Apparatus and method using adaptive gain scheduling algorithm

A self-tuning system for controlling a process in response to three independent control paths having at least one measured parameter common to all three control paths comprising:

• a modular parameter estimator receiving the measured parameter and for heuristicly calculating an estimated parameter using an estimation algorithm;
• a modular PID parameter converter connected to said estimator for applying a proportional plus intergral plus derivative algrithm to the estimated parameter to produce a PID control signal;
• a PID controller connected to said PID parameter converter for controlling the process in a conventional manner;
• a modular IMC parameter converter containing an internal model algorithm and connected to the estimator for utilizing the internal model algorithm of the converter by the estimated parameter to generate an interm model control signal;
• gain scheduling means connected to the modular IMC parameter converter for receiving the internal model control signal to generate a gain scheduled control signal;
• an IMC controller connected to said gain scheduling means for receiving the gain scheduled control signal for controlling the process through a compensation control signal aiding said conventional process control;
• a modular user defined parameter converter connected to the estimator for receiving the estimated parameter and for generating an estimated parameter control signal;
• and
• a user defined controller connected to said user defined parameter converter for receiving the user defined control signal to control the process through a user applied control signal.