Abstract: A local heating system is presented. The local heating system comprising: a first heat source (10) connectable to a heating grid (110) and arranged to extract heat from the heating grid (110); a second heat source (20) connectable to an electrical energy grid (120) and to transform electricity feed through the electrical energy grid (120) into heat; a heat emitting device (30); a distribution system (40) for circulating heat transfer fluid between the heat emitting device (30) and the first and second heat sources (10, 20); and a controller (50) configured to control the first and second heat source's (10, 20) relative outtake of heat from the heating grid (110) and the electrical energy grid (120), respectively.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided for detecting a dynamic object in a visual line of sight of an aircraft. The method includes implementing, by a computer system, the following operations: receiving at least two image frames; detecting a horizon within at least one of the at least two image frames; segmenting each of the at least two image frames into at least first and second search regions using the detected horizon, wherein the first search region is defined above the detected horizon in the at least two image frames and the second search region is defined below the horizon in the at least two image frames; determining, across the at least two image frames, a motion vector field within at least one of the first search region or the second search region; and identifying a detection proposal using the determined motion vector field.

Abstract: A system and method to configure a rule set used in connection with a medical monitoring system for monitoring patients and patient care equipment, especially medication delivery pumps, based on a variety of conditions and parameters associated with monitored biometric information and equipment information and for providing user-defined responses to those conditions and parameters.

Abstract: A system for performing a task according to a reference trajectory is provided. The system includes at least one actuator configured to change a state of the system according to a control input, and a memory configured to store a model of dynamics of the system including a known part of the dynamics of the system as a function of the state of the system and the control input to the system and an unknown part of the dynamics of the system as a function of the state of the system, wherein the unknown part of the dynamics of the system is represented by parameters of a probabilistic distribution including a first-order moment and a second-order moment of the probabilistic distribution. The system also includes a control system configured to recursively determine and submit the control input to the actuator to change the state of the system.

Abstract: Computing device and method using machine learning to optimize operations of a processing chain of a food factory. The computing device collects data representative of characteristics of a product processed by the processing chain. At least some of the collected data are received from one or more sensor monitoring operations of the processing chain. The computing device determines at least one product characteristic value based on the collected data. The computing device executes the machine learning inference engine, which uses a predictive model for inferring command(s) for controlling processing appliance(s) of the processing chain based on inputs. The inputs comprise the at least one product characteristic value. The computing device transmits the command(s) to the processing appliance(s) of the processing chain. Examples of product characteristic values comprise: a product temperature, a product humidity level, a product geometric characteristic, a product weight, and a product defect measurement.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for facilitating communication between a merchant and a client are provided. An example method may include creating a beautician identification record for a beautician, receiving an information related to an interaction between the beautician and a client, determining at least one product or service for the client from the information, and creating, using a processor, a communication to the client. The communication may include an indication of the at least one product or service. The method may also include sending the prescription to the client. Example systems, apparatuses, and computer readable media are also provided.

Abstract: A digital makeup artist system includes a mobile device, a database system storing cosmetic routine information, common makeup looks, cosmetic products for skin types and ethnicity, and user look preferences of a user. The mobile device includes a user interface for interacting with a digital makeup artist. The digital makeup artist performs an interactive dialog with the user in order to capture needs of the user, including types of makeup look, indoor or outdoor look, skin condition, facial problem areas, favorite facial features. The computation circuitry analyzes the user's face image to identify face parts, analyzes the face image to determine facial characteristics, and generates image frames to be displayed in synchronization with the interaction with the digital makeup artist based on the analyzed face image, needs of the user, the stored cosmetic routine information, common makeup looks, cosmetic products for skin types and ethnicity, and the user look preferences.

Abstract: A totemic system and method operating to sell preselected goods and services proximal to a totem and simultaneously to a remote consumer of beauty products in communication with an optimized remote beauty-consultant, to stimulate the consumer to travel to the totem's location for said goods or services. The method displays transactional information and facilitates beauty product sales, comprising at least one remote offer from a beauty consumer, at least one remote response from a beauty consultant regarding appropriate products available nearby as displayed to said consultant by a content database. The method facilitates brand and store loyalty, combining software and human interaction, preferably at retail location or by closing online sales.

