Lecture 6–canonical forms

• Canonical forms are the standard forms of state space models.

• Each of these canonical form has specific advantages which

makes it convenient for use in particular design technique.

• There are four canonical forms of state space models

• Controllable Canonical form
• Observable Canonical form Companion forms
• Diagonal Canonical form
• Jordan Canonical Form Modal forms

• It is interesting to note that the dynamics properties of system

remain unchanged whichever the type of representation is used.
 Differential equation
Dynamical equation
or Transfer function

d n y (t ) d n1 y (t )
n
 1 n 1
    n y (t )  u (t )
dt dt
Y ( s) 1
 G( s)  n
U (s) s   1 s n1   2 s n 2     n

x (t )  Ax(t )  Bu(t )
y (t )  Cx(t )  Du(t )
 Phase Variable Canonical form
• Case A: Consider the transfer function:
  𝑌 (𝑠 ) 1
= 𝑛
𝑈 (𝑠 ) 𝑠 + 𝑎1 𝑠 𝑛 −1 +⋯ +𝑎𝑛 − 1 𝑠+𝑎 𝑛

• nth order system can be described by the differential equation:

𝑛
 𝑑 𝑦 𝑑 𝑛 −1 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
𝑛
+𝑎1 𝑛 −1
+⋯ +𝑎𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛 𝑦=𝑢(𝑡 )
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
• Where y(t) is the plant output and u(t) is the plant input.

• A state model for this system is not unique but depends on the
choice of a set of state variables.

• A useful set of state variables, referred to as phase variables,

𝑛 −1 is
  𝑑 𝑦
defined as: 𝑥1 = 𝑦 , 𝑥 2= 𝑦˙ , 𝑥3 = 𝑦¨ , ⋯ , 𝑥 𝑛 = 𝑛−1
𝑑𝑡
 Phase Variable Canonical form
  𝑑 𝑛 −1 𝑦
𝑥1 = 𝑦 , 𝑥 2= 𝑦
˙ , 𝑥3 = 𝑦¨ , ⋯ , 𝑥 𝑛=
𝑑𝑡 𝑛 − 1

• Taking derivatives of the first n-1 state variables, we have

 𝑥
˙ 1 = 𝑥2 , 𝑥
˙ 2 = 𝑥3 , 𝑥
˙ 3= 𝑥 4 ⋯ , 𝑥
˙ 𝑛 −1 = 𝑥 𝑛

 𝑥
˙ 𝑛=− 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 1 − 𝑎𝑛 −1 𝑥2 − ⋯ − 𝑎 1 𝑥 𝑛 +𝑢(𝑡 )

 x 1   0 1 0  0   x1  0
 x   0 0 1  0   x  0 
 2    2   
              u
      
 x n 1   0 0 0  1   xn 1  0
 x n   an  an 1  an  3   a1   xn  1
 Phase Variable Canonical form
  𝑑 𝑛 −1 𝑦
𝑥1 = 𝑦 , 𝑥 2= 𝑦
˙ , 𝑥3 = 𝑦¨ , ⋯ , 𝑥 𝑛=
𝑑𝑡 𝑛 − 1

• Output equation is simply

 x1 
x 
 2 
y  1 0  0 0   
 
x
 n 1 
 xn 
 Phase Variable Canonical form

y ( n 1)  xn

u (t ) y (n ) y   x2 y  x1
…
∫ ∫ ∫ ∫
＋
＋
y ( n  2)  xn 1
 a1

 a2

 an

6
 Phase Variable Canonical form

1 x n 1 1 1 1
u 1 x n x x 1  x2 1 y
s s n2 s s
 x1
 1
2

3

  n 1

n

7
 Phase Variable Canonical form (Example-1)
• Obtain the state equation in phase variable form for the
following differential equation, where u(t) is input and y(t) is
output.
3
 𝑑 𝑦 𝑑2 𝑦 𝑑𝑦
3
+2 2
+3 +4 𝑦=5 𝑢(𝑡 )
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

• The differential equation is third order, thus there are three state
variables:
  𝑥1 = 𝑦 𝑥 2= 𝑦
˙ 𝑥 3= 𝑦
¨
• And their derivatives are (i.e state equations)
 𝑥
˙ 1 = 𝑥2
 𝑥
˙ 2 = 𝑥3
 𝑥
˙ 3 =− 4 𝑥 1 −3 𝑥 2 − 2 𝑥 3 +5𝑢 (𝑡 )
 Phase Variable Canonical form (Example-1)
 𝑥
˙ 1 = 𝑥2   𝑥1 = 𝑦 𝑥 2= 𝑦
˙ 𝑥 3= 𝑦
¨
 𝑥
˙ 2 = 𝑥3
 𝑥
˙ 3 =− 4 𝑥 1 −3 𝑥 2 − 2 𝑥 3 +5𝑢 (𝑡 )

