6.241 Dynamic Systems and Control: Lecture 7: State-Space Models Readings: DDV, Chapters 7,8
6.241 Dynamic Systems and Control: Lecture 7: State-Space Models Readings: DDV, Chapters 7,8
6.241 Dynamic Systems and Control: Lecture 7: State-Space Models Readings: DDV, Chapters 7,8
Emilio Frazzoli
1 State-space models
State of a system
Definition (state)
The state x(t1 ) of a causal system at time t1 is the information needed, together
with the input u between times t1 and t2 , to uniquely predict the output at time
t2 , for all t2 ≥ t1 .
In other words, the state of the system at a given time summarizes the whole
history of the past inputs −∞, for the purpose of predicting the output at future
times.
Usually, the state of a system is a vector in some Euclidean space Rn .
The choice of a state for a system is not unique (in fact, there are infinite choices,
or realizations).
However, there are come choices of state which are preferable to others; in
particular, we can look at “minimal” realizations.
We will deal mostly with finite-dimensional systems, i.e., systems which can be
described with a finite number of variables.
y (t) = u(t − T ).
In order to predict the output at times after t, the knowledge of the input for
times in (t − T , t] is necessary.
PDE-driven systems: Many systems in engineering, arising, e.g., in structural
control and flow control applications, can only be described exactly using a
continuum of state variables (stress, displacement, pressure, temperature,
etc.). These are infinite-dimensional systems.
In order to deal with infinite-dimensional systems, approximate discrete models are
often used to reduce the dimension of the state.
d
x(t) = A(t)x(t) + B(t)u(t);
dt
y (t) = C (t)x(t) + D(t)u(t);
The matrices appearing in the above formulas are in general functions of time,
and have the correct dimensions to make the equations meaningful.
d
x(t) = Ax(t) + Bu(t);
dt
y (t) = Cx(t) + Du(t);
In the above formulas, A ∈ Rn×n , B ∈ Rn×1 , C ∈ R1×n , D ∈ R, and n is the dimension of the
state vector.
In other words, we can set x[k] = y [k] as a state, and get the following state-space model:
We can extend the definition of linear systems as well to this new notion.
→ yIC ;
uIC (t) = 0, t ≥ t0 ,
Forced response: �
xF (t0 ) = 0,
→ yF .
uF (t) = u(t), t ≥ t0 ,
Clearly, x0 = xIC + xF , and u = uIC + uF , hence
y = yIC + yF ,
that is, we can always compute the output of a linear system by adding the output
corresponding to zero input and the original initial conditions, and the output corresponding
to a zero initial condition, and the original input.
In other words, we can study separately the effects of non-zero inputs and of non-zero initial
conditions. The “complete” case can be recovered from these two.
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