Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “linear control”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1993

Fuzzy logic controllers: A knowledge-based system perspective

Over the last few years we have seen an increasing number of applications of Fuzzy Logic Controllers. These applications range from the development of auto-focus cameras, to the control of subway trains, cranes, automobile subsystems (automatic transmissions), domestic appliances, and various consumer electronic products. In summary, we consider a Fuzzy Logic Controller to be a high level language with its local semantics, interpreter, and compiler, which enables us to quickly synthesize non-linear controllers for dynamic systems.

Bonissone, Piero P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Linearizing feedforward/feedback attitude control

An approach to attitude control theory is introduced in which a linear form is postulated for the closed-loop rotation error dynamics, then the exact control law required to realize it is derived. The nonminimal (four-component) quaternion form is used to attitude because it is globally nonsingular, but the minimal (three-component) quaternion form is used for attitude error because it has no nonlinear constraints to prevent the rotational error dynamics from being linearized, and the definition of the attitude error is based on quaternion algebra. This approach produces an attitude control law that linearizes the closed-loop rotational error dynamics exactly, without any attitude singularities, even if the control errors become large.

Paielli, Russell A.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Application of Sliding Mode Methods to the Design of Reconfigurable Flight Control Systems

Observer-based sliding mode control is investigated for application to aircraft reconfigurable flight control. A comprehensive overview of reconfigurable flight control is given, including, a review of the current state-of-the-art within the subdisciplines of fault detection, parameter identification, adaptive control schemes, and dynamic control allocation. Of the adaptive control methods reviewed, sliding mode control (SMC) appears very promising due its property of invariance to matched uncertainty. An overview of sliding mode control is given and its remarkable properties are demonstrated by example. Sliding mode methods, however, are difficult to implement because unmodeled parasitic dynamics cause immediate and severe instability. This presents a challenge for all practical applications with limited bandwidth actuators. One method to deal with parasitic dynamics is the use of an asymptotic observer in the feedback path. Observer-based SMC is investigated, and a method for selecting observer gains is offered. An additional method for shaping the feedback loop using a filter is also developed. It is shown that this SMC prefilter is equivalent to a form of model reference hedging. A complete design procedure is given which takes advantage of the sliding mode boundary layer to recast the SMC as a linear control law. Frequency domain loop shaping is then used to design the sliding manifold. Finally, three aircraft applications are demonstrated. An F-18/HARV is used to demonstrate a SISO pitch rate tracking controller. It is also used to demonstrate a MIMO lateral-directional roll rate tracking controller. The last application is a full linear six degree-of-freedom advanced tailless fighter model. The observer-based SMC is seen to provide excellent tracking with superior robustness to parameter changes and actuator failures.

Wells, Scott R.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Discrete-time Markovian-jump linear quadratic optimal control

This paper is concerned with the optimal control of discrete-time linear systems that possess randomly jumping parameters described by finite-state Markov processes. For problems having quadratic costs and perfect observations, the optimal control laws and expected costs-to-go can be precomputed from a set of coupled Riccati-like matrix difference equations. Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the existence of optimal constant control laws which stabilize the controlled system as the time horizon becomes infinite, with finite optimal expected cost.

Chizeck, H. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

A case for nonlinear model simplification in the design of flight control systems

An algorithm is presented for obtaining a reduced order or simplified nonlinear model of a nonlinear plant. The method provides a systematic approach for quickly finding the optimal simplified model of the system. Controllers are then designed around this nonlinear model and are used to control the original plant. An example design, for the F-8 aircraft, illustrates that the simplified model does indeed enable the design of a linear controller whose performance is indistinguishable from higher order optimal controllers for the original nonlinear plant. The net result is a simplified design procedure for effectively controlling complex nonlinear systems.

Desrochers, A. A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Application of stochastic robustness to aircraft control systems

Guaranteeing robustness has long been an important design objective of control system analysis. Stochastic robustness is a simple numerical procedure that can be used to measure and gain insight into robustness properties associated with linear control systems. In the realm of aircraft control systems, problems such as the effects of flight condition perturbations and model-order uncertainties on robustness are easily and effectively analyzed using stochastic robustness. The concept of stochastic robustness is reviewed and examples are presented demonstrating its use in flight control system analysis.

