Use of saturation relay feedback in PID controller tuning

Abstract

A method and an apparatus are provided for autotuning a parameter of a PID controller which is employed in a transfer function. The method includes steps of (a) providing a first specific value for the transfer function; (b) computing a first ultimate parameter of the transfer function in response to the first specific value; (c) modifying the first specific value in response to the first ultimate parameter in order to obtain a second specific value; (d) generating a second ultimate parameter for a characteristic of the transfer function in a specified range in response to the second specific value; (e) obtaining a precise parameter of the PID controller in response to the second ultimate parameter. The autotuning apparatus includes; a controlled device outputting a first ultimate parameter and a second ultimate parameter, respectively in response to a first input signal and a second input signal; a nonlinear element connected to the controlled device, and outputting a first specific signal and a second specific signal in response to a first ultimate parameter; and a control unit connected to the nonlinear element, wherein the nonlinear element outputs the second input signal to cause the controlled device to output to the PID controller the second ultimate parameter for a specific characteristic of the controlled device in a specific range in order to obtain a precise parameter for the PID controller.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.