Controls and Control Theory Commons^™

Validation Of Waimss Incident Duration Estimation Model, Wei Wu, Pushkin Kachroo, Kaan Ozbay

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

This paper presents an effort to validate the traffic incident duration estimation model of WAIMSS (wide area incident management support system). Duration estimation model of WAIMSS predicts the incident duration based on an estimation tree which was calibrated using incident data collected in Northern Virginia. Due to the limited sample size, a full scale test of the distribution, mean and variance of incident duration was performed only for the root node of the estimation tree, white only mean tests were executed at all other nodes whenever a data subset was available. Further studies were also conducted on the model error …

High Amplitude Tracking Control, Joseph W. Mcnamee

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of tracking control in the face of high amplitude dynamic reference signals, hard state and control constraints, and open-loop unstable plants is investigated. Saturation effects mitigation is a current research topic, and a large body of literature exists which addresses this problem. However, with a few notable exceptions, little work has been accomplished which is applicable to the problem of high amplitude dynamic reference signal tracking in the face of hard state and control constraints, and open-loop unstable plants. Moreover, methods that do address the stated problem generally limit the exogenous reference signal to statically admissible values to …

Joint Wavelet Transform Correlation With Separated Target And Reference Planes, Boon Yi Soon, Mohammad A. Karim, Russell C. Hardie, Mohammad S. Alam

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In recent years, we realize the usefulness of feature extraction for optical correlator and hereby, we investigate the capability of Laplace operator in feature extraction of multiple targets. The first-order terms and the false alarm terms in the correlation output would be removed using electronic power spectrum subtraction technique. Most importantly, the entire magneto-optic SLM is completely utilized for displaying only targets in the input scene. A new cost efficient hardware implementation is proposed and aforementioned result of the proposed system is evaluated through computer simulation.

Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation Using Filter Spawning, Kenneth A. Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation with Filter Spawning is used to detect and estimate partial actuator failures on the VISTA F-16. The truth model is a full six-degree-of-freedom simulation provided by Calspan and General Dynamics. The design models are chosen as 13-state linearized models, including first order actuator models. Actuator failures are incorporated into the truth model and design model assuming a "failure to free stream . Filter Spawning is used to include additional filters with partial actuator failure hypotheses into the Multiple Model Adaptive Estimation (MMAE) bank. The spawned filters are based on varying degrees of partial failures (in terms …

Networking 8-Bit Embedded Controllers, Using The Controller Area Network Method, Brett Wilkinson

Theses : Honours

The initial aim of this project was to create an ethernet (IEEE 802.3) Communications System. The system was to connect Embedded controllers to facilitate the operation of a real time operation. After extensive investigation and scheduled meetings with industry, it became apparent that a superior communication system for this type of task lay in the Controller Area Network (CAN) standard. Communications Networks are extremely susceptible to volatile surroundings. A vital controller network necessitates that its communication network be invulnerable to high noise levels. It is also imperative that critical messages from one controller reach their destination on time. CAN was …

Compensation Of Processes With Time Delays, Thomas Heeg, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

Methods which allow comparisons in the use of PI and PID controller strategies for the control of first order lag plus time delay processes (FOLPD) are worthy of investigation because of the relative lack of work done in this area. In this paper, strategies for comparing performance and robustness for a PI or PID controlled FOLPD process are analysed and designed. The use of different PID controller structures for processes with time delay is also worth considering in detail. Various PID controller structures are compared by means of servo and regulator time responses, Bode plots and Nyquist plots.

The Identification And Control Of Processes With Time Delay, Susan Carr, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The identification of the frequency response and process model parameters of systems with time delay using frequency domain techniques is evaluated in this paper. The performance of both Fourier Transform and Power Spectral Density techniques is considered. The benefits of employing modern model based design and delay compensation techniques, based on the identified process data, are assessed.

Modeling Electromagnetic Disturbances In Closed-Loop Computer Controlled Flight Systems, W. Steven Gray, Oscar R. Gonzalez

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

High intensity electromagnetic radiation has been demonstrated to be a source of computer upsets in commercially available digital flight control systems. In this paper we introduce an electromagnetic disturbance model which can be used for stability analysis and augmentation of any such digitally implemented control law. The model is composed of a Markovian exosystem supplying radiation events to a discrete-time jump linear system which models how the radiation interferes with the nominal operation of the closed-loop system. We discuss how this model can be used to characterize stability and how it can be parametrized and validated in an experimental setting.

