System and method for background element switching for models in model predictive estimation and control applications

A system comprising:

• one or more central processing units for processing information;
• a memory communicatively coupled to the one or more central processing units;
• and
• one or more modules that comprise instructions stored in the memory, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processing units, operable to perform operations comprising:
• defining a process model for an application, wherein the process model comprises one or more single-input/single-output (SISO) relationships, and wherein the one or more SISO relationships comprise one or more background elements and an active element;
• defining a range of a process variable, wherein the process variable is broken into a plurality of contiguous segments;
• associating each of the background elements with a corresponding one of the plurality of contiguous segments;
• placing the application online, wherein the application is based, at least in part, on the process model;
• running the application;
• determining whether to switch a selected background element with the active element, wherein the selected background element is one of the one or more background elements, and wherein the determining step is based, at least in part, on changes in the process variable from one contiguous segment to another continuous segment;
• copying the selected background element as a new active element, wherein the copying replaces the active element with the new active element;
• and
• adjusting one or more states associated with the process model to transition to a new model.