Output regulation of uncertain nonlinear systems (Q1359255)

This book is concerned with the output regulation problem for (uncertain) nonlinear systems. More precisely, the following problem is investigated: Given a nonlinear system \(\dot x=f(x,u,w)\), \(e= h(x,w)\), with state \(x\), input \(u\), regulated output \(e\) and exogenous disturbance \(w\), which is generated by an exo-system \(\dot w=s(w)\), find, if possible, an output feedback controller \(\dot\xi= \nu(\xi,e)\), \(u=\theta(\xi)\) such that the disturbance-free, closed-loop system is asymptotically stable and for which \(e\) tends to zero no matter what initial conditions and exogenous disturbances are considered. The output regulation problem has recently received quite some interest and the present book provides a unified state of the art about the solvability of the problem. This includes the presentation of necessary and sufficient conditions for the solvability of the local regulation problem -- that is assuming the initial conditions for system and controller are sufficiently small. As known from previous work of Francis and Wonham [\textit{B. A. Francis} and \textit{W. M. Wonham}, Automatica 12, 457-465 (1976; Zbl 0344.93028)] for linear systems the above conditions can be recast in terms of the system's transmission zeros. After recapitulating this, the book provides a nonlinear analog of this in terms of nonlinear zero dynamics. Finally, the robust output regulation problem is considered. In that case both system dynamics and regulated output are allowed to depend on a set of unknown parameters and the output feedback controller is assumed to be independent of the unknown parameters.