TRACKING OF PERIODIC SIGNAL: BASED ON REPITITIVE CONTROL

Internal Model
Principle

INTERNAL MODEL PRINCIPLE

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 TRACKING OF PERIODIC SIGNAL: BASED ON REPITITIVE CONTROL

Internal Model
Principle

INTERNAL MODEL PRINCIPLE

INTRODUCTION

The IMP states that if any exogenous signal can be regarded as the output of an autonomous
system, the inclusion of this signal model in a stable closed-loop system can assure perfect
tracking or complete rejection of the signal. This principle, combined with the fact that any
periodic signal with a known period can be generated by a time-delay positive feedback system
with an appropriate initial function, forms the basis of repetitive control theory.

The internal model principle, proposed by Wonham and Francis, plays an important role in
the design of RCS. By IMP “Perfect tracking of a reference signal can be assured if the
generator of the reference signal is included in the stable closed loop system”. For an
example if a stable unity feedback system with open loop transfer function G(s) =1/(s+1) is
subjected to unit step input (1/s), 50% steady state error (Ess) is observed (Fig. 3). If the
generator of the reference signal (1/s) is included in the stable closed loop system the Ess
becomes zero. Perfect tracking of the reference signal is achieved and thus IMP.

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 TRACKING OF PERIODIC SIGNAL: BASED ON REPITITIVE CONTROL

Internal Model
Principle

PRINCIPLE

For LTI systems, the IMP implies that the internal model is to supply closed-loop
transmission zeros which cancel the unstable poles of the disturbances and reference
signals. Unfortunately, the transfer function cannot be applied to nonlinear systems. For
this reason, a new viewpoint on the IMP is proposed to explain the role of the internal
models for step signals, sine signals and generally periodic signals, respectively.

Figure: Step signal tracking

A. Step Signals
s
Since the Laplace transformation model of a unit step signal and an integral term are

the same, namely 1/s , the inclusion of the model 1/s in a stable closed-loop system can
s

assure perfect tracking or complete rejection of the unit step signal according to the IMP.

Former Viewpoint: As shown in Figure, the transfer function from the desired signal to
the tracking error is written as follows

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 TRACKING OF PERIODIC SIGNAL: BASED ON REPITITIVE CONTROL

Internal Model
Principle

Then, it only requires to verify whether or not the roots of the equation s + G (s) = 0 are
all in the left s-plane, namely whether or not the closed-loop system is stable. If all roots
are in the left s-plane, then the tracking error tends to zero as t → ∞. Therefore, the
tracking problem has been reduced to a stability problem of the closed-loop system.
New Viewpoint: This new viewpoint will give a new explanation on IMP without using
transfer functions. Because of the integral term, the relationship between v (t) and e (t) can
be written to be
e (t) = v˙ (t).

If the closed-loop system without external signals is expo- nentially stable, then, when the
system is driven by a unit step signal, it is easy to see that v (t) and e (t) will tend to
constants as t → ∞. Consequently, e (t) = v˙ (t) → 0 as t → ∞ by (2). Therefore, to
confirm that the tracking error tends to zero as t → ∞, it is only required to verify whether
or not the closed-loop system without external signals is exponentially stable. This
implies that the tracking problem has been reduced to a stability problem.

B. Sine Signals
If the external signal is in the form a0 sin (ωt + ϕ0 ), where a0 , ϕ0 are constants,
then perfect tracking or complete rejection can be achieved by incorporating the model 1/
(s2+ω2) into the closed-loop system.

Figure : Sine signal tracking

Former Viewpoint: As shown in Fig.3, the transfer func- tion from the desired signal to

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Internal Model
Principle

the tracking error is written as follows

where the Laplace transformation model of a0 sin (ωt + ϕ0 ) is (b1s +b0)/(s2+ω2). Then,

it is only required to verify whether or not the roots of the equation s2 + ω 2 + G (s) = 0
are all in the left s-plane, namely whether or not the closed-loop system is stable.
Therefore, the tracking problem has been reduced to a stability problem of the closed-loop
system.
New Viewpoint: Because of the term 1/(s2+ ω2) the relation- ship between v (t) and e (t)
can be written to be

e (t) = v¨ (t) + ω 2 v (t) .

If the closed-loop system without external signals is exponentially stable, then, when
the system is driven by anexternal signal in the form of a0 sin (ωt + ϕ0 ), it is easy to
see that v (t) and e (t) will tend to signals in the form of asin(ωt+ϕ), where a and ϕ are
constants. Consequently,
e(t) (asin(ωt+ ϕ))’’ + ω2(asin(ωt+ ϕ)) as t tends to infinity. Therefore to confirm that the
tracking error tends to 0 as t tends to infinity ,it only requires to verify whether or not the
closed loop system without external signals is exponentially stable.This implies that the

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Internal Model
Principle

tracking problem has been reduced to a stability problem.

2.3 ANALYSIS
A brief analysis has been performed in MATLAB simulink by taking unit step response as the

input to a plant having transfer function in a unity feedback closed loop system. In the

first simulation the internal model principle has not been used whereas in the second

simulation the inclusion of the block having transfer function , as per the internal model

principle, has drastically reduced the steady state error than the previous one.

2.3.1 ANALYSIS A SYSTEM WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF IMP

Fig.- Block diagram of a system without implementation of IMP

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Internal Model
Principle

Fig.- Response of a system without implementation of IMP

2.3.2 ANALYSIS A SYSTEM AFTER IMPLEMENTATION OF IMP

Fig.- Block diagram of a system after implementation of IMP

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Internal Model
Principle

Fig.- Response of a system after implementation of IMP

2. LIMITATIONS

The most important limitation of internal model principle is that it is rigid. By rigidity it is
meant that for every change in input signal the entire control block or the control system has
to be altered such that we get the desired output and the input signal is tracked properly

The problem in IMP is the change in reference signal generator every time with the
change in reference input. RC includes a periodic signal generator & thus overcomes
the said problem for periodic reference signals. In periodic signal generator, any
periodic signal with known period L can be generated by the time delay system. If one
single period of any periodic signal is given as an input, RC loop will generate
continuous periodic signal as output. So, the system lacks the property of flexibility
which is expected in a control system which has been implemented for practical
usage.

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