Geometric characterization on the solvability of regulator equations

The solvability of the regulator equation for a general nonlinear system is discussed in this paper by using geometric method. The ‘feedback’ part of the regulator equation, that is, the feasible controllers for the regulator equation, is studied thoroughly. The concepts of minimal output zeroing control invariant submanifold and left invertibility are introduced to find all the possible controllers for the regulator equation under the condition of left invertibility. Useful results, such as a necessary condition for the output regulation problem and some properties of friend sets of controlled invariant manifolds, are also obtained

Research on output feedback control

In designing fixed order compensators, an output feedback formulation has been adopted by suitably augmenting the system description to include the compensator states. However, the minimization of the performance index over the range of possible compensator descriptions was impeded due to the nonuniqueness of the compensator transfer function. A controller canonical form of the compensator was chosen to reduce the number of free parameters to its minimal number in the optimization. In the MIMO case, the controller form requires a prespecified set of ascending controllability indices. This constraint on the compensator structure is rather innocuous in relation to the increase in convergence rate of the optimization. Moreover, the controller form is easily relatable to a unique controller transfer function description. This structure of the compensator does not require penalizing the compensator states for a nonzero or coupled solution, a problem that occurs when following a standard output feedback synthesis formulation

Electronic skewing circuit monitors exact position of object underwater

Linear Variable Differential Transformer /LVDT/ electronic skewing circuit guides a long cylindrical capsule underwater into a larger tube so that it does not contact the tube wall. This device detects movement of the capsule from a reference point and provides a continuous signal that is monitored on an oscilloscope

Infinite horizon control and minimax observer design for linear DAEs

In this paper we construct an infinite horizon minimax state observer for a linear stationary differential-algebraic equation (DAE) with uncertain but bounded input and noisy output. We do not assume regularity or existence of a (unique) solution for any initial state of the DAE. Our approach is based on a generalization of Kalman's duality principle. The latter allows us to transform minimax state estimation problem into a dual control problem for the adjoint DAE: the state estimate in the original problem becomes the control input for the dual problem and the cost function of the latter is, in fact, the worst-case estimation error. Using geometric control theory, we construct an optimal control in the feed-back form and represent it as an output of a stable LTI system. The latter gives the minimax state estimator. In addition, we obtain a solution of infinite-horizon linear quadratic optimal control problem for DAEs.Comment: This is an extended version of the paper which is to appear in the proceedings of the 52nd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, Florence, Italy, December 10-13, 201

Control Barrier Function Based Quadratic Programs for Safety Critical Systems

Safety critical systems involve the tight coupling between potentially conflicting control objectives and safety constraints. As a means of creating a formal framework for controlling systems of this form, and with a view toward automotive applications, this paper develops a methodology that allows safety conditions -- expressed as control barrier functions -- to be unified with performance objectives -- expressed as control Lyapunov functions -- in the context of real-time optimization-based controllers. Safety conditions are specified in terms of forward invariance of a set, and are verified via two novel generalizations of barrier functions; in each case, the existence of a barrier function satisfying Lyapunov-like conditions implies forward invariance of the set, and the relationship between these two classes of barrier functions is characterized. In addition, each of these formulations yields a notion of control barrier function (CBF), providing inequality constraints in the control input that, when satisfied, again imply forward invariance of the set. Through these constructions, CBFs can naturally be unified with control Lyapunov functions (CLFs) in the context of a quadratic program (QP); this allows for the achievement of control objectives (represented by CLFs) subject to conditions on the admissible states of the system (represented by CBFs). The mediation of safety and performance through a QP is demonstrated on adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, two automotive control problems that present both safety and performance considerations coupled with actuator bounds

Zero Dynamics for Port-Hamiltonian Systems

The zero dynamics of infinite-dimensional systems can be difficult to characterize. The zero dynamics of boundary control systems are particularly problematic. In this paper the zero dynamics of port-Hamiltonian systems are studied. A complete characterization of the zero dynamics for a port-Hamiltonian systems with invertible feedthrough as another port-Hamiltonian system on the same state space is given. It is shown that the zero dynamics for any port-Hamiltonian system with commensurate wave speeds are well-defined, and are also a port-Hamiltonian system. Examples include wave equations with uniform wave speed on a network. A constructive procedure for calculation of the zero dynamics, that can be used for very large system order, is provided.Comment: 17 page