Ryan, Laura E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

H-infinity based integrated flight-propulsion control design for a STOVL aircraft in transition flight

Results are presented from an application of H-infinity control design methodology to a centralized integrated flight/propulsion control (IFPC) system design for a supersonic Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft in transition flight. The overall design methodology consists of a centralized IFPC controller design with controller partitioning. Only the feedback controller design portion of the methodology is addressed. Design and evaluation vehicle models are summarized, and insight is provided into formulating the H-infinity control problem such that it reflects the IFPC design objectives. The H-infinity controller is shown to provide decoupled command tracking for the design model. The controller order could be significantly reduced by modal residualization of the fast controller modes without any deterioration in performance. A discussion is presented of the areas in which the controller performance needs to be improved, and ways in which these improvements can be achieved within the framework of an H-infinity based linear control design.

Garg, Sanjay↗
NASA NTRS1992

ROM/RMF control of the flexible, articulated-truss space crane

The large size and extreme flexibility of an articulated space crane entail great difficulties in precision positioning. Control strategies for the flexible multibody system are here developed using a Timoshenko-beam finite-element model (FEM) which captures the system's low frequency characteristics. From the FEM, a reduced-order model (ROM) controller is designed which rotates the fixed shape crane about the base alpha joint to actuate positioning control. Eigenvalue analysis of the closed-loop system shows the destabilizing effect of controller-structure interaction (CSI). Making use of a parallel bank of residual mode filters (RMFs) compensated for CSI, restoring system stability and performance. The linear control law is simulated in closed-loop with the beam model. The ROM-based control law with RMF compensation is an effective, low-order controller.

Reisenauer, Brian T.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Quadrature, Interpolation and Observability

Methods of interpolation and quadrature have been used for over 300 years. Improvements in the techniques have been made by many, most notably by Gauss, whose technique applied to polynomials is referred to as Gaussian Quadrature. Stieltjes extended Gauss's method to certain non-polynomial functions as early as 1884. Conditions that guarantee the existence of quadrature formulas for certain collections of functions were studied by Tchebycheff, and his work was extended by others. Today, a class of functions which satisfies these conditions is called a Tchebycheff System. This thesis contains the definition of a Tchebycheff System, along with the theorems, proofs, and definitions necessary to guarantee the existence of quadrature formulas for such systems. Solutions of discretely observable linear control systems are of particular interest, and observability with respect to a given output function is defined. The output function is written as a linear combination of a collection of orthonormal functions. Orthonormal functions are defined, and their properties are discussed. The technique for evaluating the coefficients in the output function involves evaluating the definite integral of functions which can be shown to form a Tchebycheff system. Therefore, quadrature formulas for these integrals exist, and in many cases are known. The technique given is useful in cases where the method of direct calculation is unstable. The condition number of a matrix is defined and shown to be an indication of the the degree to which perturbations in data affect the accuracy of the solution. In special cases, the number of data points required for direct calculation is the same as the number required by the method presented in this thesis. But the method is shown to require more data points in other cases. A lower bound for the number of data points required is given.

Hodges, Lucille McDaniel↗
NASA NTRS1981

Stability analysis of automobile driver steering control

In steering an automobile, the driver must basically control the direction of the car's trajectory (heading angle) and the lateral deviation of the car relative to a delineated pathway. A previously published linear control model of driver steering behavior which is analyzed from a stability point of view is considered. A simple approximate expression for a stability parameter, phase margin, is derived in terms of various driver and vehicle control parameters, and boundaries for stability are discussed. A field test study is reviewed that includes the measurement of driver steering control parameters. Phase margins derived for a range of vehicle characteristics are found to be generally consistent with known adaptive properties of the human operator. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of driver adaptive behavior.

Allen, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Control system design and analysis using the INteractive Controls Analysis (INCA) program

The INteractive Controls Analysis (INCA) program was developed at the Goddard Space Flight Center to provide a user friendly efficient environment for the design and analysis of linear control systems. Since its inception, INCA has found extensive use in the design, development, and analysis of control systems for spacecraft, instruments, robotics, and pointing systems. Moreover, the results of the analytic tools imbedded in INCA have been flight proven with at least three currently orbiting spacecraft. This paper describes the INCA program and illustrates, using a flight proven example, how the package can perform complex design analyses with relative ease.

