4 EXAMPLE

ELEC207 - Control Theory [Lecture 4: Control System

Performance 1]

Prof Simon Maskell, <s.maskell@liverpool.ac.uk>

February 2, 2023

1 Lecture Learning Objectives

ˆ How to use Laplace Transforms to Solve the Time Response of a Dynamic System

ˆ Typical Input Signals

2 Solving for the Time Response

Step-by-step process:
ˆ Find X(s), Laplace Transform of input x(t)

ˆ Find H(s), Transfer Function of System

ˆ Y (s) = H(s)X(s)

ˆ Find y(t), inverse Laplace Transform of Y (s)

– This will often involve partial fractions

3 Typical Input Signals

Table 1 will be provided in an exam and shows some typical input signals.
Note that we will always consider the case that t > 0, so the u(t) term often disappears.

4 Example
Consider the electronic circuit in figure 1. Given that the voltage, V (t), is a falling exponential,
what is the current, i(t)?

ELEC207 Lecture Notes: Lecture 4 (Control Systems Performance 1), Page 1

4.1 Find X(s), Laplace Transform of input x(t) 4 EXAMPLE

f(t) F(s)
δ(t) 1
1
u(t) s
1
tu(t) s2
n!
tn u(t) sn+1

e−at u(t) 1
s+a
ω
sin (ωt) u(t) s2 +ω 2
s
cos (ωt) u(t) s2 +ω 2

Table 1: Table of Typical Input Signals

4.1 Find X(s), Laplace Transform of input x(t)

From table 1:
1
V (s) = (1)
s+a

4.2 Find H(s), Transfer Function of System

Consider currents:
Z t
1
i(t) = e(t)dt (2)
L 0

Sum the voltages:

V (t) =e(t) + i(t)R (3)

e(t) =V (t) − i(t)R (4)

Substitute:
1 t
Z
i(t) = (V (t) − i (t) R) dt (5)
L 0
Z t
R t
Z
1
= V (t) dt − i (t) dt (6)
L 0 L 0

Take Laplace Transforms:

1 V (s) R I (s)
I(s) = − (7)
L s L s

ELEC207 Lecture Notes: Lecture 4 (Control Systems Performance 1), Page 2

4.3 Y (s) = H(s)X(s) 4 EXAMPLE

Rearrange:

sLI(s) =V (s) − RI (s) (8)

sLI(s) + RI(s) =V (s) (9)
(sL + R) I(s) =V (s) (10)
I(s) 1
= (11)
V (s) sL + R

4.3 Y (s) = H(s)X(s)

1
1 1
I(s) = × = R

L (12)
sL + R s + a s+ L × (s + a)
| {z } | {z }
H(s) X(s)
α β
= R
+ (13)
s+ L s+a
α (s + a) + β s + R


L
= (14)
s+ R


L × (s + a)
s (α + β) + aα + R


Lβ
= (15)
s+ R


L × (s + a)

so, equating the term in s from the denominator of the RHS in (15) with the same term in the
denominator of the RHS in (12):

α + β =0 (16)

and doing the same for the term in s0 = 1:

R 1
aα + β= (17)
L L
substituting, we get:

−aLβ + Rβ =1 (18)
1
β= (19)
R − aL
1
α=− (20)
R − aL
or by “cover-up” method:
1
L 1
α= R
=− (21)
−L + a R − aL
1
L 1
β= R
= (22)
−a + L
R − aL

ELEC207 Lecture Notes: Lecture 4 (Control Systems Performance 1), Page 3

4.4 Find y(t), inverse Laplace Transform of Y (s) 4 EXAMPLE

Such that:

1 1 1 1
I(s) = − × + × (23)
R − aL s + R
L
R − aL s + a

4.4 Find y(t), inverse Laplace Transform of Y (s)

From table 1:
1 R 1
i(t) = − e− L t + e−at (24)
R − aL R − aL

ELEC207 Lecture Notes: Lecture 4 (Control Systems Performance 1), Page 4

4.4 Find y(t), inverse Laplace Transform of Y (s) 4 EXAMPLE

Figure 1: Exemplar electonic circuit to calculate the time reponse.

ELEC207 Lecture Notes: Lecture 4 (Control Systems Performance 1), Page 5