Abstract: There is described a building management system and a method for auto-tagging points. Data associated with multiple points of a site are received, and each point is associated with a point name and a point descriptor. A building name is identified based on the point name for each point by extracting a first part detected frequently among the data associated with the points. A point equipment is determined from a second part of each point name and a point function is determined from a third part of each point name. A set of point tags is generated based on the point equipment, the point function, and the point descriptor. Confidence scores are created for the set of point tags based on matching characteristics to a common tag set.

Abstract: A digital makeup artist system includes a mobile device, a database system storing cosmetic routine information, common makeup looks, cosmetic products for skin types and ethnicity, and user look preferences of a user. The mobile device includes a user interface for interacting with a digital makeup artist. The digital makeup artist performs an interactive dialog with the user in order to provide advice, including requesting a cosmetic consultation, acquiring information including types of makeup look, indoor or outdoor look, skin condition, facial problem areas, favorite facial features. The computation circuitry analyzes the user's face image to determine facial characteristics, and generates image frames to be displayed in synchronization with the interaction with the digital makeup artist to provide the advice, based on the analyzed face image, needs of the user, the stored cosmetic routine information, common makeup looks, cosmetic products for skin types and ethnicity, and the user look preferences.

Abstract: A system for simulating network configurations includes data processing hardware and memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware. The memory hardware stores instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations. The operations includes receiving one or more parameter changes for a production network model of a network. The operations also include generating a simulation network model including the one or more parameter changes. Another operation includes analyzing the simulated network flow within the simulation network model. The operations also include generating a report including an impact of the parameter changes on the network. The operations may also include receiving a production network log including a recorded workflow for the production network model and simulating the production workflow of the production network log within the simulation network model to generate a simulated network log.

Abstract: A system for suggesting a list of actions to a user includes a server and an automaton connected to the server. The system makes it possible to calculate a list of actions that is suited to a user while taking into account the identity of the user, the profile of the user, and the first context data. The profile of the user includes: a unique identifier associated with the identity of the user, a history of the selections already made by the user on the automaton, and the second context data and the datum representing the return of the user that are related to each selection already made. Thus it is possible to suggest, to a user, a list of actions wherein the list of actions is established on the basis of analysis of the selections previously made in a similar context by a pre-identified user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for network device configuration update. A method includes selecting a group of network devices to receive a configuration update; ranking the network devices according to an importance; updating each of the network devices in order of the ranking, from least important to most important, comprising: generating a first health score for the network device, the first health score representing a performance level of the network device prior to the configuration update; updating a configuration of the network device according to the configuration update subsequent to generating the first health score; generating a second health score for the updated network device subsequent to updating the configuration of the network device; and responsive to the second health score being lower than the first health score by more than a predetermined score threshold, rolling back the configuration update for the network devices that have been updated.

Abstract: Technology is described for providing machine learning (ML) models. A plurality of candidate ML models that are derived from a primary ML model may be generated in a service provider environment. The primary ML model may be associated with a set of parameters and a candidate ML model in the plurality of candidate ML models may be associated with a subset of the parameters associated with the primary ML model. The plurality of candidate ML models may be run against validation data to evaluate performance criteria for the candidate ML models. A performance representation of the candidate ML models with respect to performance results for the candidate ML models may be provided. An ML model may be selected from the performance representation based on the performance results for the candidate ML models.

Abstract: A server for managing a home network is provided. The server according to an embodiment includes a storage configured to store an operation state of at least one electronic apparatus in the home network and reference sensing data for each of a plurality of sensors, a communicator configured to receive sensing data from the plurality of sensors, and a processor configured to determine the operation state of the at least one electronic apparatus, and compare the stored reference sensing data corresponding to the determined operation state with the received sensing data to determine whether an error occurs in the plurality of sensors and the at least one electronic apparatus.

