Control apparatus.

摘要

A control apparatus controls a system (100) such as a rolling mill or sewage plant on the basis of the data received from that system. Firstly, the data is analysed (103) to derive a characteristic of the data, and then that characteristic is investigated (104) to determine a problem of the system (assuming such a problem exists). Then, that problem is analysed automatically (105,106) to derive one or more strategies to resolve that problem, and then the system (100) may be controlled (214) on the basis of that strategy. The analysis may thus be operated automatically, allowing a greater degree of flexibility and responsiveness of automatic control. A model of the system may be provided in a switchable memory (212) for testing the strategy or strategies derived before applying the optimum strategy to the system (100). <IMAGE>