Analysis and synthesis of robust H ∞ static output feedback control subject to actuator saturation

In this article, static output feedback (SOF) control analysis and synthesis are conducted for a linear continuous-time system subject to actuator saturation with the H ^∞ setting. Typically, the SOF problem is nonconvex; the existence of SOF control can be expressed in terms of the solvability of bilinear matrix inequalities. The actuator saturation problem is also considered since the driving capacity of an actuator is limited in practical applications. Using the singular value decomposition approach, the H ^∞ SOF controller design problem with actuator saturation can be expressed in terms of an eigenvalue problem (EVP) which can be efficiently solved using the LMI toolbox in Matlab. The balance between the minimization of the attenuation level of the H ^∞ performance and the maximisation of the estimation of the domain of attraction is considered in our approach via solving the corresponding EVP. To illustrate the proposed design procedure for two types of prescribing shape reference set, two numerical examples are included.     

On the H fixed-lag smoothing: how to exploit the information preview

The problem of the continuous-time H^∞ fixed-lag smoothing over the infinite horizon is studied. The first solution to the problem is derived in terms of one algebraic Riccati equation of the same dimension as in the filtering case and the mechanism by which the performance improvements with respect to the H^∞ filtering occur is clarified. It is shown that the H^∞ smoother exploits the information preview in an “H² manner”.     

Stabilization and H control of symmetric systems: an explicit solution

In this paper we address the H^∞ control analysis, the output feedback stabilization, and the output feedback H^∞ control synthesis problems for state-space symmetric systems. Using a particular solution of the Bounded Real Lemma for an open-loop symmetric system we obtain an explicit expression to compute the H^∞ norm of the system. For the output feedback stabilization problem we obtain an explicit parametrization of all asymptotically stabilizing control gains of state-space symmetric systems. For the H^∞ control synthesis problem we derive an explicit expression for the optimally achievable closed-loop H^∞ norm and the optimal control gains. Extension to robust and positive real control of such systems are also examined. These results are obtained from the linear matrix inequality formulations of the stabilization and the H^∞ control synthesis problems using simple matrix algebraic tools.     

On pure H reduced-order dynamic controllers: an erratum

There are at least two approaches advocated to obtain a pure H^∞ reduced-order dynamic controller for a given augmented plant. One approach is to eliminate completely the H² aspect from a standard H²/H^∞ setting. A second approach is to equate the H² aspect with the H^∞ aspect in that same setting. This paper invalidates the first approach but affirms the second approach and produces the correct equations resulting therefrom.     

H2 and H∞ norm computations of linear continuous-time periodic systems via the skew analysis of frequency response operators

The H₂ and H_∞ norm computations of finite-dimensional linear continuous-time periodic (FDLCP) systems through the frequency response operators defined by steady-state analysis are discussed. By the skew truncation, the H₂ norm can be reached to any degree of accuracy by that of an asymptotically equivalent linear time-invariant (LTI) continuous-time system. The H_∞ norm can be approximated by the maximum singular value of the frequency response of an asymptotically equivalent LTI continuous-time system over a certain frequency range via the modified skew truncation. By the latter result, a Hamiltonian test is proved for FDLCP systems in an LTI fashion, based on which a modified bisection algorithm is developed.     

Another look at finite horizon H control problems for systems with input delays

We discuss a finite horizon H^∞ control problem for time-varying systems with input delays. Clarifying a relationship between two H^∞ control problems in input delay case and in measurement delay case, we derive a solution in input delay case based on the known result for the H^∞ control problem in measurement delay case, and show that the solution has the same predictor-observer structure as the solution in measurement delay case has. Using this structural information on the solution, we also present an elementary proof of the solution to the finite horizon H^∞ control problem for systems with input delays, which is based only on completion of squares.     

Achievable H performance in sampled-data smoothing: beyond the -barrier

The lifting technique is a powerful tool for handling the periodically time-varying nature of sampled-data systems. Yet all known solutions of sampled-data H^∞ problems are limited to the case when the feedthrough part of the lifted system, , satisfies , where γ is the required H^∞ performance level. While this condition is always necessary in feedback control, it might be restrictive in signal processing applications, where some amount of delay or latency between measurement and estimation can be tolerated. In this paper, the sampled-data H^∞ fixed-lag smoothing problem with a smoothing lag of one sampling period is studied. The problem corresponds to the a-posteriori filtering problem in the lifted domain and is probably the simplest problem for which a smaller than performance level is achievable. The necessary and sufficient solvability conditions derived in the paper are compatible with those for the sampled-data filtering problem. This result extends the scope of applicability of the lifting technique and paves the way to the application of sampled-data methods in digital signal processing.     

H ∞ sampled data control of systems with time-delays

Sampled-data H _∞ control of linear systems with constant state, control and measurement delays is considered. The sampling of the controlled input and of the measured output is not assumed to be uniform. The system is modelled as a continuous-time one, where the controlled input and the measurement output have piecewise-continuous delays. The input–output approach to stability and L ₂-gain analysis is applied to the resulting system. The discretised Lyapunov functional method is extended to the case of multiple delays, where the Lyapunov functional is complete in one of the delays (in the state) and is simple in the other delays (those in the input and in the output), which are constant. Solutions to the state-feedback and the output-feedback H _∞ control problems are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs).     

