A comprehensive methodology for SISO system order reduction (Q1085116)

A frequency domain methodology for consistently obtaining reduced-order transfer functions of a variety of single-input-single-output (SISO) systems is presented. It is readily applicable to irrational as well as unstable plant models. The required computer software is simple and easy to implement on a small computer. The notion of ''appropriateness of structure'' is introduced to guarantee that a reduced model is structurally capable of capturing the salient features of the frequency response of the original model. This leads to a logical elimination of a large number of reduced forms and thus the overall computational speed is enhanced substantially. Having isolated a small number of proper reduced strutures, their parameters are determined by an improved error minimization technique. An effective frequency domain quality index to rank the reduced models is presented. This eliminates the need for detailed simulations during the search for an optimum reduced model.