Péter Bauer

Control Solutions for Hybrid Solar Vehicle Fuel Consumption Minimization

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) gain more and more attention, as they represent a more environmental friendly alternative to conventional vehicles. If combined with photovoltaic panels, they can lead to further reduction of emissions. The paper focuses on a solution for minimizing the fuel consumption in a series hybrid solar vehicle (HSV). After briefly introducing the model, first a global optimum in fuel consumption is presented using dynamic programming, as a reference value. As a real-time control strategy, model predictive control (MPC) is considered. A fuel consumption equivalent quantity is defined which is used for calculating the fuel needed to bring the battery state of charge to a starting value (set in this case for 0.7 in relative units). For different values of the MPC tuning parameters simulations are performed using the urban section of the New European Drive Cycle. Conclusions based on the simulations are presented.

A Simple Control Solution for Traction Motor Used in Hybrid Vehicles

Electric motors (EM) are widely used in industry for a large variety of applications, such as traction motors used in electric and hybrid vehicles. In this paper a hybrid electric vehicle is considered, which contains both an internal combustion engine and an EM. Without focusing on the other components of the vehicle, the EM is treated in detail, both regarding modelling aspects and control solutions. After a brief modelling of the plant, two cascade speed control solutions are presented: first a classical PI+PI cascade control solution is presented. Then a correction term is introduced as a PI + a non-homogenous structured PI controller solution. The controllers are developed using the Modulus-Optimum method for the inner loop, and the extended symmetrical optimum method, corrected based on the 2p-SO-method, for the outer loop (for a more efficient disturbance rejection). Simulations were performed using numerical values taken from a real application consisting in a hybrid vehicle prototype, showing satisfactory behaviour.

Tuning and Improvements in a Waypoint and Trajectory Tracking Algorithm

This paper deals with waypoint guidance and trajectory tracking of aircrafts. After briefly introducing a previously published and a newly developed waypoint guidance strategy (publishing real flight test results also), it makes a literature review. The goals of the work are set based on this review. Considering these goals, the fine tuning of the newly developed algorithm is done first. Then linear and circular waypoint reachability maneuvers are examined. It is pointed out that it is better to start to turn away from the waypoint if it is unreachable then turn toward it if it becomes reachable. Finally, the article extends the capabilities of the new algorithm to track given parametric spatial trajectories. This extended capability is demonstrated in a simulation example.

An exact solution for the infinite horizon LQ optimal output tracking problem

The paper proposes a new, discrete time LQ optimal controller synthesis for output tracking over an infinite horizon. The resulted controller consists of a state feedback and a feedforward term. The solution requires a one step ahead prediction of the reference signal. For a smooth enough reference signal this can be replaced with extrapolation. Here, the properties for constant reference signals are examined, time varying references will be covered with another article. The method guarantees asymptotical stability and zero steady state tracking error. The elaborated techniques satisfy the separation principle for an arbitrary deterministic or stochastic state estimator. The reference tracking problem for a quadrotor helicopter is solved by the method. The trajectory tracking control is successfully applied both with reference signal preview and extrapolation (considering time varying references also).

On the use of proper weighting in reference tracking optimal control with guaranteed DARE solvability

The paper suggests to apply a proper output weight to achieve guaranteed discrete algebraic Riccati equation (DARE) solvability of the LQ optimal control problem with output tracking. Usually a positive semi definite state weighting matrix (Q) is mentioned to be sufficient for solvable DARE. However, the literature also proposes more general rank conditions. The paper shows a sufficient condition to guarantee DARE solvability under output tracking problems, by the appropriate selection of a Q > 0 matrix. At output tracking quadratic problems Q results as a sparse matrix. Therefore, a special attention has to be carried on the output weighting strategy guaranteing DARE solvability for a class of linear and mostly integrating systems. Injecting additional weights, the closed system performance can be increased. The importance of the proper weighting strategy is illustrated with a numerical example where it has been pointed out that inappropriate weights leads to infeasible DARE.

Error analysis of attitude estimation with focal-plane processors for guidance for mobile robots

In this paper the results of the error analysis of four different feature point based attitude estimator algorithm is introduced. The algorithms was tested in simulation with realistic flight paths and camera models. With these results a best performing candidate algorithm can be chosen for a given focal-plane processor and for the given scenarios.