Patent ID: 7613540

Claim:
A method of producing a space-time contour to be followed by at least one actuator forcing at least one machine element, based upon a series of concatenated polynomial segments that are functions of time where their dependent variable is a time-derivative of at least the first order of a physical variable to be controlled, each polynomial segment comprising a duration and at least one coefficient; the method comprising: a) optimizing the durations and coefficients of the series of concatenated polynomial segments, such that the following constraints are met: i) energy that would be introduced into at least one machine element by an actuator following a space-time contour created by time-integrating the series of concatenated polynomial segments, is suppressed for at least one frequency, and ii) a space-time contour created by time-integrating the series of concatenated polynomial segments, is constrained within at least one limitation of the physical variable; and b) time-integrating, at least once, the series of concatenated polynomial segments to form a space-time contour in the physical variable to be controlled; c) commanding an actuator to follow the space-time contour.