Variational and Symplectic Approach of The Model-Free Control
Variational and Symplectic Approach of The Model-Free Control
Variational and Symplectic Approach of The Model-Free Control
Loc MICHEL
GR
+
y
+C() (3)
where
y
is the output reference trajectory, which is determined via the rules of atness-
based control ([3, 4]);
e = y
. K
P
, K
I
are the usual tuning gains.
Equation (3) is called model-free control law or model-free law.
The i-PI controller 3 is compensating the poorly known term F. Controlling the
system therefore boils down to the control of a precise and elementary pure integrator.
The tuning of the gains K
P
and K
I
becomes therefore quite straightforward.
2
2.2.2 Classic controllers
See [5] for a comparison with classic PI controllers.
2.2.3 Applications
See [6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13] for already existing applications in various domains.
2.3 Numerical dierentiation of noisy signals
Numerical dierentiation, which is a classic eld of investigation in engineering and
in applied mathematics, is a key ingredient for implementing the feedback loop 3.
Our solution has already played an important role in model-based nonlinear control
and in signal processing (see [14] for further details and related references).
The estimate of the 1
st
order derivative of a noisy signal y reads (see, e.g., [15])
y =
3!
T
3
T
0
(T 2t)y(t)dt where [0,T] is a quite short time window.
This window
is sliding in order to get this estimate at each time instant.
Denoising of y leads to the estimate y =
2!
T
2
T
0
(2T 3t)y(t)dt
The above results are the basis of our estimation techniques. Important theoretical
developments, which are of utmost importance for the computer implementation, may
be found in [16]. We establish the following hypothesis:
Hypothesis 2.1 [2] The estimate of the derivative is realized with an high bandwidth
and is not biased; in particular compared to the noise.
2.4 A rst academic example: a stable monovariable linear
system
Introduce as in [1, 2] the stable transfer function
(s + 2)
2
(s + 1)
3
(4)
2.4.1 A classic PID controller
We apply the well known method due to Broda (see, e.g., [17]) by approximating
System 4 via the following delay system
Ke
s
(Ts + 1)
+C()
where
[F]
e
= [ y]
e
u,
y
is a reference trajectory,
= y
y,
C() is an usual PI controller.
2.4.3 Numerical simulations
Figure 1(a) shows that the i-PI controller behaves only slightly better than the classic
PID controller (Fig. 1(b)). When taking into account on the other hand the age-
ing process and some fault accommodation there is a dramatic change of situation:
Figure 1(c) indicates a clear cut superiority of our i-PI controller if the ageing pro-
cess corresponds to a shift of the pole from 1 to 1.5, and if the previous graphical
identication is not repeated (Fig. 1(d)).
2.4.4 Some consequences
It might be useless to introduce delay systems of the type
T(s)e
Ls
, T R(s), L 0 (5)
for tuning classic PID controllers, as often done today in spite of the quite
involved identication procedure.
This example demonstrates also that the usual mathematical criteria for robust
control become to a large irrelevant.
As also shown by this example some fault accommodation may also be achieved
without having recourse to a general theory of diagnosis.
4
(a) i-PI control (b) PID control
(c) i-PI control (d) PID control
Figure 1: Stable linear monovariable system (Output (); reference (- -); denoised
output (. .)).
2.5 From the analytical mechanics to the model-free control
The concept of symplecticity, described very largely by [18] gives a rigorous math-
ematical framework to the variational problems including the concept of symmetry.
Lagrangian mechanics besides is completely formalized thanks to variational calcula-
tion within the framework of the symplectic spaces properties. It introduces, for the
mechanical systems, the concept of Hamiltonian and the generalized coordinates p and
q (resp. proportional to the position and the acceleration), which using the Euler-
Lagrange equation and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, allows to retrieve the basic
principle of dynamics. Thus, in the case of a conservative mechanical system inde-
pendent of time, the Hamiltonian energy is preserved and induces the conservation of
certain properties in symplectic spaces [19]. Although the symplecticity is a relatively
abstract concept, much of the works (let us quote e.g. [19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25])
established the possibility of using symplectic integration algorithms under certain
conditions i.e able to preserve the Lagrangian structure of the mechanical systems,
and to preserve the Hamiltonian in particular in the case of the systems that are
independent of time.