Abstract: Automatic document classification using machine learning may involve receiving inputs that assign documents to classifiers, which define document classification rules for a classification model. The computing device may train the classification model using a machine learning technique that assigns each document of a second set of documents to destinations based on the document classification rules. The computing device may also receive a template design for each destination that specifies metadata to extract for a document type corresponding to documents assigned to the destination. The computing device may subsequently classifying a particular document using the classification model, which may involve assigning the particular document to a given destination of the plurality of destinations based on the document classification rules, and exporting metadata from the particular document using the template design associated with the given destination.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes solving on a computing system an optimal power flow formulation for a plurality of generators in a power system. The solving includes computing using multi-threaded parallelism a plurality of constraints for the formulation, computing using multi-threaded parallelism a plurality of Jacobian functions of the constraints, and computing using multi-threaded parallelism a Hessian of Lagrangian functions. The method further includes outputting results of the solving, wherein the results comprise values of generation levels for the plurality of generators. Apparatus and program products are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods to generate clusters of media objects (e.g., photos) that are associated with geolocation information (e.g., GPS data, folder name, file name, other metadata) and without geolocation information so that the media objects in a media library without geolocation information can be given location data in an automated user approved system. An approval system of visual overlays on a graphical user interface (GUI) lets users approve the proposed geolocation clusters and approve or reject the geolocation proposals individually or as a group. The resulting approved clusters may then be tagged with geolocation information (e.g., GPS coordinates, city, state, country) and may then be automatically organized in a number of ways, including but not limited to, by location, on a calendar, on a map, etc.

Abstract: A control system for controlling an operation of a machine subject to constraints including equality and inequality constraints on state and control variables of the system iteratively solves an optimal control structured optimization problem (OCP), such that each iteration outputs primal variables and dual variables with respect to the equality constraints and dual variables and slack variables with respect to the inequality constraints. For a current iteration, the system classifies each of the inequality constraints as an active, an inactive or an undecided constraint based on a ratio of a slack variable to a dual variable of the corresponding inequality constraint determined by a previous iteration, finds an approximate solution to the set of relaxed optimality conditions subject to the equality constraints and the active and undecided inequality constraints, and update the primal, dual, and slack variables for each of the equality and inequality constraint.

Abstract: A cycle time estimator is a device configured to calculate for each block the time required for movement along a tool path specified by a NC command. The cycle time estimator divides the NC command into blocks, divides the tool path into segments, calculates segment travel times individually for the segments, and holds the correspondence between the blocks and the segments. The cycle time estimator further calculates block travel times by integrating the segments individually for the blocks and displays the blocks and the block travel times in association with one another in an editing screen for the NC command.

Abstract: An automated control system to control at least some operations of one or more target physical systems that each includes one or more batteries. The described techniques may include determining whether and how much power to supply for each of a series of time periods, and implementing the determined power amount for a time period by determining and setting one of multiple impedance level control values of an associated actuator component. Repeated automated operations of this type may include using parametric linear approximation to determine one of multiple enumerated control values that best satisfies one or more defined goals at a given time in light of current state information (e.g., current output from the battery, voltage from the battery, battery temperature, etc.), such as by repeatedly determining an improved distribution function over the control values, and propagating it over multiple future time periods.

Abstract: A building management includes building equipment operable to affect a variable state or condition of a building and a controller. The controller is configured to identify one or more facility improvement measures (FIMS), each of the FIMS representing a potential upgrade or addition to the building equipment. The controller is further configured to perform a design of experiments analysis to determine a plurality of combinations of the FIMS, each combination including one or more of the FIMS and a level for each FIM in the combination. The controller is configured to generate an objective function based on the combinations of the FIMS. The objective function indicates an economic value as a function of the FIMS and optimize the objective function to determine an optimal combination of the FIMS.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for issuing proactive parental control alerts may include (i) monitoring, through a sensor of the computing device, sensor data indicating an emotional state of a child consuming media content through the computing device, (ii) detecting, through analyzing the sensor data, that the media content has triggered an adverse emotional state within the child, and (iii) performing a security action, in response to detecting that the media content has triggered the adverse emotional state within the child, by issuing an alert in connection with a parental control software system that controls access by the child to media content. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: In some examples, a vehicle includes a plurality of network controllers, a WI-FI wireless local area network (WLAN) over which at least a first network controller and a second network controller of the plurality of network controllers are to communicate, wherein a link between the first network controller and the second network controller through the WI-FI WLAN is a synchronized link.

Abstract: A method includes performing, by a computing device, a clustering operation to group documents of a document corpus into clusters in a feature vector space. The document corpus includes one or more labeled documents and one or more unlabeled documents. Each of the one or more labeled documents is assigned to a corresponding class in classification data associated with the document corpus, and each of the one or more unlabeled document is not assigned to any class in the classification data. The method also includes generating, by the computing device, a prompt requesting classification of a particular document of the document corpus, where the particular document is selected based on a distance between the particular document and a labeled document of the one or more labeled documents.

