Performance Benefits of Hybrid Control Design for Switched Linear Systems

Hybrid systems theory as a growing field in control theory provides some contributions for traditional control problems. Control of switched linear systems as a member of these categories has well-known solutions like multiple model control. Multiple model controllers provide a global control action by interpolating the individually-designed controllers. Since the hybrid systems methods are usually more complicated than the conventional control schemes, it is of great importance to explain these potential superiorities. The goal of this paper is to explain potential benefits which could be achieved by using hybrid control methods. Predictive control - as a powerful strategy to deal with complicated dynamics - is selected as the design basis for hybrid controller and for a multiple model controller. An illustrative test bench problem is introduced to compare the behavior of two controllers. It has been shown that the hybrid controller provides more intelligent and systematic design procedure for control of switched linear systems and is superior to multiple model controller in the sense of speed of response, optimality and domain of attraction