Method and apparatus for adaptive control of a system or device

A computer-implemented method for controlling a variable parameter of a system, comprising the steps of:

• providing a setpoint, the setpoint corresponding to the desired value of a variable parameter of a system;
• obtaining a first current value of the variable parameter;
• calculating an error value, the error value being equal to the difference between the first current value of the variable and the setpoint;
• selecting a predetermined output based upon the error value;
• determining whether the predetermined output has been previously output to the system;
• if the predetermined output has been previously output to the system, adjusting the predetermined output by a predetermined amount, and providing the adjusted predetermined output to the system;
• and
• if the predetermined output has not been previously output to the system, providing the predetermined output to the system.

A computer readable medium having encoded thereon a computer-implemented method for controlling a variable parameter of a system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a setpoint, the setpoint corresponding to the desired value of a variable parameter of a system;
• obtaining a first current value of the variable parameter;
• calculating an error value, the error value being equal to the difference between the first current value of the variable and the setpoint;
• selecting a predetermined output based upon the error value;
• determining whether the predetermined output has been previously output to the system;
• if the predetermined output has been previously output to the system, adjusting the predetermined output by a predetermined amount, and providing the adjusted predetermined output to the system;
• and
• if the predetermined output has not been previously output to the system, providing the predetermined output to the system.

A system for controlling a variable parameter, comprising:

• a first memory device for receiving values of a variable parameter from a monitor and for storing the values;
• a logic device for receiving the values from the first memory device and for determining a current status based upon the values;
• a second memory device for storing previous statuses, previous outputs, and previous results, each previous status having a corresponding previous output and a corresponding previous result;
• and
• an adjustment device for receiving the current status from the logic device and previous statuses from the second memory device, and for providing an output, wherein the output is equivalent to a predetermined value when the current status does not match a previous status, and wherein the output is proportional to a previous output when the current status does match a previous status, the proportion being based upon the result corresponding to the matched previous status.