EEE 354: DIGITAL

CONTROL SYSTEM
1

Semester II: 2014/2015

Harsa Amylia Mat Sakim
amylia@usm.my
Room 1.19, PPKEE

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
CLASSICAL CONTROL

We want to maintain actual response as closely as possible to

desired response, in the presence of disturbance.
y(t) should follow x(t) as closely as possible.
Gc(s) and Gp(s) are dynamic. They work in continuous time.
2

WHY DO WE SAMPLE?
Signal processing : - sampled signals are easier to transmit.
- transmitted signals can be regenerated
without transmission
error.
- sampled signals can be more easily coded.
- sampled signals can better be modulated.
Control : - multiple use of equipment (multiplexing).
- data are available at particular time instants only .
- data are naturally discrete.
- sampler is introduced to improve the dynamic behavior
of the control loop.
- signal can be stored over longer time span.

TYPES OF SIGNALS

A continuous time signal is a signal defined over a continuous

range of time.
The amplitude may assume a continuous range of values (analog)
or may assume only a finite number of distinct values. The process
of representing a variable by a set of distinct values are called
quantization and the resulting distinct values are called quantized
values. The quantized variable changes only by a set of distinct
types.

A discrete time signal is a signal defined at discrete instants of

time.
If the amplitude can assume a continuous range of values, then the
signal is called a sampled-data signal. A sampled-data signal can
be generated by sampling an analog signal at discrete instants of
time. It is an amplitude-modulated pulse signal. A digital signal is a
discrete time signal with quantized amplitude. Such a signal can be
represented by a sequence of numbers, for examples, in the form
of binary numbers.

In control engineering, the controlled object is a plant or

process. It may be a physical plant or process or a
nonphysical process such as an economic process. Most
plants and processes involve continuous time signals,
therefore, if digital controllers are involved in the control
system, signal conversions (analog to digital and vice versa)
become necessary. The sampling of a continuous time signal
replaces the original continuous time signal by a sequence
of value at discrete time points. A sampling process is used
whenever a control system involves a digital controller since
a sampling operation and quantization are necessary to
enter data into such a controller.

SAMPLED-DATA SYSTEM :

Digital controller is controlled by clock. At some points in the system,

the system passes signals of varying amplitude in either continuous
time or discrete time. The output of plant is a continuous time signal.
The error signal, e(t) is converted into digital form by the sample
and hold circuit and an analog to digital converter. The conversion is
done at the sampling rate.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Sample - and - Hold (S/H)

Sample and hold is a general term used for a sample and hold
amplifier. It describes a circuit that receives an analog input signal
and holds this signal at a constant value for a specified period of
time.

Analog - to - Digital Converter (A/D) / sampler

An analog - to - digital converter, also called an encoder or sampler,

is a device that converts an analog signal into a digital signal. Such
a converter is needed as an interface between an analog
component and a digital component. A sample and hold circuit is
often an integral part of commercially available A/D converter.

Digital - to - Analog Converter (D/A)

Also known as decoder, it is a device that converts digital signal into

an analog signal. Such a converter is needed as an interface
between a digital component and analog component.

Plant or process

A plant is any physical object to be controlled. Examples are a

furnace and a chemical reactor.

Transducer

A device that converts an input signal into and output signal of

another form. Example - A device that converts a pressure
signal into voltage output. There are several types of
transducers, analog transducers, sampled - data transducer or
digital transducer.

Analog transducer - input & output signals are continuous

functions of time. The magnitudes of the signals may be any
values within the physical limitations of the system.
Sampled - data transducer - input & output signals occur only at
discrete instants of time, but the magnitudes of the signals, are
unquantized.
Digital transducer - input & output signals occur only at discrete
instant of time and the signal magnitudes are quantized.