Expert system controlled microwave tubes

Summary form only given. Expert systems are beginning to have wide and significant application in the control of large systems such as accelerators as well as smaller, everyday systems such as cars, home and medical appliances. The design, manufacture, reliable, long-life operation and life-time cost-effective performance and recycling of high value microwave tubes can benefit significantly by the introduction and integration of expert system controls in microwave tubes. Expert systems are based on a computer module equipped with (a) sensors to measure the state of the system (b) a database and computational capability to compare the measured state of the system against a programmed state (c) capable of deciding and initiating corrective action on the state of the system through (d) adaptive controls and activators capable of modifying the operating state. We have begun the investigation and development of an expert system using the klystron tube L-5838 as a testbed. Initially, all sensors and controls are placed outside the vacuum envelope of the tube in order to minimize the insertion cost of the expert system. We report on an expert system for the input cavity of the klystron tube.