IP Library Granted Patent US 11,079,733
Granted Patent B2
US 11,079,733 · App. 16/395,971 · Granted Aug 3, 2021

Adaptive anti-windup protection of cascaded inner and outer control loops

Inventors: Richard P. Meisner (Glastonbury, CT); Kyle C. Musselman (Vernon, CT)
Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
G05B19/048G05B2219/25375
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,079,733
App. No.
16/395,971
Granted
Aug 3, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of adaptive anti-windup protection for a control system with cascaded inner control loop and an outer control loops. The method includes receiving an outer loop feedback signal indicative of the response of a plant controlled by the outer control loop and calculating an inner control loop request such that, it would cause saturation of the control device controlled by the inner control loop. The method also includes converting the calculated inner loop request to outer loop anti-windup request limits using kinematic relationships and transmitting the outer loop anti-windup request limits to a controller of the outer control loop. The method may also include applying the outer loop anti-windup request limits to a controller of the outer control loop to limit the inner loop request generated thereby, and executing an outer control loop control law and an inner control loop control law subject to the anti-windup request limits.

Claims (40)

1. A method of adaptive anti-windup protection for a control system with cascaded inner control loop and an outer control loops, the method including:

receiving an inner control loop feedback signal indicative of a response of a control device controlled by an inner control loop;

calculating an inner control loop request such that, it would cause saturation of the control device controlled by the inner control loop;

determining outer loop anti-windup request limits based at least in part on the inner control loop request and kinematic relationships between the control device and a plant;

modifying the outer loop anti-windup request limits when the control device controlled by the inner control loop operates at saturation; and

providing the outer loop anti-windup request limits to a controller of the outer control loop.

2. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 1 , further including:

applying the outer loop anti-windup request limits to a controller of the outer control loop to limit the inner control loop request generated thereby;

receiving an outer loop feedback signal indicative of a response of the plant controlled by the outer control loop;

executing an outer control loop control law based on the outer loop anti-windup request limits; and

executing an inner control loop control law subject to the outer loop anti-windup request limits.

3. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 1 , wherein the control device controlled by the inner control loop is an actuator.

4. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 3 , wherein the inner control loop feedback signal is at least one of a position of the actuator, a rate of the actuator, and a current drawn by the actuator under selected conditions.

5. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 1 , wherein calculating the inner control loop request is based on at least one of the inner control loop feedback signal, a command of the control device controlled by the inner control loop that would result in saturation of the control device, and an inverse of a transfer function of a controller of the inner control loop.

6. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 1 , wherein the plant controlled by the outer control loop is a gas turbine engine.

7. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 6 , wherein the outer loop feedback signal is at least one of a pressure, a temperature, a fuel flow associated with the gas turbine engine under selected conditions.

8. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 1 , wherein the outer loop anti-windup request limits permit the control device controlled by the inner control loop faster response in operation than predetermined limits.

9. The method of adaptive anti-windup protection of claim 1 , wherein the outer loop anti-windup request limits permits more robust anti-windup protection under degraded operating conditions of the control device controlled by the inner control loop, wherein the degraded operation include sticking or sluggish operation compared to specified operation.

10. A control system with cascaded inner control loop and an outer control loops having adaptive anti-windup protection, the control system comprising:

a control system including a controller having an cascaded inner control loop and the outer control loop;

a control device responsive to the inner control loop;

a plant responsive to the control device and the outer control loop;

wherein the controller is configured to:

receive an inner control loop feedback signal indicative of a response of a device controlled by the inner control loop;

calculate an inner control loop request such that, it would cause saturation of the device controlled by the inner control loop;

determine outer loop anti-windup request limits based at least in part on the inner control loop request and kinematic relationships between the control device and the plant;

modify the outer loop anti-windup request limits if the device controlled by the inner control loop operates at saturation; and

provide the outer loop anti-windup request limits to a controller of the outer control loop.

11. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

apply the outer loop anti-windup request limits to a controller of the outer control loop to limit the inner control loop request generated thereby;

receive an outer loop feedback signal indicative of a response of the plant controlled by the outer control loop;

execute an outer control loop control law based on the outer loop anti-windup request limits; and

execute an inner control loop control law subject to the outer loop anti-windup request limits.

12. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the control device controlled by the inner control loop is an actuator.

13. The control system of claim 12 , wherein the inner control loop feedback signal is at least one of a position of the actuator, a rate of the actuator, and a current drawn by the actuator under selected conditions.

14. The control system of claim 10 , wherein calculating the inner control loop request is based on at least one of the inner control loop feedback signal, a command of the device controlled by the inner control loop that would result in saturation of the device, and an inverse of a transfer function of a controller of the inner control loop.

15. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the plant controlled by the control device and the outer control loop is a gas turbine engine.

16. The control system of claim 15 , wherein the outer loop feedback signal is at least one of a pressure, a temperature, and a fuel flow associated with the gas turbine engine under selected conditions.

17. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the outer loop anti-windup request limits permit the control device controlled by the inner control loop faster response in operation than predetermined limits.

18. The control system of claim 10 , wherein the outer loop anti-windup request limits permits more robust anti-windup protection under degraded operating conditions of the control device controlled by the inner control loop, wherein the degraded operation include sticking or sluggish operation compared to specified operation.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 14, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055923/0961 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 26, 2019
From: MEISNER, RICHARD P.; MUSSELMAN, KYLE C.
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 049009/0415 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200341442A1 · Oct 29, 2020