Performance And Robustness Issues In The Compensation Of Folpd Processes With Pi And Pid Controllers, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

This paper will discuss the compensation of first order lag plus time delay (FOLPD) processes using PI and PID controllers whose parameters are specified using appropriate tuning rules. The gain margin, phase margin and maximum sensitivity of the compensated system as the ratio of time delay to time constant of the process varies, are used as ways of judging the performance and robustness of the system.

The Gain Scheduled Piece-Wise Adaptive Digital Control Of A Ph Process, Eugene O'Shaughnessy, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The compensation of a pH process is complicated by the non-linear nature of the process titration curve and the significant time delays that typically exist in such processes. This paper will propose the use of a gain scheduled piecewise adaptive PI controller to compensate the process. A pilot plant is controlled, with the control algorithm implemented on a programmable controller. SCADA software displays and trends the plant and controller signals.

Data Logging Multiple Aviation Sensors Using A Motorala [Sic] Hc11 Microcontroller, Andrew James Wooding

Theses : Honours

This project is part of the research and development of a microprocessor based integrated instrumentation system for light aircraft. It involves interfacing a Motorola HC 11 microcontroller with several sensor inputs. The project system is designed to data log battery voltage, cylinder head temperature, ambient temperature and engine RPM.

Simulation Study Of Learning Automata Games In Automated Highway Systems, Cem Unsal, Pushkin Kachroo, John S. Bay

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

One of the most important issues in Automated Highway System (AHS) deployment is intelligent vehicle control. While the technology to safely maneuver vehicles exists, the problem of making intelligent decisions to improve a single vehicle’s travel time and safety while optimizing the overall traffic flow is still a stumbling block. We propose an artificial intelligence technique called stochastic learning automata to design an intelligent vehicle path controller. Using the information obtained by on-board sensors and local communication modules, two automata are capable of learning the best possible (lateral and longitudinal) actions to avoid collisions. This learning method is capable of …

Sliding Mode For User Equilibrium Dynamic Traffic Routing Control, Pushkin Kachroo, Kaan Ozbay

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

Presents a solution to the user equilibrium dynamic traffic routing (DTR) problem for a point diversion case using feedback control methodology. The sliding mode control technique which is a robust control methodology applicable to nonlinear systems in canonical form is employed to solve the user equilibrium DTR problem. The canonical form for this problem is obtained by using a feedback linearization technique, and the uncertainties of the system are countered by using the sliding mode principle. Simulation results show promising results.

Modeling Intelligent Control Of Distributed Cooperative Inferencing, Edward M. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to harness different problem-solving methods together into a cooperative system has the potential for significantly improving the performance of systems for solving NP-hard problems. The need exists for an intelligent controller that is able to effectively combine radically different problem-solving techniques with anytime and anywhere properties into a distributed cooperative environment. This controller requires models of the component algorithms in conjunction with feedback from those algorithms during run-time to manage a dynamic combination of tasks effectively. This research develops a domain-independent method for creating these models as well as a model for the controller itself. These models provide …

Feedback Control Solutions To Network Level User-Equilibrium Real-Time Dynamic Traffic Assignment Problems, Pushkin Kachroo, Kaan Ozbay

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

A new method for performing dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) is presented which is applicable in real time, since the solution is based on feedback control. This method employs the design of nonlinear H∞ feedback control systems which is robust to certain class of uncertainties in the system. The solution aims at achieving user equilibrium on alternate routes in a network setting.

