Block Diagram of Control System

n Disturbance
r + e u y
Controller Actuator Plant
Expected Controlled
value - Error variable

Sensor
lead-out point:
comparison component Here, the signal is
(comparison point) : transferred along two
its output equals the separate routes.
algebraic sum of all input measures a physical quantity
signals. and converts it into a signal
which can be read by an
observer or by an instrument..
 Open-loop Control Systems

• Open-loop control systems: those systems in which the output

has no effect on the control action.
System Control System
input signal output
CONTROLLER PLANT

• The output is neither measured nor fed back for comparison with
the input.
• For each reference input, there corresponds a fixed operating
conditions.
• In the presence of disturbances, an open-loop system will not
perform the desired task.
 Open-loop Control Systems

• Examples
– Washing machine

– Traffic signals

Note that any control systems that

operates on a time basis are open-
loop.
 Open-loop Control Systems

• Some comments on open-loop control

systems
– Simple construction and ease of
maintenance. Good
– Less expensive than a closed-loop system.
– No stability problem.
– Recalibration is necessary from
time to time. Bad
– Sensitive to disturbances, so less accurate.
 Open-loop Control Systems

• When should we apply open-loop control?

– The relationship between the input and output is
exactly known.
– There are neither internal nor external
disturbances.
 Closed-loop Control Systems
• Closed-loop control systems are often referred to as feedback control systems.
• ]

• the return to the input of a part of the output of a machine, system, or process
(as for producing changes in control action that improve performance or in an
automatic control device that provide self-corrective action)
• The idea of feedback:
– Compare the actual output with the expected value.
– Take actions based on the difference (error).

Expected Control System

value Error signal output
CONTROLLER PLANT

– This seemingly simple idea is tremendously powerful.

– Feedback is a key idea in the discipline of control.
 Example 1 : Flush Reservoir

water q1(t)
Plant: water tank piston
Input: water flow
Output: water level h(t ) float lever
Expected value: h0
Sensor: float h0
h(t)
Controller: lever
Actuator: piston

Controller Actuator Plant

h0 q1 (t ) Water h(t ) threshold
Lever Piston
Tank
q2(t)

Float
Sensor
 Example 2: Speed Adjustment
Goals
– Stability: system maintains desired operating point (hold steady speed)
– Performance: system responds rapidly to changes (accelerate)
– Robustness: system tolerates perturbations in dynamics (disturbances)
Road grade
Desired Control Actual
v signal
velocity des Calculation Auto velocity v
Engine
element body
Reference Error Controlled
input variable
Controller Actuator Plant

Sensor

Speedometer
Measured
velocity
Sensor noise
Disturbance
 Main Advantages of Feedback

• Main advantages of feedback are as follows:

– reduce disturbance effects
– make system insensitive to variations
– stabilize an unstable system
– create well-defined relationship between output and
reference
– allows high performance in the presence of
uncertainty
 Open-loop vs. Closed-loop

• Open-loop control • Closed-loop control

Simple structure,
Ability to correct error
low cost

High accuracy and

Easy to regulate
resistance of disturbance

Low accuracy and not Complex structure,

resistance to disturbance high cost

Couple noise from sensors

into the dynamics of a system
In most cases, the advantages of closed-loop far outweigh the disadvantages.
Thinking more Control Systems…

Examples of open-loop
control and closed-loop
control systems ?

The human body is highly

advanced feedback control system.

For each system, could you

identify the sensor, actuator
and controller?
 Classification of Control Systems

1. According to
structure

Open-loop Closed-loop Composition

control control control

Open-loop＋Closed-loop＝Composite control system

 Classification of Control Systems

2. According to
reference input

Constant-value Servo/tracking Programming

control control control
• the reference input (expected • the reference input may be • the input changes
value) is a constant value unknown or varying according to a program
• the controller works to keep the • the controller works to • the controller works
output around the constant value make the output track the according to predefined
e.g. constant-temperature varying reference command
control, liquid level control and e.g. automatic navigation e.g. numerical control
constant-pressure control. systems on boats and planes, machine
satellite-tracking antennas
 Linear System
A system is said to be linear in terms of the system input x(t)
and the system output y(t) if it satisfies the following two
properties of superposition and homogeneity.

Superposition:

x1 (t ) y1 (t ) x2 (t ) y2 (t )

x1 (t )  x2 (t ) y1 (t )  y2 (t )

Homogeneity:
x1 (t ) y1 (t ) ax1 (t ) ay1 (t )
Classification of Control Systems

3. According to
system
characteristics

• superposition principle applies

Linear control • described by linear differential
system equation

Nonlinear •superposition principle does not apply

control system •described by nonlinear differential
equation
 Time Invariance
A system is said to be time invariant if a time delay or time
advance of the input signal leads to an identical time shift in
the output signal.
x(t ) y(t )
Time invariant
system

x(t  t0 ) y(t  t0 )

t0 t0
Classification of Control Systems

4. According to
parameters

The parameters of a control

Time-invariant system are stationary with
system respect to time

System contain elements that drift

Time-varying or vary with time
system e.g. Guided-missile control system, results in
time-varying parameters of the control system
Basic Requirements for Control Systems

• Stability: refer to the ability of a system to recover

equilibrium
• Quickness: refer to the duration of transient process
before the control system to reach its equilibrium
• Accuracy: refer to the size of steady-state error when
the transient process ends
(Steady-state error=desired output – actual output)
 Note

• For a control system, the above three performance

indices (stability, quickness, accuracy) are sometimes
contradictory.

• In design of a practical control system, we always

need to make compromise.
 Summary

Open-loop control

Closed-loop control
Feedback:
• reduce disturbance effects
• provide extra freedom for control design
• may cause instability

Classification of
control systems
Requirements: Stability, Quickness, Accuracy