Decentralized autonomous control for complex fluid distribution systems
AssigneeRockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
InventorsFrancisco Paul Maturana, Kenwood Henry Hall, Raymond John Staron
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A control system for a complex distribution network uses autonomous control units that may bid among themselves to reconfigure the distribution network in light of fluctuation demand or failures. The autonomous control units may also be enlisted to detect and isolate as well as reconfigure the network to correct for the damage.
Claims28
A control system for a distribution network having a set of distribution endpoints including at least one producer and consumer interconnected by a set of distribution resources including:
- a plurality of distribution lines joining the producers and consumers and switchable gates interconnecting the distribution lines, producers, and consumers, the control system comprising:
- a set of autonomous control units associated with at least some of the distribution endpoints;
- a set of autonomous control units associated with at least some of the distribution resources;
- and
- the autonomous control units executing a stored program and communicating with each other to:
- (a) implement a set of money rules to allocate money resources to the consumers and a set of pricing rules for distribution resources;
- (b) bid for distribution resources on behalf of consumers based on the money rules and pricing rules;
- and
- (c) select distribution paths between producer and consumer endpoints using distribution resources based on bid responses.
A control system for a distribution network having a set of distribution endpoints including at least one producer and consumer interconnected by a set of distribution resources including:
- a plurality of distribution lines joining the producers and consumers and switchable gates interconnecting the distribution lines, producers, and consumers, the control system comprising:
- a set of spatially separated control modules associated with at least some of the distribution resources in proximity of the distribution resources;
- and
- the control modules executing a stored program and communicating with each other to connect distribution resources on behalf of producers and consumers to provide distribution between producers and consumers as at least partially determined by a consumer priority.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.