Control theory - definition
Control theory - definition
Control theory is a field of science and engineering concerned with the analysis, modelling and design of dynamic systems whose purpose is to automatically regulate performance through appropriately selected control actions. The foundation of this theory is the mathematical description of the relationships between input signals, internal states and output signals of a system, taking into account the influence of disturbances and model uncertainty. Control theory is used in many areas, such as Industrial Robotics, robotics, aerospace, energy, biotechnology or information systems.
The primary goal of a control system is to achieve the desired behaviour of an object - maintaining the output at a certain level, following a set trajectory or minimising error in response to changing environmental conditions. Others control strategies are used for this purpose, such as open-loop control (without feedback ) and closed-loop control (with feedback loop), the latter being the dominant approach due to its greater robustness to disturbances and model uncertainty.
Control theory is based on formal mathematical methods, including differential equation theory, linear algebra, complex analysis, matrix calculus and dynamical systems theory. Key concepts are stability, controllability, observability, time and frequency response and transient and steady-state characteristics. Depending on the nature of the system, a distinction is made between linear and non-linear, continuous and discrete, deterministic and stochastic control.
Modern control theory also includes advanced concepts such as optimal control, adaptive control, fuzzy control, robust control or predictive control (MPC), which allow algorithms to be better adapted to complex, multidimensional and time-varying systems. The design of control systems requires both knowledge of object properties and the ability to select and implement appropriate regulators, filters and decision structures.
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