State feedback control of continuous-time T-S fuzzy systems via switched fuzzy controllers

This paper studies the problem of state feedback control of continuous-time T-S fuzzy systems. Switched fuzzy controllers are exploited in the control design, which are switched based on the values of membership functions, and the control scheme is an extension of the parallel distributed compensation (PDC) scheme. Sufficient conditions for designing switched state feedback controllers are obtained with meeting an H_∞ norm bound requirement and quadratic D stability constraints. It is shown that the new control design method provides less conservative results than the corresponding ones via the parallel distributed compensation (PDC) scheme. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Suboptimal robust synthesis for MIMO plant under coprime factor perturbations

Suboptimal robust synthesis for MIMO nominal system under coprime factor perturbations is considered in classical and non-classical statements. In the classical statement, weights of perturbations and upper bound on magnitude bounded exogenous disturbance are assumed to be known to controller designer. Suboptimal synthesis within ε tolerance is reduced to the solution of log₂(1/ε) standard mixed sensitivity problems of ℓ₁ optimization. In the non-classical statement, the upper bounds on perturbations and exogenous disturbance are to be estimated from measurement data and suboptimal synthesis is reduced to the solution of 1/ε mixed sensitivity problems.     

Quantifying requirements volatility effects

In an organization operating in the bancassurance sector we identified a low-risk IT subportfolio of 84 IT projects comprising together 16,500 function points, each project varying in size and duration, for which we were able to quantify its requirements volatility. This representative portfolio stems from a much larger portfolio of IT projects. We calculated the volatility from the function point countings that were available to us. These figures were aggregated into a requirements volatility benchmark. We found that maximum requirements volatility rates depend on size and duration, which refutes currently known industrial averages. For instance, a monthly growth rate of 5% is considered a critical failure factor, but in our low-risk portfolio we found more than 21% of successful projects with a volatility larger than 5%. We proposed a mathematical model taking size and duration into account that provides a maximum healthy volatility rate that is more in line with the reality of low-risk IT portfolios. Based on the model, we proposed a tolerance factor expressing the maximal volatility tolerance for a project or portfolio. For a low-risk portfolio its empirically found tolerance is apparently acceptable, and values exceeding this tolerance are used to trigger IT decision makers. We derived two volatility ratios from this model, the π-ratio and the ρ-ratio. These ratios express how close the volatility of a project has approached the danger zone when requirements volatility reaches a critical failure rate. The volatility data of a governmental IT portfolio were juxtaposed to our bancassurance benchmark, immediately exposing a problematic project, which was corroborated by its actual failure. When function points are less common, e.g. in the embedded industry, we used daily source code size measures and illustrated how to govern the volatility of a software product line of a hardware manufacturer. With the three real-world portfolios we illustrated that our results serve the purpose of an early warning system for projects that are bound to fail due to excessive volatility. Moreover, we developed essential requirements volatility metrics that belong on an IT governance dashboard and presented such a volatility dashboard.     

An LMI approach to synthesis subject to almost asymptotic regulation constraints

A multi-objective controller synthesis problem is considered in which an output is to be regulated approximately by assuring a bound on the steady-state peak amplification in response to an infinite-energy disturbance, while also guaranteeing a desired level of performance measured in terms of the worst-case energy gain from a finite-energy input to a performance output. Relying on a characterization of the controllers with which almost asymptotic regulation is accomplished, the problem of guaranteeing the desired level of performance is reduced to solving a system of linear matrix inequalities subject to a set of linear equality constraints. Based on the solution of this system, a procedure is outlined for the construction of a suitable controller whose order is equal to the order of the plant plus the order of the exogenous system.     

control with limited communication and message losses

We propose an H^∞ approach to a remote control problem where the communication is constrained due to the use of a shared channel. The controller employs a periodic time sequencing scheme for message transmissions from multiple sensors and to multiple actuators of the system. It further takes into account the information on the random message losses that occur in the channel. An exact characterization for controller synthesis is obtained and is stated in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Furthermore, an analysis on the loss probabilities of the messages to accomplish stabilization is carried out. The results are illustrated through a numerical example.     

Stability of iterative processes with errors for a system of nonlinear -accretive variational inclusions in Banach spaces

In this paper, by using the concept of (A,η)-accretive mappings and the new resolvent operator technique associated with (A,η)-accretive mappings, we introduce and study a system of general mixed quasivariational inclusions involving (A,η)-accretive mappings in Banach spaces, and construct a new perturbed iterative algorithm with mixed errors for this system of nonlinear (A,η)-accretive variational inclusions in q-uniformly smooth Banach spaces. Our results improve and generalize the corresponding results of recent works.     

Measuring the structural similarity among XML documents and DTDs

Measuring the structural similarity between an XML document and a DTD has many relevant applications that range from document classification and approximate structural queries on XML documents to selective dissemination of XML documents and document protection. The problem is harder than measuring structural similarity among documents, because a DTD can be considered as a generator of documents. Thus, the problem is to evaluate the similarity between a document and a set of documents. An effective structural similarity measure should face different requirements that range from considering the presence and absence of required elements, as well as the structure and level of the missing and extra elements to vocabulary discrepancies due to the use of synonymous or syntactically similar tags. In the paper, starting from these requirements, we provide a definition of the measure and present an algorithm for matching a document against a DTD to obtain their structural similarity. Finally, experimental results to assess the effectiveness of the approach are presented.     

Controller certification

A modern problem from aerospace control involves the certification of a large set of potential controllers with either a single plant or a fleet of potential plant systems, with both plants and controllers being MIMO and, for the moment, linear. Experiments on a limited number of controller/plant pairs should establish the stability and a certain level of margin of the complete set. We consider this certification problem for a set of controllers and provide algorithms for selecting an efficient subset for testing. This is done for a finite set of candidate controllers and, at least for SISO plants, for compact infinite set. In doing this, the ν-gap metric will be the main tool. Computational examples are given, including one of certification of an aircraft engine controller. The overarching aim is to introduce truly MIMO margin calculations and to understand their efficacy in certifying stability over a set of controllers and in replacing legacy single-loop gain and phase margin calculations.     

A -based optimal finite-word-length controller design

A novel optimal Finite Word Length (FWL) controller design is proposed in the framework of μ theory. A computationally tractable close-loop stability measure with FWL implementation considerations of the controller is derived based on the μ theory, and the optimal FWL controller realizations are obtained by solving the resulting optimal FWL realization problem using linear matrix inequality techniques.     

Edge-based vignetting factor estimation and correction comparative analysis

An edge-based (EB) iterative method for estimating the vignetting factor f from a vignette image is devised which assumes a radial brightness falloff associated with the existing vignetting effect. The method exploits the maximum value for an F valued image that is characterized by 8-bit integers {0,1,2,?…?,255} away from the image centre. Additionally, the vignette factor f estimation is performed using the radial gradient method on a series of images with explicitly simulated and unknown source vignetting. Both techniques are implemented and compared such that the estimated vignette factor f and the vignette corrected images are assessed to determine deviation in the respective methods as well as their accuracy in controlled experiments.