Multivariable Control

by Nabil Derbel (Editor),‎ Faouzi Derbel (Editor),‎ Olfa Kanoun (Editor)

The transfer function approach is widely used in classical control theory for its easy handling and physical meaning. Although the use of transfer functions is well-established for linear time-invariant systems, it is not suitable for non-stationary systems among which are sampled-data systems and processes with periodically varying coefficients. Computer-controlled continuous-time processes are a very important subset of periodic sampled-data systems which are not treatable using ordinary transfer functions.

This text was developed over a three year period of time (1971- 1973) from a variety of notes and references used in the presentation of a senior/first year graduate level course in the Division of En­ gineering at Brown University titled Linear System Theory. The in­ tent of the course was not only to introduce students to the more modern, state-space approach to multivariable control system analysis and design, as opposed to the classical, frequency domain approach, but also to draw analogies between the two approaches whenever and wherever possible.