Patent ID: 8666517

Claim:
A method for optimizing a control process for a plant, the method comprising: operating the plant using circuitry that implements an extremum seeking control strategy; detecting an abrupt change in the operation of the plant; and using a circuit to compensate for the abrupt change in the operation of the plant by resetting the extremum seeking control strategy; wherein resetting the extremum seeking control strategy comprises providing a reset parameter to the circuitry that implements the extremum seeking control strategy such that a performance gradient operated upon by the circuitry that implements the extremum seeking control strategy is forced to adjust faster than it would normally adjust given the abrupt operation of the plant, wherein the circuitry that implements the extremum seeking control strategy is configured to respond to the reset parameter by deactivating the extremum seeking control for a period of time; wherein the reset parameter is provided for three to four times a dithering period of the extremum seeking control strategy and wherein the period of time during which the extremum seeking control is deactivated corresponds to the provision of the reset parameter.