Observability of linear systems with commensurate delays and unknown inputs

This paper investigates the observability analysis for linear time systems whose outputs are affected by unknown inputs. Three different definitions of observability are proposed. By introducing the Smith form and comparing the invariant factors, a sufficient condition is deduced for each proposed observability definition. Three examples are given for the purpose of highlighting the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

Extension of minimum variance estimation for systems with unknown inputs

In this paper, we address the problem of minimum variance estimation for discrete-time time-varying stochastic systems with unknown inputs. The objective is to construct an optimal filter in the general case where the unknown inputs affect both the stochastic model and the outputs. It extends the results of Darouach and Zasadzinski (Automatica 33 (1997) 717) where the unknown inputs are only present in the model. The main difficulty in treating this problem lies in the fact that the estimation error is correlated with the systems noises, this fact leads generally to suboptimal filters. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the unbiasedness of this filter are established. Then conditions under which the estimation error and the system noises are uncorrelated are presented, and an optimal estimator and a predictor filters are derived. Sufficient conditions for the existence of these filters are given and sufficient conditions for their stability are obtained for the time-invariant case. A numerical example is given in order to illustrate the proposed method.     

Partial unknown input reconstruction for linear systems

The problem of partial unknown input (UI) reconstruction is addressed. It is considered that a linear functional of the UI vector has to be reconstructed using output information only. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given allowing for the reconstruction in finite time of the required UI’s; analogous conditions are obtained for the asymptotic reconstruction of the required UI’s. The solution of the problem under consideration provides a means to solve the problem of fault detection and isolation for disturbed linear systems.     

Adaptive fuzzy control for multi-input multi-output nonlinear systems with unknown dead-zone inputs

This paper presents an adaptive fuzzy control scheme for a class of uncertain multi-input multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear systems with the nonsymmetric control gain matrix and the unknown dead-zone inputs. In this scheme, fuzzy systems are used to approximate the unknown nonlinear functions and the estimated symmetric gain matrix is decomposed into a product of one diagonal matrix and two orthogonal matrices. Based on the decomposition results, a controller is developed, therefore, the possible controller singularity problem and the parameter initialization condition constraints problem are avoided. In addition, a dynamic robust controller is employed to compensate for the lumped errors. It is proved that all the signals in the proposed closed-loop system are bounded and that the tracking errors converge asymptotically to zero. A simulation example is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.     

Design of unknown input functional observers for nonlinear systems with application to fault diagnosis

This paper considers the design of low-order unknown input functional observers for robust fault detection and isolation of a class of nonlinear Lipschitz systems subject to unknown inputs. The proposed functional observers can be used to generate residual signals to detect and isolate actuator faults. By using the generalized inverse approach, the effect of the unknown inputs can be decoupled completely from the residual signals. Conditions for the existence and stability of reduced-order unknown input functional observer are derived. A design procedure for the generation of residual signals to detect and isolate actuator faults is presented using the proposed unknown-input observer-based approach. A numerical example is given to illustrate the proposed fault diagnosis scheme in nonlinear systems subject to unknown inputs.     

Designing fault detection observers for linear systems with mismatched unknown inputs

Algebraic unknown input observers (UIOs) that have been previously reported in the literature can be constructed under the assumption that linear systems with unknown inputs satisfy the so-called observer matching condition. This condition restricts practical applications of UIOs for fault detection and isolation (FDI). We present an algebraic design for fault detection observers (FDOs) for the case in which the observer matching condition is not satisfied. To loosen the restriction imposed by the observer matching condition, the UIO design method combined with the unknown input modeling technique is proposed to design an FDO that decouples the effect of mismatched unknown inputs. To do this, first, unknown inputs that denote the faults of no interest and process disturbances are decomposed into algebraically rejectable unknown inputs and modeled unknown inputs such that the observer matching condition is satisfied. Under the assumption that mismatched unknown inputs are deterministic and can be expressed as the responses of fictitious autonomous dynamical systems, an augmented system is obtained by combining the original system model with the unknown input model. Finally, through the design technique of a UIO for the augmented system, a reduced-order FDO is constructed to estimate an augmented state vector that consists of both the original state variables and the augmentative state variables. The estimated state is then used to generate the residual, which should be designed to be insensitive to unknown inputs while being sensitive to the faults of interest. Two numerical examples are provided to show the usefulness and the feasibility of the presented approach.     

State and unknown input estimation for linear discrete-time systems

In this paper, a state and unknown input delayed estimator is designed for discrete-time linear systems even if some well-known matching condition does not hold. This result is obtained using a constructive algorithm that analyzes the state observability and the left invertibility of the systems with unknown inputs and that provides a suitable canonical transformation for the design of the estimator.     

On the global optimality of unbiased minimum-variance state estimation for systems with unknown inputs

In this paper, a globally optimal filtering framework is developed for unbiased minimum-variance state estimation for systems with unknown inputs that affect both the system state and the output. The resulting optimal filters are globally optimal within the unbiased minimum-variance filtering over all linear unbiased estimators. Globally optimal state estimators with or without output and/or input transformations are derived. Through the global optimality evaluation of this research, the performance degradation of the filter proposed by Darouach, Zasadzinski, and Boutayeb [Darouach, M., Zasadzinski, M., & Boutayeb, M. (2003). Extension of minimum variance estimation for systems with unknown inputs. Automatica, 39, 867-876] is clearly illustrated and the global optimality of the filter proposed by Gillijns and De Moor [Gillijns, S., & De Moor, B. (2007b). Unbiased minimum-variance input and state estimation for linear discrete-time systems with direct feedthrough. Automatica, 43, 934-937] is further verified. The relationship with the existing literature results is addressed. A unified approach to design a specific globally optimal state estimator that is based on the desired form of the distribution matrix from the unknown input to the output is also presented. A simulation example is given to illustrate the proposed results.     

