Hierarchical multi-rate control design for constrained linear systems

This paper proposes a hierarchical multi-rate control design approach to linear systems subject to linear constraints on input and output variables. At the lower level, a linear controller stabilizes the open-loop process without considering the constraints. A higher-level controller commands reference signals at a lower sampling frequency so as to enforce linear constraints on the variables of the process. By optimally constraining the magnitude and the rate of variation of the reference signals applied to the lower control layer, we provide quantitative criteria for selecting the ratio between the sampling rates of the upper and lower layers to preserve closed-loop stability without violating the prescribed constraints.