independent of the operation of the static model; adjusting the gain of the dynamic model as a predetermined function of the gain of the static model to vary the model parameters of the dynamic model; predicting the dynamic operation of the predicted input value for a change in the input value between a first input value at a first time and a second input value at a second time; subtracting the input value from a steady-state input value previously determined and inputting the difference to the dynamic model and processing the input through the dynamic model to provide a dynamic output value; and adding the dynamic output value from the dynamic model to a steady-state output value previously determined to provide a predicted value.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined function is an equality function wherein the static gain K is equal to the dynamic gain k.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 17, wherein the static model is a non-linear model.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 19, wherein the dynamic model for a given dynamic gain is linear.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 20, wherein the step of adjusting the gain of the dynamic model as a function of the predetermined function of the gain of the static model is a non-linear operation.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method of claim 17, wherein the static model and the dynamic model are utilized in a control function to receive as inputs the manipulated inputs of the plant, the actual output from the plant in addition to a desired output value at which the plant is to operate, and then perform the step of predicting future manipulated inputs required to achieve the desired output.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 22, and further comprising the step of optimizing the operation of the dynamic model in accordance with a predetermined optimization method between an initial steady-state value and a predicted final steady-state value that constitutes an input control variable to the plant during the control operation.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 23, wherein the step of optimizing comprises determining the dynamic gain k for multiple positions between the input steady-state input value and the final predicted steady-state input value that comprises the input control variables to the plant.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 24, wherein the step of determining utilizes an algorithm that estimates the dynamic gain k independent of the operation of the static model.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 12 words

The method of claim 25, wherein the algorithm is a quadratic equation.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 108 words

The method of claim 23, wherein the step of predicting with the dynamic model utilized as a dynamic controller comprises the steps of: predicting the dynamic operation of the plant from the initial steady-state input value to the predicted steady-state input value to provide a predicted dynamic operation; comparing the predicted dynamic operation to the desired steady-state value at the final desired output value and generating an error as the difference therebetween; determining a change in the input value for input to the step of predicting the dynamic operation which will vary the input value thereto; and varying the change in the input value to minimize the error.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 27, wherein the step of determining the error comprises multiplying the determined error value by a predetermined weighting value that is a function of time from the first time to the second time.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 27, wherein the predetermined weighting function attenuates the error for values proximate in time to the initial steady-state value at the first time and decreases the attenuation value as time increases to the final steady-state value at the second time.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 212 words

A predictive system for predicting the operation of a plant, the predictive system operable to receive an input value and provide on an output of the predictive system a predicted output value, comprising: a non-linear model having an input for receiving the input value and mapping it across a stored learned representation of the plant to provide the predictive system output on an output, said non-linear model having an internal integrity that is a function of a training operation that varies across the mapped space such that the accuracy of the predicted value will vary as the integrity varies; a first principles model for providing a calculated representation of the plant that is not a function of a training operation; a domain analyzer for determining when the input value input to said non-linear model falls within a region of the mapped space having an integrity that is less than a predetermined integrity threshold; and a control system for selecting between said non-linear model and said first principles model based upon said domain analyzer determining that the integrity is above or below the predetermined threshold, such that said non-linear model is selected when said integrity is above said threshold and said first principles model is selected when said integrity is below said threshold.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 212 words

A predictive system for predicting the operation of a plant, the predictive system operable to receive an input value and provide on an output of the predictive system a predicted output value, comprising: a non-linear model having an input for receiving the input value and mapping it across a stored learned representation of the plant to provide the predictive system output on an output, said non-linear model having an internal integrity that is a function of a training operation that varies across the mapped space such that the accuracy of the predicted value will vary as the integrity varies; a first principles model for providing a calculated representation of the plant that is not a function of a training operation; a domain analyzer for determining when the input value input to said non-linear model falls within a region of the mapped space having an integrity that is less than a predetermined integrity threshold; and a control system for selecting between said non-linear model and said first principles model based upon said domain analyzer determining that the integrity is above or below the predetermined threshold, such that said non-linear model is selected when said integrity is above said threshold and said first principles model is selected when said integrity is below said threshold.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-08-02	2003-02-01	2003-08-03	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-08-02	2007-02-01	2007-08-03	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-08-02	2011-02-01	2011-08-03	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for dynamic and steady state modeling over a desired path between two end points

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