Bauer, Frank H.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Linear Parameter Varying Control Synthesis for Actuator Failure, Based on Estimated Parameter

The design of a linear parameter varying (LPV) controller for an aircraft at actuator failure cases is presented. The controller synthesis for actuator failure cases is formulated into linear matrix inequality (LMI) optimizations based on an estimated failure parameter with pre-defined estimation error bounds. The inherent conservatism of an LPV control synthesis methodology is reduced using a scaling factor on the uncertainty block which represents estimated parameter uncertainties. The fault parameter is estimated using the two-stage Kalman filter. The simulation results of the designed LPV controller for a HiMXT (Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology) vehicle with the on-line estimator show that the desired performance and robustness objectives are achieved for actuator failure cases.

Shin, Jong-Yeob↗
NASA NTRS1986

Fault-tolerant control of large space structures using the stable factorization approach

Large space structures are characterized by the following features: they are in general infinite-dimensional systems, and have large numbers of undamped or lightly damped poles. Any attempt to apply linear control theory to large space structures must therefore take into account these features. Phase I consisted of an attempt to apply the recently developed Stable Factorization (SF) design philosophy to problems of large space structures, with particular attention to the aspects of robustness and fault tolerance. The final report on the Phase I effort consists of four sections, each devoted to one task. The first three sections report theoretical results, while the last consists of a design example. Significant results were obtained in all four tasks of the project. More specifically, an innovative approach to order reduction was obtained, stabilizing controller structures for plants with an infinite number of unstable poles were determined under some conditions, conditions for simultaneous stabilizability of an infinite number of plants were explored, and a fault tolerance controller design that stabilizes a flexible structure model was obtained which is robust against one failure condition.

Razavi, H. C.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Automatic control of cryogenic wind tunnels

Inadequate Reynolds number similarity in testing of scaled models affects the quality of aerodynamic data from wind tunnels. This is due to scale effects of boundary-layer shock wave interaction which is likely to be severe at transonic speeds. The idea of operation of wind tunnels using test gas cooled to cryogenic temperatures has yielded a quantrum jump in the ability to realize full scale Reynolds number flow similarity in small transonic tunnels. In such tunnels, the basic flow control problem consists of obtaining and maintaining the desired test section flow parameters. Mach number, Reynolds number, and dynamic pressure are the three flow parameters that are usually required to be kept constant during the period of model aerodynamic data acquisition. The series of activity involved in modeling, control law development, mechanization of the control laws on a microcomputer, and the performance of a globally stable automatic control system for the 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT) are discussed. A lumped multi-variable nonlinear dynamic model of the cryogenic tunnel, generation of a set of linear control laws for small perturbation, and nonlinear control strategy for large set point changes including tunnel trajectory control are described. The details of mechanization of the control laws on a 16 bit microcomputer system, the software features, operator interface, the display and safety are discussed. The controller is shown to provide globally stable and reliable temperature control to + or - 0.2 K, pressure to + or - 0.07 psi and Mach number to + or - 0.002 of the set point value. This performance is obtained both during large set point commands as for a tunnel cooldown, and during aerodynamic data acquisition with intrusive activity like geometrical changes in the test section such as angle of attack changes, drag rake movements, wall adaptation and sidewall boundary-layer removal. Feasibility of the use of an automatic Reynolds number control mode with fixed Mach number control is demonstrated.

Balakrishna, S.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Linear quadratic servo control of a reusable rocket engine

A design method for a servo compensator is developed in the frequency domain using singular values. The method is applied to a reusable rocket engine. An intelligent control system for reusable rocket engines was proposed which includes a diagnostic system, a control system, and an intelligent coordinator which determines engine control strategies based on the identified failure modes. The method provides a means of generating various linear multivariable controllers capable of meeting performance and robustness specifications and accommodating failure modes identified by the diagnostic system. Command following with set point control is necessary for engine operation. A Kalman filter reconstructs the state while loop transfer recovery recovers the required degree of robustness while maintaining satisfactory rejection of sensor noise from the command error. The approach is applied to the design of a controller for a rocket engine satisfying performance constraints in the frequency domain. Simulation results demonstrate the performance of the linear design on a nonlinear engine model over all power levels during mainstage operation.

Musgrave, Jeffrey L.↗