Plant rational transfer approximation from input-output data

Abstract

A rational transfer function model of the plant is generally desirable in feedback system design, when only plan input and output data are available over finite, sometimes incomplete, time intervals. This is especially so in a recent exact design technique for highly uncertain time-varying and non-linear plants. Here, the plants are replaced rigorously by an equivalent linear time-invariant plant set. Existing numerical techniques were found inadequate, especially in the high-frequency range, which is important in the design of feedback systems with large plant uncertainty. A technique was developed with excellent results, even for noisy data, unstable and non-minimum phase plants and severely truncated time intervals. The transfer function is calculated directly, without derivation of the input, output signal transforms. The operations involve repeated integrations of the data. Numerous examples are included.