Linear State/Signal Systems

A detailed account of a new approach to the observation and control of linear systems whose inputs and outputs are not fixed in advance. Aimed at researchers and graduate students in control and mathematical systems theory, the text illustrates the theory with numerous examples from circuit theory.

The authors explain in this work a new approach to observing and controlling linear systems whose inputs and outputs are not fixed in advance. They cover a class of linear time-invariant state/signal system that is general enough to include most of the standard classes of linear time-invariant dynamical systems, but simple enough that it is easy to understand the fundamental principles. They begin by explaining the basic theory of finite-dimensional and bounded systems in a way suitable for graduate courses in systems theory and control. They then proceed to the more advanced infinite-dimensional setting, opening up new ways for researchers to study distributed parameter systems, including linear port-Hamiltonian systems and boundary triplets. They include the general non-passive part of the theory in continuous and discrete time, and provide a short introduction to the passive situation. Numerous examples from circuit theory are used to illustrate the theory.