Broadband Dynamic Modification Using Feedforward Control, Kendeas Antonis Karantonis

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The use of feedforward control for dynamic modification is relatively new to the area of structural vibration control. In this thesis the disturbance path dynamics of a flexible aluminum beam, pinned at both ends and under the influence of broadband excitation inputs, are modified through the use of feedforward control. The ideal algebraically determined feedforward control method for response cancellation is first presented. Theoretically, this compensator modifies the disturbance path dynamics to any desired behavior. This ideal algebraic approach can only be used for minimum phase systems. In non-minimum phase systems, right half s-plane plant zeros emerge as unstable poles …

Closed Loop Time Domain Gradient Methods For Parameter And Time Delay Estimation, M, Behan, M Cahill, M. Carry, G Clausen, V. Dooley, N. English, W. Grainger, D. O'Connor, Aidan O'Dwyer, John Ringwood

Conference papers

This paper discusses the estimation of process parameters and time delay, in a Smith predictor structure, using gradient algorithms in the time domain. A number of estimation algorithms are outlined and applied in simulation to the estimation of the parameters of an appropriate process model. An analytical exploration of the technique is also provided.

Manual Tracking Flight Control With Amplitude And Rate Constrained Dynamic Actuators, Russel B. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

A new control methodology for manual flight control, viz., real-time tracking control, is developed. Amplitude and rate constrained dynamic actuators are considered. Optimal tracking control is made possible by the use of unique reference signal prediction strategies which extrapolate the reference signal over the optimization horizon. A receding horizon, linear-quadratic inner-loop controller is employed in conjunction with an outer-loop nonlinear element. The constraint effects mitigation strategy is to optimally track a modified reference signal which yields feasible actuator commands over the optimization horizon when the pilot demanded reference is too aggressive to be tracked by the inner-loop optimal control law. …

Adaptive Neural Network Controller For Atm Traffic, Jeffrey E. Larson

Theses and Dissertations

Broadband-Integrated Services Digital Networks (B-ISDN), along with Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), were designed to meet the requirements of modern communication networks to handle multiple users and a wide variety of diverse traffic including voice, data and video. ATM responds to requests for admission to the network by analyzing whether or not the grade of service (GOS) requirement, specified in the admission request, can be guaranteed without violating the GOS guaranteed to traffic already accepted into the network. The GOS is typically a parameter such as cell loss rate (CLR), average delay, or some other measurement associated with network performance. In …

Development Of Object-Based Teleoperator Control For Unstructured Applications, Hyunki Cho

Theses and Dissertations

For multi-fingered end effectors in unstructured applications, the main issues are control in the presence of uncertainties and providing grasp stability and object manipulability. The suggested concept in this thesis is object based teleoperator control which provides an intuitive way to control the robot in terms of the grasped object and reduces the operator's conceptual constraints. The general control law is developed using a hierarchical control structure, i.e., human interface I gross motion control level in teleoperation control and fine motion control/object grasp stability in autonomous control. The gross motion control is required to provide the position/orientation of the Super …

A Real-Time Self-Tuning Web Tension Regulation Scheme, Brian T. Boulter, Zhiqiang Gao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A self-tuning control scheme is proposed for tension regulation in a web transport system. A computationally efficient self-tuning method is first described. The frequency domain model of the plant is then described. Simulations of the on-line tuning are presented. The paper closes with a discussion of cognizant real-time implementation issues.

Neural Generalized Predictive Control For Real-Time Control, Donald I. Soloway

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis a computationally efficient Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) algorithm is presented and implemented. The algorithm is more efficient than others because the number of iterations needed for convergence is significantly lower with Newton-Raphson. The main additional cost with Newton-Raphson algorithm is the calculation of the Hessian. This overhead is not a problem because of the reduced number of iterations, making the algorithm suitable for real-time control. For nonlinear control applications, a neural network is used as a dynamical system predictor leading to a Neural Generalized Predictive Control (NGPC) algorithm which is presented in detail in this thesis. An …

The Control Of A Process With Time Delay By Using A Modified Smith Predictor Compensator, Aidan O'Dwyer, John Ringwood

Conference papers

A modification is proposed to the Smith predictor compensator structure for the control of a process with time delay. The modification facilitates the achievement of an improved closed loop system regulator response, with little degradation in the corresponding servo response. The compensator design procedure is discussed, and simulation results are provided to demonstrate the applicability of the method.

