Patent ID: 7152052

Claim:
A multi-input-single-output controller for a process having a plurality of process outputs which are controlled by one controller output applied to one actuator whose output is the input of said process, said controller comprising: a) a plurality of neural networks each including: i) an error input representative of the difference between a predetermined setpoint and one of said process outputs; ii) a normalization unit for normalizing said error input to a predetermined range of values; iii) a scaling function for scaling said normalized error input to produce a value E 1 of the form E 1 = K c T c ⁢ N ⁡ ( e ⁡ ( t ) ) , or an equivalent thereof, in which K c is the controller gain; T c is the user-selected time constant of said process; N(·) is the normalization function of said normalization unit; and e(t) is the value of said error input at any given time; iv) a layer of input neurons having as their inputs successively time-delayed values of E 1 ; v) a layer of hidden neurons each having as its output the sum of individually weighted ones of said successively time-delayed values of E 1 ; vi) an output neuron having as its output the sum of a first function of the individually weighted outputs of said hidden neurons; vii) a control signal which is at least in part the denormalized value of a second function of the output of said output neuron; and b) said control signals of said plurality of neural networks being combined by a combined output setter to produce said controller output.