5
3 Introduction to the variational model-free con-
trol
3.1 Possibility of controlling
The fundamental goal of a variational optimization of the model-free control law (3)
is to increase the robustness/the tracking of the reference by an online adjustment of
the parameter . Starting from the denition of a cost criterion, we justify the use
of variational methods by the fact that they allow to calculate the parameter as a
solution of the optimization problem according to the time.
Considered application Consider an application in power electronics [13] where
we have to control the output voltage of a power converter according to an output
reference. Consider the dc/dc buck converter (Fig. 2) where u is the duty-cycle and
E = 20V L = 1 mH, C = 10 F. The load is a simple varying resistor R.
Figure 2: Classical buck converter.
u is the input of the converter to control. The controlled output voltage is noted y and
the output reference voltage is noted y
F
k1
y
(n)
+C()|
k
=
1
y
(n)
k1
u
k1
. .. .
F
k1
y
(n)
+C()|
k
(6)
u
k
= u
k1
1
y
(n)
k1
y
(n)
+ C()|
k
(7)
6
Denition 3.1 For any discrete moment t
k
, k N, one denes the discrete con-
troller i-PI.
u
k
= u
k1
1
y
(n)
k1
y
(n)
+ C()|
k
(8)
where
y
degenerated
In order to assume correctly the variations of within the discrete model-free law
(8) and with an aim of satisfying the integration conditions of the Euler-Lagrange
equation, which will allow the -optimization of the model-free law, it is advisable to
dene the dynamic of . Consequently, we consider the addition of the derivative
in (8)
.
Denition 3.2 When the system works in closed-loop, one denes the u
k
-degenerate
model-free law for n = 1 such that:
u
k
= u
k1
dy
dt
k1
dy
c
dt
+ C()|
k
+
d
dt
(10)
where = 1/
, K
F
k1
dy
c
dt
d
dt
+ C()|
k
(11)
that can be rewritten:
u
k
= F
k1
+
dy
c
dt
k
+
d
dt
C()|
k
(12)
u
k
+ F
k1
=
dy
c
dt
k
+
d
dt
C()|
k
(13)
According to the th. 3.1, we call, u
k
-implicite model-free discrete law, the following
expression:
dy
dt
....
F
k1
+
u
k1
k1
dy
c
dt
k
=
C()
k
+
d
dt
(14)
k1
=
C()
k
+
d
dt
(15)
Let us dene
d
dt
=
dy
dt
k1
dyc
dt
k
like the derivative of the tracking error using the
th. 3.1 via the hyp. 3.2.
When the corrector C is dened by a single constant gain C K
p
, then it exists
a linear relation between and the output and its derivative. It comes then:
Denition 3.3 The model-free Lagrangian veries:
1
K
p
d
dt
k1
+ K
d
dt
= |
k
(16)
with =
1
+
K
p
R
+
K
N
In this expression, the parameters K
p
and K
Based on the -K
such that:
L
(y y
)d =
1
K
p
d
dt
k1
+ K
d
dt
d (17)
The expression -K
x
1
x
0
f(x, y, y
)dx (18)
10
where f has continuous partial derivatives of second order with respect to x, y and y
,
and x
0
< x
1
. Let:
S = {y C
2
[x
0
, x
1
] : y(x
0
) = y
0
et y(x
1
) = y
1
} (19)
where y
0
and y
1
are given real numbers. If y S is an extremal for J, then
d
dx
f
y
f
y
= 0 (20)
for all x [x
0
, x
1
].