• In vector matrix form

 x1   0 1 0   x1  0
x    0 0 1   x   0u (t )
 2   2   
 x3   4  3  2  x3  5
 x1 
y (t )  1 0 0  x2 
 x3 
Example 2 d3y d 2 y dy
3
5 2   2y  u
dt dt dt

x1  y  x 1   0 1 0   x1  0
 x    0   x   0  u
let x2  x 1  y    2 0 1  2   
x3  x 2  y  x 3   2  1  5  x3  1

x3 (0) x 2 ( 0) x1 (0)
s s s

1 1 1
x2 x1
u 1 x 3
s
x3
s s 1 y

5
1
2
 Phase Variable Canonical form (Example-2)
• Case B: Consider the transfer function of a third-order system where
the numerator degree is lower than that of the denominator.
 𝑌(𝑠 ) 𝑏 𝑜 𝑠2 +𝑏 1 𝑠+𝑏2
= 3
𝑈 (𝑠 ) 𝑠 + 𝑎1 𝑠 2+𝑎 2 𝑠+ 𝑎3
• Transfer function can be decomposed into cascade form
1 𝑊 2
𝑈
𝑏𝑜 𝑠 +𝑏1 𝑠+𝑏2
  (𝑠)     (𝑠)  
𝑌  (𝑠)
3 2
𝑠 + 𝑎1 𝑠 + 𝑎2 𝑠+ 𝑎3

• Denoting the output of the first block as W(s), we have the following
input/output relationships:
 𝑊 (𝑠) 1
= 3
𝑈 (𝑠 ) 𝑠 +𝑎 1 𝑠2 +𝑎 2 𝑠+𝑎 3

 𝑌
(𝑠 )
= 𝑏𝑜 𝑠 2+ 𝑏1 𝑠+ 𝑏2
𝑊 (𝑠)
 Phase Variable Canonical form (Example-2)
 𝑊(𝑠) 1  𝑌
(𝑠 )
= 3
𝑈 (𝑠 ) 𝑠 +𝑎 1 𝑠2 +𝑎 2 𝑠+𝑎 3 = 𝑏𝑜 𝑠 2+ 𝑏1 𝑠+ 𝑏2
𝑊 (𝑠)

• Re-arranging above equation yields

  +
2
𝑌
  ( 𝑠)= 𝑏𝑜 𝑠 𝑊 (𝑠)+𝑏 1 𝑠𝑊 ( 𝑠)+𝑏2 𝑊 (𝑠 )

• Taking inverse Laplace transform of above equations.

  +
 𝑦 (𝑡 )= 𝑏𝑜 𝑤
¨ ( 𝑡 ) +𝑏1 𝑤
˙ ( 𝑡 ) +𝑏2 𝑤 (𝑡 )

• Choosing the state variables in phase variable form

  𝑥1 =𝑤 𝑥 2= 𝑤
˙ 𝑥 3= 𝑤
¨
 Phase Variable Canonical form (Example-2)
• State Equations are given as
 𝑥
˙ 1 = 𝑥2  𝑥
˙ 2 = 𝑥3  𝑥
˙ 3 =− 𝑎3 𝑥 1 −𝑎 2 𝑥 2 − 𝑎1 𝑥 3 +𝑢(𝑡 )

• And the output equation is

 𝑦 (𝑡 )= 𝑏2 𝑥 1 +𝑏1 𝑥 2 +𝑏𝑜 𝑥3

• In vector matrix form

 x1   0 1 0   x1  0
x    0 0 1   x2   0u (t )
 2 
 x3   a3  a2  a1   x3  1
 x1 
y (t )   b2 b1 bo   x2 
 x3 
 Phase Variable Canonical form (Example-2)
• State Equations are given as case A:
 𝑥
˙ 1 = 𝑥2  𝑥
˙ 2 = 𝑥3  𝑥
˙ 3 =− 𝑎3 𝑥 1 −𝑎 2 𝑥 2 − 𝑎1 𝑥 3 +𝑢(𝑡 )
• And the output equation is