Designing robustly stabilising controllers for LTI spatially distributed systems using coprime factor synthesis

This paper considers the design of feedback controllers for linear, time-invariant, spatially distributed systems in an approach which generalises the H^∞-framework and in particular the H^∞ loop-shaping method. To this end, we introduce a class of spatially distributed system models called finite dimensional, distributed, linear, time-invariant systems. Sensors and actuators are considered to be part of the controller, rather than part of the plant, and thus the controller we wish to design is itself a spatially distributed system. Optimising over placements and shapes of the sensor and actuator spatial distribution functions is an integrated part of the controller design procedure. As an illustrative design example, we present the feedback stabilisation of an electrostatically destabilised, electrically conducting membrane.     

The use of representations of H in placing classical control problems in a modern control framework

Motivated by Zames' work on optimal sensitivity, it is shown that there exists in functional analysis a foundation, based upon the theory of representations of H^∞, upon which results may be developed to enable a range of classical control problems to be placed in a modern control framework.     

H ∞ filter design for continuous-time systems with quantised signals

This article studies the quantised H _∞ filtering problem for continuous-time systems with a type of dynamic quantisers, which are conjuncted with static quantisers via dynamic scalings. The static quantiser ranges are fully considered here for practical transmission channels requirements. A quantised H _∞ filter design strategy is proposed, where a convex optimisation method is developed to minimise static quantiser ranges. The resulting design guarantees that the quantised augmented system is asymptotically stable and with a prescribed H _∞ performance bound. The effectiveness of the proposed filter design method is demonstrated by a numerical example.     

Asynchronous hybrid systems with jumps – analysis and synthesis methods

In this paper we show that the H_∞ synthesis problem for a class of linear systems with asynchronous jumps can be reduced to a purely discrete-time synthesis problem. The system class considered includes continuous-time systems with discrete jumps, or discontinuities, in the state. New techniques are developed for the analysis of asynchronous time-varying hybrid systems which allow a particularly simple treatment, and provide an elementary proof for the sampled-data H_∞ problem.     

On decoupling the H-optimal sensitivity problem for products of plants

In this note we show how to solve the H^∞-optimal sensitivity problem for a SISO plant P(s) = P₁(s)P₂(s), given the solutions for P₁(s), P₂(s). This allows us to solve the problem for systems of the form e^−hsP₀(s), where P₀(s) is the transfer function of a stable, LTI, finite dimensional system.     

A bound of conservativeness in sampled-data robust stabilization and its dependence on sampling periods

This paper investigates conservativeness of the ²-induced norm in a sampled-data robust stabilization problem. Namely, it is shown that possible conservativeness of the ²-induced norm can be bounded by difference between the best achievable performance of time-invariant continuous-time controllers and that of sampled-data controllers. Moreover, this difference is proven to approach zero as a sampling period tends to zero, which means the conservativeness above loses importance when a sampling period is small. These results are important because robust stabilization based on the ²-induced norm is computationally inexpensive compared with robust stabilization based on the non-conservative robust stability index. One key lemma plays an essential role in this paper and it should be interesting independently.     

Synthesis of stable H controller via the chain scattering framework

A sufficient condition for the existence of suboptimal stable stabilizing H^∞ controllers is given. By exploiting the free parameter in the parameterization of stabilizing controllers and using the chain scattering framework, we reformulate the H^∞ strong stabilization problem as an equivalent H^∞ optimization problem which can be solved via only one algebraic Riccati equation. A parameterization of all suboptimal stable stabilizing H^∞ controllers is also given.     

An innovation approach to H∞ prediction for continuous-time systems with application to systems with delayed measurements

This paper studies the problem of H_∞ prediction for linear continuous-time systems. By developing a new method of characterizing the innovation process and applying a novel innovation analysis approach in Krein space, a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a finite horizon H_∞ predictor is derived. The solution to the H_∞ prediction is given in terms of solutions of Riccati and matrix differential equations. We further extend our study to give a necessary and sufficient condition for the H_∞ filtering of linear continuous-time systems with both instantaneous and delayed measurements.     

Sampled-data H ∞ control for networked control systems with digital control inputs

In this article, the problem of sampled-data H _∞ control for networked control systems (NCSs) with digital control inputs is considered, where the physical plant is modelled as a continuous-time one, and the control inputs are discrete-time signals. By exploiting a novel Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, using the Leibniz–Newton formula and a free-weighting matrix method, sufficient conditions for sampled-data H _∞ performance analysis and H _∞ controller design for such systems are given. Since the obtained conditions of H _∞ controller design are not expressed strictly in term of linear matrix inequalities, the sampled-data H _∞ controller is solved using modified cone complementary linearisation algorithm. In addition, the new sampled-data stability criteria for the NCSs is proved to be less conservative than some existing results. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.     

When is a controllerH ∞-optimal?

This paper examines conditions under which a given single input, single output, linear time invariant control system isH ^∞-optimal with respect to weighted combinations of its sensitivity function and its complementary sensitivity function. The specific weighting functions considered are defined in terms of the given plant and nominal controller. This paper shows that a large class of practical controllers areH ^∞-optimal, including typical stable controllers. This research was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ECS-8451519, grants from Honeywell, 3M, Sperry, and E. F. Johnson Company, ONR Research Grant N00014-82-C-0157, and AFOSR Research Grant F49620-86-C-0001.