Learning Systems

[Dirk Wright]

On Fri, 20 Sep 1996, David Crocombe wrote:
> 
> It would be interesting to play with this kind of learning
> in relation to cars. The vehicles could then be self tuning
> depending on environment, load, parameter drift, wear or
> whatever. I guess traction control and antilock brakes are
> a step in this direction of making cars more intelligent.

As an examiner at the patent office, I work in the automatic transmisison 
field, as well as manual transmissions. Adaptive controllers are well 
documented in the prior art, infact the Chrysler minivan was an adaptive 
transmission that adjusts for wear in the frictional members to maintain 
an optimum shift each time. There are others that sense a driving "style" 
and adjust shift timing to meet that style. There are numerous adaptive 
engine control schemes, also, but I don't work in that specific field, 
although all of the automatic transmissions have an engine related 
component. 

If I can be helpful in locating some patents for you, please let me know.

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Dirk Wright 					            wright at uspto.gov
"I speak for myself and not my employer."               1974 Porsche 914 2.0
"A real hifi glows in the dark and has horns."            1965 Goodman House
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