Adaptive control system using position feedback

Abstract

A control computer produces a position error signal in accordance with the difference between the desired position of a controlled device and the actual position of the controlled device. The position error signal is amplified and compensated to produce a series of discrete control pulses of controlled but variable duration which regulate a servo actuating system connected to the controlled device so as to reposition the controlled device to the desired position. The servo actuating system is a simple on-off integrating valve which does not depend on feedback or other techniques to regulate the position of the controlled device in response to the control pulses from the control computer. Instead, the gain of the position error signal is varied during each cycle in an adaptive manner as a function of the measured change in position of the controlled device in response to the control pulse during the last previous cycle, and the next control pulse is accordingly generated as a function of the response of the entire control system during that previous cycle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.