Optimal instrumental-variable methods for identification of multivariable linear systems

The identification of multivariable linear systems using instrumental-variable (IV) methods is discussed. The emphasis is on accuracy properties. The IV estimates of multi-input-multi-output system parameters are proved to be asymptotically Gaussian distributed under weak conditions. An explicit expression for the covariance matrix of the parameter estimates is given. It is then shown how this matrix can be optimized by appropriately choosing the IV variant. The optimal accuracy so obtained is for some model structures equal to that corresponding to a prediction error method.