Patents by Inventor Francisco J. Ayala

Francisco J. Ayala has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7546170
    Abstract: A controller and associated methods. A controller has an input for a controlled variable; a proportional term; an integral term; and a predictive term. The predictive term has an error-predictive subterm including at least a past value of an error; and a command-predictive subterm including at least one past value of a control command value; and an output. The controller can apply the predictive term and at least one of the proportional term and integral term to generate a command for the output. A method for controlling a process variable is also provided including applying a predictive term having an error-predictive subterm that includes at least a past value of an error and a command-predictive subterm that has at least a past value of a control command. The method further includes the step of generating a command based on the results of the applying the terms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Neuroblast, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco J. Ayala, Carl H. Sturmer
  • Patent number: 7493295
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program for developing artificial intelligence through the generational evolution of one or more genomes. Each genome includes a set of functions. The method includes creating one or more cortices, operating the one or more cortices to perform one or more specified tasks, calculating a fitness score for each cortex based on its ability to perform the specified tasks, and selecting one or more of the cortices based on the respective fitness scores. Each cortex includes a plurality of cortical units. Each cortical unit includes a set of functions. Each cortical unit is created from the one or more genomes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: Francisco J. Ayala
  • Publication number: 20080159411
    Abstract: A controller and associated methods. A controller has an input for a controlled variable; a proportional term; an integral term; and a predictive term. The predictive term has an error-predictive subterm including at least a past value of an error; and a command-predictive subterm including at least one past value of a control command value; and an output. The controller can apply the predictive term and at least one of the proportional term and integral term to generate a command for the output. A method for controlling a process variable is also provided including applying a predictive term having an error-predictive subterm that includes at least a past value of an error and a command-predictive subterm that has at least a past value of a control command. The method further includes the step of generating a command based on the results of the applying the terms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Neuroblast, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco J. Ayala, Carl H. Sturmer
  • Patent number: 7139740
    Abstract: In a method and system for developing a neural system adapted to perform a specified task, a population of neural systems is selected, each neural system comprising an array of interconnected neurons, and each neural system is encoded into a representative genome. For a given genome, a processing gene encodes a neural output function for each neuron, and the connections from each neuron are encoded by one or more connection genes, each connection gene including a weight function. The given neural system is operated to perform the specified task during a trial period, and performance is continually monitored during the trial period. Reinforcement signals determined from the continually monitored performance are applied as inputs to the functions respectively associated with each of the processing genes and connection genes of the given neural system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Inventor: Francisco J. Ayala
  • Publication number: 20040143559
    Abstract: In a method and system for developing a neural system adapted to perform a specified task, a population of neural systems is selected, each neural system comprising an array of interconnected neurons, and each neural system is encoded into a representative genome. For a given genome, a processing gene encodes a neural output function for each neuron, and the connections from each neuron are encoded by one or more connection genes, each connection gene including a weight function. The given neural system is operated to perform the specified task during a trial period, and performance is continually monitored during the trial period. Reinforcement signals determined from the continually monitored performance are applied as inputs to the functions respectively associated with each of the processing genes and connection genes of the given neural system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventor: Francisco J. Ayala