Abstract: A facility employing systems, methods, and/or techniques for dynamically and adaptively configuring configurable energy consuming and producing devices (e.g., smart energy devices) based on user profiles and user presence information is disclosed. In some embodiments, the facility periodically detects the presence of users, and retrieves preference information for those users. For each of one or more configurable energy devices in the area, the facility generates a combined setting based on the preferences of each user present and adjusts the devices based on the combined settings. For example, if User A, User B, and User C are present in a room and User A's preferred temperature setting is 75° F., User B's preferred temperature setting is 68° F., and User C's preferred temperature setting is 70° F., the facility may generate a combined setting for a thermostat by taking the average value of the users in the room.

Abstract: Disclosed are a composite bio-parameter sensor assembly and a wearable device including same, for detecting vital signs of a subject person. The sensor assembly includes one or more sensors, mounted on an outer contact surface of the assembly, having a sensing surface to optically detect one or more parameters of a pulse of the subject. The sensor assembly further includes an additional sensor, facing an inner cavity of the assembly, for optically detecting displacement of the one or more outer sensors. The one or more sensors and the additional sensor are positioned on the opposite sides of a printed circuit board (PCB).

Abstract: A system for managing the end to end lifecycle of a virtualization environment within an appliance includes a set of installation tools and an administration portal. A reference architecture for an appliance defines technology layers of an appliance. A partner ecosystem defines a delivery model of an appliance to a customer. A setup wizard tool is installing and configuring management software components, infrastructure software components, and application images on an appliance. An environment management module completes the installation and configuration of the management software components of a virtualization environment and provides ongoing management of the infrastructure software and management software components. An image management module stores the configuration of the application images and provides ongoing management of the application images. A catalog management module maintains a library of the application images.

Abstract: A system tool that provides dispatchers in power grid control centers with a capability to manage changes. Included is a user interface and a plurality of scheduler engines. Each scheduler engine is configured to look ahead at different time frames to forecast system conditions and alter generation patterns within the different time frames. A comprehensive operating plan holds schedules generated by the plurality of scheduler engines. A relational database is coupled to the comprehensive operating plan. Input data is initially received from the relational database for each scheduling engine, and thereafter the relational database receives data from the scheduling engines relative to forecast system conditions.

Abstract: A method for determining a location of a disturbance in a power system is provided. The method includes receiving data from a plurality of sensors distributed across the power system; determining, with one or more processors, for each sensor, an extremum of the data corresponding to the sensor; interpolating, with the one or more processors, the extrema; and presenting, on one or more display units, a location corresponding to a global maximum of the interpolated extrema as the location of the disturbance. The method may further include, if a difference between the largest extremum and each of remaining extremum is greater than a predetermined threshold, skipping the interpolating step and the presenting step, and presenting a location of the sensor corresponding to the largest extremum as the location of the disturbance.

Abstract: A method enhances an emergency reporting system for controlling equipment. A message receiver receives an electronic message from a person. The electronic message is a report regarding an emergency event related to equipment. One or more processors identify a profile of the person who sent the electronic message, and determine a bias of the person regarding the emergency event based on the person's profile. One or more processors amend, based on the bias of the person, a content of the electronic message to create a modified electronic message regarding the emergency event. The message receiver detects that the modified electronic message came from an unauthorized source. A local controller on the equipment, in response to detecting that the modified electronic message came from the unauthorized source, automatically isolates the equipment from remote control signals for controlling the equipment.

Abstract: The application provides a method and an apparatus for controlling a smart home device. The method includes: obtaining a first linkage rule for controlling a first response device to enter into a first state based on a first parameter of a first condition device; traversing a plurality of linkage rules to search linkage rules matching a second state of the first response device and generating a second linkage rule based on a preset strategy in case that no linkage rule matching the second state is found, the second linkage rule is operable to control the first response device to enter into the second state based on a second parameter of a second condition device.

Abstract: A system for managing the end to end lifecycle of a virtualization environment within an appliance includes a set of installation tools and an administration portal. A reference architecture for an appliance defines technology layers of an appliance. A partner ecosystem defines a delivery model of an appliance to a customer. A setup wizard tool is installing and configuring management software components, infrastructure software components, and application images on an appliance. An environment management module completes the installation and configuration of the management software components of a virtualization environment and provides ongoing management of the infrastructure software and management software components. An image management module stores the configuration of the application images and provides ongoing management of the application images. A catalog management module maintains a library of the application images.

