THOMAS J COLLINS JR
Engineers in State College, PA

4408149, Oct 4, 1983

Sep 8, 1981

6/300391

Thomas W. Collins - State College PA
Charles L. Croskey - State College PA

Optimizer Control Corporation - Burnsville MN

H02P 144

318729

An adaptive control system for improving the efficiency of an electric motor. Connected in series with the motor and across the voltage supply is an electronic bi-directional switch which may be triggered at differing times relative to the zero-crossing of the AC supply to thereby control the amount of time during each cycle that the motor is energized. The firing angle for the electronic switch is determined by an optimizing network which functions to introduce a relatively low frequency perturbation in the firing angle and means for sensing the effect of that change on the average power being drawn by the system during the period of the perturbation. If this small, periodic change in the firing angle of the electronic switch results in a decrease in average power consumption, the firing angle is adjusted in a direction which is determined to have precipitated the improvement. Alternatively, if the shift in firing angle occasioned by the minute perturbation resulted in a worsening of motor performance, i. e. , higher power consumption, the system functions to adjust the firing angle in an opposite direction so that, again, overall performance is improved.

4026251, May 31, 1977

Nov 26, 1975

5/635437

Paul H. Schweitzer - State College PA
Carl Volz - State College PA
Thomas W. Collins - State College PA

Pennsylvania Research Corporation - University Park PA

F02B 302, F02B 312, F02B 304

123 32EA

An adaptive digital electronic control system for an internal combustion engine wherein a given speed modifying parameter is perturbated about a given setting and the resulting effect on the engine's output shaft speed is computed for producing an electrical control signal for adjusting the setting in a way which tends to maximize the shaft output power. Described are arrangements whereby the electronic control system can be applied to a spark ignition system, the air/fuel control of a standard carburetor or the air/fuel control of a fuel injection system.

4130863, Dec 19, 1978

Oct 27, 1977

5/845804

Paul H. Schweitzer - State College PA
Thomas W. Collins - State College PA

Optimizer Control Corp. - Burnsville MN

G05B 1302, G06F 1546

364105

A digital electronic control system for optimizing the performance of an energy consuming system wherein a given parameter, such as the air supply in a furnace, the spark setting in an internal combustion engine, or the pitch of a propeller in an aircraft is perturbated and the resulting effect on the machine or system performance is computed for producing a control signal which is then used to adjust the setting in a way which improves the performance. The process continues until an incremental change in setting no longer is accompanied by an improvement in the system's output, thus indicating operation at the optimum. The control apparatus of the present invention permits the selective introduction of desired bias values so that operation can be established off the optimum by a predetermined amount.

4234850, Nov 18, 1980

Jan 8, 1979

6/001869

Thomas W. Collins - State College PA

Optimizer Control Corporation - Burnsville MN

H03K 522, H03K 304

328 66

An adaptive control circuit for use with a machine performance optimizing system for producing a control delay between a first event and the time at which a response to that event is to take place. The adaptive control circuit of this invention, when used with an internal combustion point closure signal and will advance or retard the generation of a spark plug firing signal for a period determined by the optimizing system's operating parameters, while still maintaining the desired dwell dictated by the engine manufacturer.