 𝑦 (𝑡 )= 𝑏2 𝑥 1 +𝑏1 𝑥 2 +𝑏𝑜 𝑥3

𝑏  𝑜
𝑏  1

𝑏  2

𝑎  1
𝑎  2
𝑎  3
 Phase Variable Canonical form (Example-2)
• State Equations are given as
 𝑥
˙ 1 = 𝑥2  𝑥
˙ 2 = 𝑥3  𝑥
˙ 3 =− 𝑎3 𝑥 1 −𝑎 2 𝑥 2 − 𝑎1 𝑥 3 +𝑢(𝑡 )

• And the output equation is

 𝑦 (𝑡 )= 𝑏2 𝑥 1 +𝑏1 𝑥 2 +𝑏𝑜 𝑥3

𝑏  𝑜
𝑏  1
𝑏  2
−𝑎
  1
−𝑎
  2

−𝑎
  3
Example 3

4s 3  25s 2  45s  34 s 2  5s  2
G( s)  3  2 3
2s  12s  20s  16
2
2s  12 s 2  20s  16

Answer 2

 x 1   0 1 0   x1  0
 x    0 0 1   x    0  u (t )
   2    
2

 x 3   8  10  6  x3  1

 x1 
 
y  1 2.5 0.5  x2   2u (t )
 x3 
 observable canonical form

Y (s) 1s n 1   2 s n  2     n
 G( s)  n  0
U ( s) s  1s   2 s     n
n 1 n2

1s 1   2 s 2     n s  n
  0
1  1s   2 s     n s
1 2 n

y  1s 1 y   2 s 2 y     n s  n y  1s 1u   2 s 2u     n s  n u   0u

x 1o   n xno   n u
x 2o  x1o   n 1 xno   n 1u
x 3o  x2 o   n  2 xno   n  2u

x nc  x( n 1) o  1 xno  1u
y  xno   nu
u (t )

n  n 1 … 1 0

y (t )
y (n )
x1o x2 o xno
+ ∫ + ∫ … + ∫ +

2 n
 1 …
 Y (s) 1s n 1   2 s n  2     n
 G ( s)  n  0
U ( s) s  1s   2 s     n
n 1 n2

 x 1o  0 0 0   n   x1o    n 
 x  1 0 0   n 1   x2 o    n 1 
 2o     u
   1        
      
 x no  0 0   1   xno   1 
 x1c 
x 
y  0 0  1  2c 
  0u
 
 
 xnc 
Example 3

4s 3  25s 2  45s  34 s 2  5s  2
G( s)  3  2 3
2s  12s  20s  16
2
2s  12 s 2  20s  16

 x 1  0 0  8   x1   1 
 x   1 0  10  x   2.5u (t )
 2   2   
 x 3  0 1  6   x3  0.5
 x1 
y   0 0 1  x2   2u (t )
 x3 
Remark T
A0  Ac
T
B0  Cc
T
C0  Bc
 Diagonal canonical form

Distinct Eigen values

e1 e2 en
G ( s)   
s  1 s  2 s  n

 x 1  1 0 0 0   x1   b1 
 x   0 2 0 0   x2  b2 
 2    u
    0       
ei  bi ci   

   
 x n   0 0  n   xn  bn 
 x1 
x 
y   c1 c2  cn   2 
 
 
 xn 
 b1 +  c1

1

u (t ) b2 +  c2
y (t )

2 +


bn +  cn

n
 Repeated Eigen values Jordan canonical form

 x 1  1 1 0   x1  0
 x   0 1 1 0   x  0 
 2   2   
 x 3   0 0 1   x3  1
 x   2 1   x  0 
 4     4    u
 x 5   0 2   x5  1
 x 6   0 3   x6  1
      
      
       
Jordan block
G(s) 
e11

e12

e13

e21

e22

e3  x1 
( s  1 ) ( s  1 )
3 2
( s  1 ) ( s  2 ) 2
( s  2 ) s  3 x 
 2
 x3 
x 
y   e11 e12 e13 e21 e22 e3   4 
 x5 
 x6 
 
 
 
Example 4
1 0 1 0.5 0.5
G ( s)     
( s  1) ( s  1) ( s  1) s s  2
3 2

 x 1   1 1 0   x1  0
 x   0  1 1 0   x  0 
 2   2   
 x 3   0 0 1   x3  1
 x    0   x   1  u
 4   4   
 x 5   0  2  x5  1
      
      
      
 x1 
x 
 2
 x3 
y   1 0  1 0.5 0.5  x4 
 
 x5 
 
 
 