Short Course on Flatness Based Control Design

COURSE TITLE: Flatness based control design

Differential flatness is a property of some controlled dynamical systems, often encountered in applications, which allows for a complete parameterization of all system variables (inputs and states) in terms of a finite number of independent variables, called ''flat outputs'', and a finite number of their time derivatives. The parameterization afforded by the flatness property, which may be seen as a generalization of the "uniformization" property of Hilbert's 22nd problem in the context of control systems, allows one to simplify, especially in the case of nonlinear flat systems, tasks such as trajectory planning and feedback controller design.

PRESENTER:

Professor Jean Levine, Centre Automatique et Systemes, Ecole des Mines de Paris, France

(Professor Levine's visit is financially supported by RGC 2006 University Strategic Pilot Grant G0186681.)

BIOGRAPHY:

Jean Levine is Director of Research at the Centre Automatique et Systemes (Systems and Control Lab) of Ecole des Mines de Paris. He has been working on nonlinear filtering and control design for nonlinear systems since 1980, on theoretic aspects as well as industrial applications. Concerning the theory of nonlinear systems, he has introduced, with Benoit Charlet and Riccardo Marino, the notion of dynamic feedback linearization in 1988 and then, with Michel Fliess, Philippe Martin and Pierre Rouchon, the notion of differential flatness in 1991, and he obtained its characterization in 2004. Regarding the applications, he has been working with the aerospace industry (Aerospatiale, Sextant Avionique), with chemical and biotechnological industries (Elf, Shell, Ifremer, IFP), with mechatronic and automotive industries (Alcatel, Toyota, Valeo, PSA, Micro-Controle/Newport) and is the co-author of many patents. He also teaches a Master and doctoral course on nonlinear systems and control since long and supervised more than 20 PhD theses. He is responsible of the doctoral program entitled 'Mathematics and Control' of Ecole des Mines in connection with other Engineering Schools and with the University of Marne-la-Vallee.

CONTENTS:

1. Introduction
2. Recalls of Differential Geometry
3. Recalls of Dynamical System Theory
4. Model Reduction, Singular Perturbations, Time Scales
5. Jets of Infinite Order, System Equivalence, Dynamic Feedback
6. Differential Flatness, Necessary and Sufficient Conditions
7. Motion Planning
8. Tracking
9. Complements and Conclusions

DATES AND LOCATION:

The course will run on Mondays and Thursdays from March 05 - April 12, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in Room EF122 (except on Monday 12 March and on Thursday 05 April when it will be in Room ES309), The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan NSW 2308

Lecture Notes will be made available to participants.