Reverse engineered MPC for tracking with systems that become uncertain

A constrained model predictive control technique for tracking is proposed for systems whose models become uncertain (for example after a sensor failure). A linear time invariant robust controller with integral action is used as a baseline and “reverse engineered” into the form of a reduced order observer, steady state target calculator and control gain, based on a nominal model, augmented with integrating disturbance states. Constraints are enforced by optimising over perturbations to the nominal control action. Clean transition between a nominal, high performance mode of operation when parameters are known, to a safe and recursively feasible robust mode when parameters are unknown can be facilitated by using the same steady state target in both cases.