Distributed optimization system and method
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsJohn E. Hurtado, Clark R. Dohrmann, Rush D. Robinett, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A search system and method for controlling multiple agents to optimize an objective using distributed sensing and cooperative control. The search agent can be one or more physical agents, such as a robot, and can be software agents for searching cyberspace. The objective can be: chemical sources, temperature sources, radiation sources, light sources, evaders, trespassers, explosive sources, time dependent sources, time independent sources, function surfaces, maximization points, minimization points, and optimal control of a system such as a communication system, an economy, a crane, and a multi-processor computer.
Claims11
A method for controlling a plurality of agents to search an area for an objective, wherein each agent comprises a sensor, a communicator, and a cooperative controller, the method comprising on each agent:
- a) determining a reading from the sensor;
- b) sharing the reading with other agents in the plurality of agents;
- c) concurrently approximating the search area, according to a plurality of readings from the plurality of agents;
- d) solving for a cooperative approximation, corresponding to the concurrently approximated search area;
- e) updating an agent control strategy, according to the cooperative approximation and the reading;
- and
- f) repeating steps a) through e) until an optimization condition for the objective is met.
A method for controlling a plurality of processors in a computer to cooperatively optimize an objective for a surface function, the method comprising on each processor:
- a) evaluating the surface function at a location;
- b) sharing the evaluation and the location with other processors in the plurality of processors;
- c) concurrently approximating the surface function, according to evaluations and locations from the plurality of processors;
- d) solving for a cooperative approximation, corresponding to the concurrently approximated surface function;
- e) updating a processor control strategy, according to the cooperative approximation and the location;
- and
- f) repeating steps a) through e) until an optimization condition for the objective is met.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.