Target signature closed loop control system and method

A system for automatically adjusting the event timing of operations in cavities of a section of an I.S. machine, comprising:

• a multipoint, multispectral glass container measurement system that is arranged to monitor radiation emitted by hot glass containers after they are formed and before they are cooled as they are conveyed away from the I.S. machine, wherein the container measurement system provides container pixel data information indicative of certain measurements of hot glass containers manufactured by the I.S. machine;
• a signature extraction block that mathematically transforms container pixel data information into a reduced dimensional measured signature;
• an element for providing a preferred target signature known to have previously provided desirable hot glass containers;
• a controller for producing event timing signals to operate the cavities of the section of the I.S. machine in response to the measured signature and a preferred target signature to automatically adjust the event timing of operations in the cavities of the section of the I.S. machine to diminish variations in the measured signature;
• wherein the signature extraction block is arranged to produce reduced dimensional measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine, and wherein said system additionally comprises a section averaging block that is arranged to average the reduced dimensional measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine to produce a section average measured signature that is provided to the controller;
• wherein, in addition to the section average measured signature being provided to the controller, the system is arranged to provide the reduced dimensional measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine to the controller;
• and
• wherein the controller is arranged to provide both common event timing signals to all of the sections of the I.S. machine based upon the section average measured signature as well as unique cavity event timing signals based upon the measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine to each of the sections of the I.S. machine.

A method of automatically adjusting the event timing of operations in the cavities of a section of an I.S. machine, comprising:

• providing container pixel data information indicative of certain measurements of hot glass containers manufactured by the I.S. machine with a multipoint, multispectral glass container measurement system;
• mathematically transforming container pixel data information into a reduced dimensional measured signature;
• and
• producing event timing signals to operate the cavities of the section of the I.S. machine in response to the measured signature and a preferred target signature to automatically adjust the event timing of operations in the cavities of the section of the I.S. machine to diminish variations in the measured signature;
• wherein the mathematically transforming step comprises producing reduced dimensional measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine and averaging the reduced dimensional measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine to produce a section average measured signature;
• providing the reduced dimensional measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine to the controller;
• and
• providing both common event timing signals to all of the sections of the I.S. machine based upon the section average measured signature as well as unique cavity event timing signals based upon the measured signatures for each of the cavities in the section of the I.S. machine to each of the sections of the I.S. machine.