Abstract: An adaptive control unit is described for receiving an analog input signal containing at least an indication of a parameter to be controlled to generate an analog output signal for control of the parameter. The analog input signal contains a fed back component resulting from the analog output signal. The adaptive control unit comprises an analog filter having an adjustable gain, a gain adjuster for adjusting the gain of the analog filter using a feedforward adjustment method, and a filter for compensating for the fed back component in the analog input signal.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the distribution of power to a plurality of devices, the method being carried out during a plurality of time periods, and the method during each time period after the first comprising: determining (S700) an energy or power deficit for each device based on the difference between a target amount of energy or power and a measured amount of energy or power supplied to the device prior to the current time period; selecting (S702) at least one device in decreasing order of energy or power deficit, whereby priority is given to devices having the largest energy or power deficit or the smallest energy or power surplus, until the selection of any further devices will cause a total estimated power consumption of the selected devices during the time period to exceed a predetermined maximum power consumption; and supplying (S704) power to the or each selected device during the time period.

Abstract: An adaptive control unit is described for receiving an analog input signal containing at least an indication of a parameter to be controlled to generate an analog output signal for control of the parameter. The analog input signal contains a fed back component resulting from the analog output signal. The adaptive control unit comprises an analog filter having an adjustable gain, a gain adjuster for adjusting the gain of the analog filter using a feedforward adjustment method, and a filter for compensating for the fed back component in the analog input signal.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling the distribution of power to a plurality of devices, the method being carried out during a plurality of time periods, and the method during each time period after the first comprising: determining (S700) an energy or power deficit for each device based on the difference between a target amount of energy or power and a measured amount of energy or power supplied to the device prior to the current time period; selecting (S702) at least one device in decreasing order of energy or power deficit, whereby priority is given to devices having the largest energy or power deficit or the smallest energy or power surplus, until the selection of any further devices will cause a total estimated power consumption of the selected devices during the time period to exceed a predetermined maximum power consumption; and supplying (S704) power to the or each selected device during the time period.

Abstract: To reduce noise inside a motor car passenger compartment, two loudspeakers 37.sub.1, 37.sub.2 are driven by signals derived from a reference signal x(n) by adaptive filtering carried out by a programmed microprocessor and memory unit 36 which adapts the filtering in dependence on error signals e.sub.l (n) from four microphones 42.sub.1, 42.sub.2, 42.sub.3 and 42.sub.4 distributed in the passenger compartment. Reference filtering coefficients are initially determined by analysis of finite impulse responses when white noise is acoustically coupled from the loudspeakers 37 to the microphones 42, a white noise generator 48 being coupled to the unit 36. The reference signal x(n) is restricted to one or more selected harmonics or subharmonics of the fundamental noise frequency by a filter 34 which tracks the selected frequency. The selected frequency may be obtained from a coil 31 in the ignition circuit of the vehicle.