The Euler-Lagrange equation, is thus a dierential equation, generally nonlinear,
that must be satised for any extremal function y(x). In other words, if y(x) is
solution of the Euler-Lagrange equation, then the functional J, dened as the integral
on [x
0
, x
1
] of a f, functional dependant on x, y and y
, is minimal.
3.3.3 Numerical resolution of the criterion L
=
L
(21)
The integration of the variational model-free Lagrangian (16) provides the evo-
lution law of according to the time such that the integral of the error y y
is
minimal.
Let us dene the discrete Euler-Lagrange equation according to [28] [29] where
D
1
and D
2
indicate the discrete derivation of the Lagrangian:
D
2
L
d
(
k1
,
k
, h) + D
1
L
d
(
k
,
k+1
, h) = 0 (22)
We have:
K
p
k
d
dt
+ K
k1
k
h
+
K
p
k
d
dt
+ K
k+1
k
h
= 0 (23)
then:
k
d
dt
+ K
k+1
2
k
+
k1
h
= 0 (24)
11
The discrete symplectic integrator derived from (24) is written (expression of
k+1
according to
K
and
k1
):
h
d
dt
k
+ K
(
k+1
2
k
+
k1
) = 0 (25)
then:
d
dt
2
k
+
k1
=
k+1
(26)
Notice that the dependence with respect to the corrector K
p
does not exist any-
more. Equation (10), called control law forms with (16), the symplectic model-free
control or i-PIS corrector (by extension of i-PI).
Denition 3.4 When the system works in closed-loop, we dene the intelligent con-
troller that is symplectic type or i-PIS controller by:
u
k
= u
k1
1
dy
dt
k1
dy
c
dt
+ K
p
K
d
dt
d
dt
2
k
k1
=
k+1
0
(resp.
0
) is initial condition
(27)
We preserved the natural notations of (10) (continuous into ) and (16) (discrete
form in
). Let us note that now seems a state variable of the model-free control.
Remarks
instability of the strong load transients When there are disturbances (vari-
ations of model or load), the output may have to change quickly, this implies
strong variations of the output derivative. However, under its conditions, al-
though a Lipschitz condition is imposed on , the assumptions requested to
apply the Euler-Lagrange equation may not be satised. Simulations of the
3.5 show in particular that, if R is varying very slowly, then at each level of R,
oscillates then is stabilized; more R varies fast, more stabilization is slow.
justication of the nature of (26) In order to interpret the form of the
equation of the control, which is of the damped harmonic oscillator type,
let us look at the output buck converter signal in case of the i-PI (e.g. Fig.
5). Those appear naturally oscillating and the role of the derivative in (3) is
to attenuate these oscillations in order to reach the permanent state. It thus
The sign of the derivative is not yet dened; this point belongs to the future studies in the
symplectic model-free control.
12
appears rather intuitive that to counterbalance these oscillations, it would be
enough to vary the coecient in the shape of an oscillator, which species
well the law of control.
independence with respect to the initial condition on the nature of
the Euler-Lagrange equation implies a certain independence with respect to
the initial conditions
. This independence is in particular supposed to be
true according to the simulations of the 3.5. We can also conjecture that
independence with respect to the initial means that is auto-adjusted even
if it undergoes strong variations.
critical integration step h The integration step h seems a critical element
and must be selected suciently small to allow the preservation of the condition
of integration of the th. 3.1.
3.4 Symplecticity of the numerical integration methods
Let us consider the damped mass system moving according to the x-coordinate for
which we have the following Lagrangian:
L
x,
dx
dt
=
1
2
m
dx
dt
2
+
1
2
kx
2
(28)
m and k are respectively the mass and the constant of the spring. Figures 4(a)
and 4(b) present respectively the traditional response of the system according to the
time and the comparison of the energy of (28) calculated via the dierent integration
methods. This example
From the work of Mr. Benjamin Stephens, Ph.D. student in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie
Mellon University.