Software enabled control for systems with luminent devices

Abstract

A software enabled control method that allows dynamic configuration of the operation of a control system. The configuration can be done in a factory calibration or while the system is running in the field in communication with a Host computer. The Host computer may communicate through a serial or parallel I/O. Because the control system has an expert system with built-in mathematical models and intelligence for the system with luminent devices, once the software enabled control system has been configured and given set points for desired target performance, it will regulate performance of the system with a luminent device in a manner that does not require intervention of the Host computer. The system contains performance optimization monitors based on predetermined criteria. The results of the monitors are available to the user or a Host computer through one of the available I/Os. The present invention allows flexibility to address various luminent devices using the same software architecture and similar algorithms. The present invention has a control system that can be configured to address a specific luminent device allowing for compensation of manufacturing. The control system also has algorithms that can be dynamically changed in light of changing environmental conditions.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method used to configure a control system for a luminent device consisting of a Host computer with a configuration database, and an embedded software enabled control system, wherein said method consists of loading said system with information affecting configuration and performance.  
     
     
         2 . The software enabled control system according to  claim 1 , wherein said system further consists of: modular software architecture, and a configurable method of operation, wherein the method of operation of the control system is determined by the rules and models provided by a system configuration residing in memory.  
     
     
         3 . The software enabled control system according to  claim 2 , wherein said system is hardware agnostic and uses a database to configure the system to a specific electronic and optical hardware platform, and further wherein in said system the resolution of the analog to digital converters and the digital to analog converters is determined by settings in a database  
     
     
         4 . The software enabled control system according to  claim 2 , wherein programs can be downloaded by said Host computer for the purpose of modification of a control algorithm for a luminent device or a system containing a luminent device.  
     
     
         5 . The software enabled control system according to  claim 2 , wherein said system further contains built-in criteria and performance monitors to check for compliance with predetermined criteria set points embedded in said Configuration database by said Host computer.  
     
     
         6 . The software enabled control system according to  claim 2 , wherein said system further contains internal gages, which reflect performance of the system controlled.  
     
     
         7 . The gages according to  claim 6 , wherein said gages indicate remaining life of the system based on a built-in model.  
     
     
         8 . A luminent device automatic characterization process consisting of analog sensor inputs and outputs and, an embedded algorithm, which collects data corresponding to a characteristic transfer function for said luminent device.  
     
     
         9 . The luminent device characterization process according to  claim 8 , wherein collected data undergoes processing through mathematical formulas and statistical analysis to obtain a luminent device characteristic.  
     
     
         10 . A servo control for a luminent device comprising: a mathematical model for said luminent device, a feedback control system, and a set of analog and digital I/Os in a hardware configuration, wherein said servo control system can be modified while it is in operation by changing servo parameters in an embedded system configuration.