For many years there was a division in feedback control between the "classical" frequency-domain methods being used for SISO systems, and the "advanced" state-space methods (e.g. LQG) being used for MIMO systems. In particular, this manifested itself in the teaching, where there seemed to be no link between the introductory control course based on the frequency domain and the advanced course based on state-space methods. The book closes this division by emphasizing methods, such as H-infinity loop-shaping control, which directly extends the classical SISO methods to MIMO systems. State-space methods are of course also covered, but there is no artifical division between this approach and frequency-domain methods.
The book includes more than 100 worked examples, 3 major case studies and about 140 exercises. Many of the examples make use of MATLAB, and sample files are included. MATLAB files for examples and figures, solutions to selected exercises and models for the case studies are available on the internet.
A unique feature of the book are the two chapters on input-output controllability analysis and one chapter on control structure design.
The prerequisites for reading this book are an introductory course in classical single-input single-output (SISO) control and some elementary knowledge of matrices and linear algebra. It is also helpful with background in system theory.
Parts of the book can be studied alone, and provide an appropriate background for a number of linear control courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels: classical loop-shaping control, an introduction to multivariable control, advanced multivariable control, robust control, controller design, control structure design and controllability analysis.
Sigurd Skogestad is Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, and Ian Postlethwaite is Professor of Engineering at the University of Leicester in England. More information is available on the books home page; see http://www.chembio.ntnu.no/users/skoge/book.html.