Universal adaptive control of nonlinear systems with unknown growth rate by output feedback

This paper investigates the problem of global stabilization by output feedback, for a family of uncertain nonlinear systems without zero dynamics. These nonlinear systems are dominated by a triangular system satisfying linear growth condition. In contrast to the previous work in the literature, the growth rate here is a positive constant but not known a priori, and therefore the problem becomes more involved and difficult. Using the idea of universal control combined with the output feedback design method developed in Qian and Lin (2002, 2003), we explicitly construct a universal-type adaptive output feedback controller which globally regulates all the states of the uncertain systems without knowing the growth rate.     

Fuzzy adaptive robust backstepping stabilization for SISO nonlinear systems with unknown virtual control direction

In this paper, a direct fuzzy adaptive robust control approach is proposed for a class of SISO nonlinear systems with completely unknown virtual control directions, unknown nonlinearities, unmodeled dynamics and dynamic disturbances. In the backstepping recursive design, fuzzy logic systems are employed to approximate the combined nonlinear uncertainties, a dynamic signal and Nussbaum gain technique are introduced into the control scheme to dominate the dynamic uncertainties and solve the unknown signs of virtual control directions, respectively. It is proved that the proposed robust fuzzy adaptive scheme can guarantee the all signals in the closed-loop system are semi-globally uniformly ultimately bounded. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated via three examples.     

Observer design for generalized state space systems with unknown inputs

The following four major aspects for the observer design problem for generalized state space systems with unknown inputs are resolved: Necessary and sufficient conditions for the problem to have a solution, the order of the minimal observer, the properties of the closed-loop system (separation principle) and general analytical expressions of the minimal order observer matrices. All above results are first in the field.     

Backstepping design for time-varying nonlinear systems with unknown parameters

A simple backstepping design procedure is proposed and sufficient conditions for global partial state- and dynamic- feedback stabilization for a class of triangular systems with unknown time-varying parameters are derived.     

On analytic and algebraic observability of nonlinear delay systems

The observability of nonlinear delay systems has previously been defined in an algebraic setting by a rank condition on modules over noncommutative rings. We introduce an analytic definition of observability to ensure the local uniqueness of state and initial conditions that correspond to a given input-output behaviour. It is shown that an algebraically observable delay system can be reformulated as a system of ordinary differential equations. Analytic observability is then decided by the local uniqueness of solutions to a boundary value problem for this ODE system.     

Simultaneous state and input estimation of hybrid systems with unknown inputs

This paper addresses the problem of the simultaneous state and input estimation for hybrid systems when subject to input disturbances. The proposed algorithm is based on the moving horizon estimation (MHE) method and uses mixed logical dynamical (MLD) systems as equivalent representations of piecewise affine (PWA) systems. So far the MHE method has been successfully applied for the state estimation of linear, hybrid, and nonlinear systems. The proposed extension of the MHE algorithm enables the estimation of unknown inputs, or disturbances, acting on the hybrid system. The new algorithm is shown to improve the convergence characteristics of the MHE method by reducing the delay of convergent estimates, while assuring convergence for every possible sequence of input disturbances. To ensure convergence the system is required to be incrementally input observable, which is an extension to the classical incremental observability property.     

Partial state observers for linear systems with unknown inputs

We consider the problem of constructing partial state observers for discrete-time linear systems with unknown inputs. Specifically, for any given system, we develop a design procedure that characterizes the set of all linear functionals of the system state that can be reconstructed through a linear observer with a given delay. By treating the delay as a design parameter, we allow greater flexibility in estimating state functionals, and are able to obtain a procedure that directly produces the corresponding observer parameters. Our technique is also applicable to continuous-time systems by replacing delayed outputs with differentiated outputs.     

Sliding-mode observers for systems with unknown inputs: A high-gain approach

Sliding-mode observers can be constructed for systems with unknown inputs if the so-called observer matching condition is satisfied. However, most systems do not satisfy this condition. To construct sliding-mode observers for systems that do not satisfy the observer matching condition, auxiliary outputs are generated using high-gain approximate differentiators and then employed in the design of sliding-mode observers. The state estimation error of the proposed high-gain approximate differentiator based sliding-mode observer is shown to be uniformly ultimately bounded with respect to a ball whose radius is a function of design parameters. Finally, the unknown input reconstruction using the proposed observer is analyzed and then illustrated with a numerical example.     

Semi-global finite-time observers for nonlinear systems

It is well known that high gain observers exist for single output nonlinear systems that are uniformly observable and globally Lipschitzian. Under the same conditions, we show that these systems admit semi-global and finite-time converging observers. This is achieved with a derivation of a new sufficient condition for local finite-time stability, in conjunction with applications of geometric homogeneity and Lyapunov theories.     

Observer-based control of a class of time-delay nonlinear systems having triangular structure

Time-delay systems constitute a special class of dynamical systems that are frequently present in many fields of engineering. It has been shown in the literature that the existence of a stabilizing observer-based controller is related to delay-dependent conditions that are generally satisfied for a small time delay. Motivating works towards reducing the conservatism of the results are among the on-going research topics especially when partial-state measurements are imposed. This paper investigates the problem of observer-based stabilization of a class of time-delay nonlinear systems written in triangular form. First, we show that a delay nonlinear observer is globally convergent under the global Lipschitz condition of the system nonlinearity. Then, it is shown that a parameterized linear feedback that uses the observer states can stabilize the system whatever the size of the delay. An illustrative example is provided to approve the theoretical results.