Abstract: A system and method to configure a rule set used in connection with a medical monitoring system for monitoring patients and patient care equipment, especially medication delivery pumps, based on a variety of conditions and parameters associated with monitored biometric information and equipment information and for providing user-defined responses to those conditions and parameters.

Abstract: The invention relates to computer-implemented method for supplementing a data governance framework with one or more new data governance technical rules. The method comprises providing a plurality of expressions and a first mapping. The expressions assign natural language patterns to technical language patterns. The first mapping maps first terms to data sources. A rule generator receives a new natural language (NL) rule comprising one or more natural-language patterns and one or more first terms. The rule generator resolves the new NL rule into one or more new technical rules interpretable by a respective rule engine and stores the one or more technical rules in a rule repository.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a master oscilloscope propagates a slave signal to one or more slave oscilloscopes. The slave signal includes a synchronized trigger pulse that is used in the master oscilloscope to provide a display of a first signal and also includes a timing interpolation parameter which indicates a timing delay applied in the master oscilloscope with respect to the synchronized trigger pulse when providing the display. A slave oscilloscope can use the synchronized trigger pulse and the timing interpolation parameter to provide a display of a second signal on the slave oscilloscope, thereby ensuring that a triggered edge of the second signal is time-aligned with a triggered edge of the first signal. This arrangement reduces/eliminates absolute as well as relative timing uncertainties when an observer observes the first signal displayed on the master oscilloscope and/or the second signal displayed on the slave oscilloscope.

Abstract: A method for controlling intelligent device based on linkage rules and a control device are disclosed. The method includes: executing a first linkage rule based on a first parameter of a first condition device to control a first response device to be in a first state; determining that the first response device switches from the first state to a second state different from the first state; disabling the first linkage rule; determining a second linkage rule among a plurality of linkage rules based on the second state of the first response device, the second linkage rule is provided to control the first response device to be in the second state; and setting a third linkage rule.

Abstract: Data traffic is monitored on a network and data access elements thereof are collected. The collected data access elements are compared to security rules. A first audit data collection is sent to a first repository in response to one or more data access elements of a first data access matching a first condition of one of the security rules. The one of the security rules having the first condition designates the first audit data collection and the first repository. A second audit data collection is sent to a second repository in response to one or more data access elements of a second data access matching a second condition of one of the security rules. The one of the security rules having the second condition designates the second audit data collection and the second repository.

Abstract: A system and method to configure a rule set used in connection with a medical monitoring system for monitoring patients and patient care equipment, especially medication delivery pumps, based on a variety of conditions and parameters associated with monitored biometric information and equipment information and for providing user-defined responses to those conditions and parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optimizing a definition for a database are provided. A method for optimizing a definition for a database, comprises receiving an input command to create a database object, receiving at least one extension corresponding to an estimated feature of the database, submitting the input command and the at least one extension to a knowledge base to determine an optimized command, and generating the optimized command.

Abstract: The subject invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate display, selection, and management of context associated with execution of add-on instructions. The systems and methods track add-on instruction calls and provide a user with call and data context, wherein the user can select a particular add-on instruction context from a plurality of contexts in order to observe values and/or edit parameters associated with the add-on instruction. The add-on instruction context can include information such as instances of data for particular lines of execution, the add-on instruction called, a caller of the instruction, a location of the instruction call, references to complex data types and objects, etc. The systems and methods further provide a technique for automatic routine selection based on the add-on instruction state information such that the add-on instruction executed corresponds to a current state.

Abstract: A publish-subscribe architecture based blackboard system for selecting and exchanging selected information among a plurality of processing modules using filters for implementing conditions described in a procedural language to reduce the amount of information transmitted between the processing modules. More than one filter may be dynamically installed in a message hub to select and collect the published information to be sent to a certain subscribing module. By using the procedural language to describe the filters, the message hub can more intelligently select the information to be sent to the subscribing module. This reduces the amount of information transmitted via communication channels. Further, the subscribing module may be relieved from the task of filtering the information received from the message hub, allowing the subscribing module to devote more resources to other operations.