An Investigation Into Manufacturing Execution Systems, K. W. Duley

Theses : Honours

Hardware and software developments of this decade have exposed an hiatus between business/management applications and process control in heavy industry in the implementation of computer technology. This document examines the development of discrete manufacturing and of relevant implementations of computing. It seeks to examine and to clarify the issues involved in a perceived current drive to bridge this gap, to integrate all the systems in a manufacturing enterprise in a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) in order to address two hypotheses: I) That overseas trends towards the development of manufacturing execution systems have application in the Australian industrial context. 2) That …

Multiple Model Adaptive Control Of The Vista F-16, Michael J. Stepaniak

Theses and Dissertations

Multiple model adaptive control (MMAC) is investigated using the high-fidelity, nonlinear, six-degree-of-freedom Simulation Rapid-Prototyping Facility VISTA F-16. Detection of single actuator and sensor failures is considered, with an MMAC algorithm initially pursued which allows a controller specifically designed for each particular failure condition to replace the standard F-16 Block 40 flight control system (FCS) once the failure is detected. The synthesis of certain discrete-time LQG/PI controllers (those using control variables linearly dependent on state derivatives) is shown to be unattainable due to numerical difficulties. A novel control technique, termed control redistribution, is introduced which redistributes control commands (that would normally …

Application Of Mixed-Norm Optimal Control To A Multi-Objective Active Suspension Problem, John B. Allison

Theses and Dissertations

Mixed norm optimal control synthesis is used to solve a multiobjective suspension problem. The objective is to develop a controller for an active suspension system onboard a tractor semitrailer vehicle. The problem is first approached by using H₂ and H∞ optimization. It is shown that by combining both techniques into one mixed norm optimization method, it is possible to exploit the strengths of each norm to provide superior performance. Two H₂/H∞ designs were completed. One design concentrated on optimal performance at one design condition. The second design concentrated on providing the best performance possible at a medium …

Design Of Flight Control Laws For Aircraft With Flexible Wings Using Quantitative Feedback Theory, Christina L. Osmon

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft composed of lightweight composite materials are extremely enticing since their structural weight is greatly reduced. However, the control of these aircraft is complicated by the resultant flexibility of the wings. Two avenues of approach are possible; stiffen the wings thus losing some of the weight reduction benefits, or design the lateral/directional flight control system cognizant of the wing's flexibility. In this thesis the second approach is taken. The design of three lateral/directional flight control systems for the sub-sonic flight envelope of the F-18 is presented. The Quantitative Feedback Theory (QFT) robust control design technique is used. These designs incorporate …

An Algorithmic Approach To Loop Shaping With Applications To Self-Tuning Control Systems, Zhiqiang Gao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

An algorithmic approach to feedback control design is introduced. It simplifies the existing iterative design process, which is often tedious, by reducing the design problem to solving a set of linear algebraic equations. The algorithmic nature of such an approach makes it attrative to not only off-line designs but also self-tuning control systems, where the compensators are continuously tuned on-line as the dynamics of the physical process vary with time. This is demonstrated in the example where the proposed algorithm is implemented for an industrial tension regulation system with successful simulation results. Extensions of the algorithm to …

Intelligent Control Of Vehicles: Preliminary Results On The Application Of Learning Automata Techniques To Automated Highway System, Cem Unsal, John S. Bay, Pushkin Kachroo

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

We suggest an intelligent controller for an automated vehicle to plan its own trajectory based on sensor and communication data received. Our intelligent controller is based on an artificial intelligence technique called learning stochastic automata. The automaton can learn the best possible action to avoid collisions using the data received from on-board sensors. The system has the advantage of being able to work in unmodeled stochastic environments. Simulations for the lateral control of a vehicle using this AI method provides encouraging results.

Text Independent Speaker Verification Using Binary-Pair Partitioned Neural Networks, Claude A. Norton Iii

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A method is presented for the application of binary-pair partitioned neural networks to the task of speaker verification. This technique is based on a previously developed neural network classifier for speaker identification.

The main focus of this research was the development and testing of the algorithms necessary to extend the binary-pair partitioning approach from speaker identification to speaker verification. The method is based on the development of a user profile which is obtained from discriminative data provided by the binary-pair partitioned neural networks.

Experimental results are provided which demonstrate the viability of this approach, using the TIMIT speech corpus for …