Constrains on the closed-loop system such as
asymptotic tracking, decoupling, limits on peak excursions of variables, step
responses, setting time, and overshoot, as well as frequency domain
inequalities are readily incorporated in the design. The minimization
objective is quite general, with LQG, H_infinity, and new l_1 types as special
cases.
The constrains and objectives are specified in a control
specification language which is natural for the control engineer,
referring directly to step response, noise powers, transfer functions, and so
on. This control specification language will be the input to a compiler
which will translate the specifications into a standard convex program in R^L,
which is then solved by some numerical convex program solver. A small but
powerful subset of the language has been specified and its associated compiler
implemented.
The architecture proposed simplifies not only design of the controller but also its implementation. These controllers can be built right now from off the shelf components or integrated using standard VLSI cells.