Method and apparatus for automatic synthesis of controllers

A system for creating at least one controller that satisfies prespecified design goals through an iterative process, the at least one controller for controlling a plant by producing at least one control signal to control operation of the plant operation to match a reference signal indicative of a desired response for a plant, the system comprising and iteratively invoking:

• means for dividing a population of controller programmatic entities into a plurality of subpopulations of controller programmatic entities, wherein each controller represented by the controller programmatic entities processes time domain input signals as part of generating the reference signal;
• means for ascertaining a degree to which each controller programmatic entity in the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities satisfies the prespecified design goals using a separate processor for each of the sub-populations;
• means for selecting from among the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities, wherein a controller specified by one controller programmatic entity that satisfies the prespecified design goals to a greater degree than another controller specified by another programmatic entity is more likely to be preferred, wherein the prespecified design goals are partially based on a rise time;
• and
• means for creating at least one candidate controller programmatic entity by applying an operation to modify at least one of the selected controller programmatic entities.

A system-implemented interactive process for creating the at least one controller that satisfies prespecified design goals, the at least one controller for controlling a plant by producing at least one control signal to control plant operation, the iterative process invoking iterations, each of which comprises:

• ascertaining the degree to which each controller programmatic entity in the population of controller programmatic entities satisfies the prespecified design goals;
• selecting from among the population of controller programmatic entities, wherein a controller specified by one controller programmatic entity that satisfies the prespecified design goals to a greater degree than another controller specified by another programmatic entity is more likely to be preferred, wherein the prespecified design goals are partially based on a settling time;
• and
• creating at least one candidate controller programmatic entity by applying an operation to modify at least one of the selected controller programmatic entities.

A system for creating at least one controller that satisfies prespecified design goals through an iterative process, the at least one controller for controlling a plant by producing at least one control signal to control operation of the plant operation to match a reference signal indicative of a desired response for a plant, the system comprising and iteratively invoking:

• means for dividing a population of controller programmatic entities into a plurality of subpopulations of controller programmatic entities, wherein each controller represented by the controller programmatic entities processes time domain input signals as part of generating the reference signal;
• means for ascertaining a degree to which each controller programmatic entity in the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities satisfies the prespecified design goals using a separate processor for each of the sub-populations;
• means for selecting from among the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities, wherein a controller specified by one controller programmatic entity that satisfies the prespecified design goals to a greater degree than another controller specified by another programmatic entity is more likely to be preferred, wherein the prespecified design goals are partially based on a settling time;
• and
• means for creating at least one candidate controller programmatic entity by applying an operation to modify at least one of the selected controller programmatic entities.

A system-implemented interactive process for creating the at least one controller that satisfies prespecified design goals, the at least one controller for controlling a plant by producing at least one control signal to control plant operation, the iterative process invoking iterations, each of which comprises:

• ascertaining the degree to which the at least one controller programmatic entity satisfies the prespecified design goals, said at least one controller programmatic entity representing a controller comprising a set of processing blocks;
• selecting at least one controller programmatic entity from among a group of one or more controller programmatic entity, wherein a controller specified by one controller programmatic entity that satisfies the prespecified design goals to a greater degree than another controller specified by another programmatic entity is more likely to be preferred;
• and
• creating at least one candidate controller programmatic entity by applying an operation to modify at least one of the selected controller programmatic entities, wherein that at least one candidate controller programmatic entity represents a controller having a voltage controlled gain.

A system for creating at least one controller that satisfies prespecified design goals through an iterative process, the at least one controller for controlling a plant by producing at least one control signal to control operation of the plant operation to match a reference signal indicative of a desired response for a plant, the system comprising and iteratively invoking:

• means for dividing a population of controller programmatic entities into a plurality of subpopulations of controller programmatic entities, wherein each controller represented by the controller programmatic entities processes time domain input signals as part of generating the reference signal;
• means for ascertaining a degree to which each controller programmatic entity in the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities satisfies the prespecified design goals using a separate processor for each of the sub-populations;
• means for selecting from among the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities, wherein a controller specified by one controller programmatic entity that satisfies the prespecified design goals to a greater degree than another controller specified by another programmatic entity is more likely to be preferred;
• and
• means for creating at least one candidate controller programmatic entity by applying an operation to modify at least one of the selected controller programmatic entities, wherein that at least one candidate controller programmatic entity represents a controller having a voltage controlled gain.

A system-implemented interactive process for creating the at least one controller that satisfies prespecified design goals, the at least one controller for controlling a plant by producing at least one control signal to control plant operation, the iterative process invoking iterations, each of which comprises:

• ascertaining the degree to which the at least one controller programmatic entity satisfies the prespecified design goals, said at least one controller programmatic entity representing a controller comprising a set of processing blocks;
• selecting at least one controller programmatic entity from among a group of one or more controller programmatic entity, wherein a controller specified by one controller programmatic entity that satisfies the prespecified design goals to a greater degree than another controller specified by another programmatic entity is more likely to be preferred;
• and
• creating at least one candidate controller programmatic entity by applying an operation to modify at least one of the selected controller programmatic entities, wherein that at least one candidate controller programmatic entity represents a controller having a voltage controlled lag2.

A system for creating at least one controller that satisfies prespecified design goals through an iterative process, the at least one controller for controlling a plant by producing at least one control signal to control operation of the plant operation to match a reference signal indicative of a desired response for a plant, the system comprising and iteratively invoking:

• means for dividing a population of controller programmatic entities into a plurality of subpopulations of controller programmatic entities, wherein each controller represented by the controller programmatic entities processes time domain input signals as part of generating the reference signal;
• means for ascertaining a degree to which each controller programmatic entity in the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities satisfies the prespecified design goals using a separate processor for each of the sub-populations;
• means for selecting from among the subpopulation of controller programmatic entities, wherein a controller specified by one controller programmatic entity that satisfies the prespecified design goals to a greater degree than another controller specified by another programmatic entity is more likely to be preferred;
• and
• means for creating at least one candidate controller programmatic entity by applying an operation to modify at least one of the selected controller programmatic entities, wherein that at least one candidate controller programmatic entity represents a controller having a voltage controlled lag2.