Abstract: A servo control system capable of using an angle-based synchronization learning control, even when a reference position is not given, while maintaining the advantage of the angle-based synchronization method. The servo control system has X-, y- and z-axes servo controllers, each configured to control x-, y- and z-axes servomotors, respectively. Each of x- and y-axes servo controllers has a reference signal generating part configured to generate a reference signal which monotonically increases or varies in one direction, based on the position command of each axis transmitted from a higher-level controller.

Abstract: A computer-implemented integrated expert system for the identification of abnormal events in an industrial plant. The expert system integrates a model-based expert system with a rule-based expert system. The model-based expert system receives data on the operating conditions of a process unit in the industrial plant and calculates one or more results that determine whether the process unit is operating abnormally. The rule-based expert system also receives data on the operating conditions of the process unit and applies its rules to the process data. The rule-based expert system also applies its rules to the one or more results generated by the model-based expert system. The integrated system may also suppress any redundant messages generated by the model-based expert system.

Abstract: In a process plant, a mobile device detects a physical phenomenon and converts the detected physical phenomenon to digital data representative of the physical phenomenon. The data are transmitted to an expert system and analyzed by the expert system to determine a state of one or more process elements. Abnormal conditions associated with the process elements may be detected, and a cause of the abnormal condition may be determined from the digital data. Process control parameters may be automatically changed to correct the abnormal condition, work items may be created to cause personnel to take action to correct the abnormal condition, and/or an operator may be prompted to take a corrective action to resolve the abnormal condition.

Abstract: A plurality of real control inputs and real process measurements provided by a real automation system controlling an industrial process are continuously stored continuously storing in a historian database. At the same time, a plurality of forecast control inputs and process measurements provided by a virtual automation system based on a simulation model are continuously stored in a futurian database. Both the past operation of the industrial process up to present time based on data from the historian database and the forecast future operation of the industrial process from the present time onwards based on data from the futurian database are displayed on the operator screen.

Abstract: The parallel kinematic machine (PKM) trajectory planning method is operable via a data-driven neuro-fuzzy multistage-based system. Offline planning based on robot kinematic and dynamic models, including actuators, is performed to generate a large dataset of trajectories, covering most of the robot workspace and minimizing time and energy, while avoiding singularities and limits on joint angles, rates, accelerations and torques. The method implements an augmented Lagrangian solver on a decoupled form of the PKM dynamics in order to solve the resulting non-linear constrained optimal control problem. Using outcomes of the offline-planning, the data-driven neuro-fuzzy inference system is built to learn, capture to and optimize the desired dynamic behavior of the PKM. The optimized system is used to achieve near-optimal online planning with a reasonable time complexity. The effectiveness of the method is illustrated through a set of simulation experiments proving the technique on a 2-degrees of freedom planar PKM.

Abstract: An inference task is performed using a computation device having a plurality of processing elements operable in parallel and connected via a connectivity system. Performing the task includes accepting at the device a specification of at least part of the inference task. The specification characterizes a plurality of variables and a plurality of factors, each factor being associated with a subset of the variables. Each of the processing elements is configured with data defining one or more of the plurality of factors. At each of the processing elements, computation associated with one of the factors is performed concurrently with other of the processing elements performing computation associated with different ones of the factors. Messages are exchanged via a connectivity system. The messages provide inputs and/or outputs to the processing elements for the computations associated with the factors and provide a result of performing of the at least the part of the inference task.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for developing microcomputer-based systems. A controller model having at least one parameter is simulated and, similarly, a plant model having at least one parameter and controlled by the controller model is simulated. A user interface then has access to the parameters of the controller model and plant model and optionally suspends the execution of the controller model and plant model in response to a trigger event. The user interface determines the status of the controller model parameters and/or plant model parameters at the time of the trigger without altering the controller model parameters or plant model parameters or the program code of the controller model.

Abstract: A controller and corresponding method for operating a machine maintains a historical database including at least one sequence of parameters relating to the operating environment, corresponding actions taken, and corresponding outcomes of operation of the machine. The controller searches the database for episodes satisfying relevance criteria relative to a current sequence of parameters and then performs a randomized selection between two or more options, at least one of which is derived from similar episodes from the database. At least one control signal is then output to the machine indicating an action to be performed as determined based on the selected option.