Modern Control Theory

Lecture 7

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 Optimal Control
INTRODUCTION

 The design of a control system is an attempt to meet a set of specifications

that define the overall performance of the system in terms of certain
measurable quantities.

 In the classical design method of control systems, the designer is given a

set of specifications in time domain or in frequency domain with the system
configuration. Peak overshoot, settling time, gain-margin, phase-margin,
steady-state error, etc., are among the most commonly used specifications.
These specifications have to be satisfied simultaneously in design.

 In practice, it may not be possible to satisfy all the desired specifications

and hence, the design necessarily becomes a trial - and - error procedure.
This trial - and - error design procedure works satisfactorily for single-
input-single-output systems. However, for a system with multi-input-multi-
output having a high degree of complexity, the trial - and - error approach
may not lead to a satisfactory design.

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
 The optimal control design is aimed at obtaining a best
possible system of a particular type with respect to a certain
performance index or design criterion.

 Hence the word ‘optimal.’ In the optimal control design, the

performance index replaces the conventional design criteria,
such as peak overshoot, settling time, gain-margin, phase-
margin, steady-state error, etc.

 Of course, the designer must be able to select the performance

index properly so that one may describe the goodness of the
system response on the basis of this performance index.

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
For a continuous system, state equations are a set of first-order
D.E, i.e.

x (t )  f (x ,u , t )
Where time t belongs to (t o , t f ) , t o is the initial time andt f the final
time. In the problem of control system, we have to specify
properly the objective function f which is to optimized.

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Optimal Control Cont’d

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
We know that a control system is usually described by the block
diagram as shown below,

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 Optimal Control Cont’d

1. Characteristics of the plant

2. Requirements of the plant
3. Data of the plant received by the controller

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
1. Characteristics of the plant

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
2. Requirements of the plant

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
a. Minimum Time Problem

Where PI is the performance index, t 0 is the initial time, t 1 is the

first instant of time when the state x(t) and the target intersect.
The final state may be in a region of (n x1) dimensional state time
space.

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
b. Minimum Energy Problem

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
c. Minimum Fuel Problem

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
d. State Regulator Problem

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
e. Output Regulator Problem

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
f. Servomechanism or Tracking Problem

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Optimal Control Cont’d

below

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Optimal Control Cont’d

below

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Optimal Control Cont’d

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Optimal Control Cont’d

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Optimal Control Cont’d

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 Optimal Control Cont’d
3. Plant Data Supplied to the Controller

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