October

2, 2011
Computer Engineering
Department-King Saud
University

Dr. R. HEDJAR

[STATE SPACE
REPRESENTATION]
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State space representation:
Let have a linear system (LTI) with order n and is represented by: ( )
( ) ( )
, the equation D(s)=0 has n solutions (n poles).
( ) ( )

The state space representation of this system in time domain is:

̇
{

Figure …..

X(t) is the state vector (n1), u(t) is the input vector (m1), y(t) is the output vector
(p1), A is the state matrix (nm), B is the input matrix (nm) and C is the output
matrix (pn).

Note that for single-input and single-output (siso) system m=p=1, and for the
multi-input and multi-output we should have m1 and p1.

Example:

Find the state representation of the system shown below with Vc and ic as the state
variable, V(t) is the input to the system and iR is the output of the system.

We have and .
Let , . From
we have or
then ,

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 ̇ .

  ,

̇
In the state space, the system is represented by: ̇ ( ) | | | || |
̇

| | ( ),

The output is given by: ( ) | | | |.

In this representation, we have access to the output iR and we can have the
information (variation) of signals Vc (x1) and iL (x2). Thus, this representation
is rich in information about our system with regards to transfer function
representation where we have access only to the input and output (black box).
In the state representation the initial condition is given X(0). Using transfer
function, the initial condition is usually zero.
( )
The transfer function of this system is: ( ) .
( )

Mechanical system:

Figure ……
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Set the state vector as: , , and . The
( )
differential equations of this system are: {
( ) ( )

By using these equations, the state space representation of the sub-system 1 (mass
M1) is:
̇
{ ,
̇

For the sub-system 2, we have:

̇
{ ( )
̇

The state space representation of overall system is:

̇
̇ | |
̇ | | | | | | ( )
̇ | |
| |
̇

If x2 is the output, then we obtain: | | | |.

Converting a transfer function to state space representation:

( )
Given a transfer function: ( ) .
( )

The dynamic equation of this system is : ( )

( ) , the order of this system is: n=3, i.e this system has 3 poles which is equal

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to the number of integrators. Each output of integrator represents a state variable.
Thus, for this system we have 3 state variables.

c (t )
1 x3  c 1 x2  c 1 x1  c(t )
24 +
s s s
r(t)

-9

-26

-24

Figure ….
̇
From the above block diagram we obtain: { ̇
̇ ( )

or ̇ | | | | ( ). In this representation the state variable

x1 is the output thus we have: | | ( ).

Example: Find the state representation of the system represented by the transfer
function:
( ) ( )
( ) .
( ) ( )

We have two equations:

( ) ( ) ( ) and ( ) ( ) ( ).

The differential equation of the second equation is:

( ),

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The differential equation of the output is: ( ) ̈ ̇

The order of this equation is n=3, thus we need three integrators and the block
diagram of this system is shown below (note that we define each sate variable as
the output of each integrator):

1 +

7 +

x (t )
1 x3  x 1 x2  x 1 x1  x(t )
C(t)
24 + 2 +
r(t) s s s

-9

-26

-24

Figure …..
̇
The state space representation is: { ̇ or ̇
̇ ( )

| | | | ( )

And the output is given by: | | ( ).

The solution of this example with MATLAB: We use the statement tf2ss:

>> N=[1 7 2];D=[1 9 26 24];sys=tf(N,D)

Transfer function:

s^2 + 7 s + 2

-----------------------

s^3 + 9 s^2 + 26 s + 24

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[A,B,C,D]=tf2ss(N,D)

A= B= C= 1 7 2 D= 0
-9 -26 -24 1
1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0

Converting state space to transfer function:

Given the state and the output equations:
̇
{

Laplace of this equation is:

( ) ( ) ( )
{
( ) ( ) ( )

Note that X(0)=0;

We have: ( ) ( ) ( ) and ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )

Thus, the transfer function is given by:

( )
( ) ( )
( )

Example: ̇ | | | | ( ) and ( ) | | ( )

| | and ( )

( )
Thus, ( ) | |; ( ) ( ) .
( )

Important note: The state space representation is not unique but the transfer is
unique. For each system we have only one transfer function and different form of
state space representation.

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To check the results: MATLAB Code:

>> A=[-4 -1.5;4 0];B=[2 0]';C=[1.5 0.625];

>> [b,a]=ss2tf(A,B,C,0)

b= 0 3 5 a=1 4 6
Matlab code tf  ss

>> clear

>> N=[3 5];D=[1 4 6];

>> [A,B,C,D]=tf2ss(N,D)

A= B= C= D=
-4 -6 1
1 0 0 3 5 0
Which is different from the initial model !!! Why ??

State space representation or time domain modeling can be used for nonlinear
system:

Example: Simple pendulum

Using the law of rotational system, we obtain:

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 ( )

̇
Let and ̇ { This is a nonlinear
̇ ( )
representation of the pendulum.

Advantages of state space representation:

1. Can be used to model a nonlinear systems with delay,
2. Can be used for systems with nonzero initial conditions,
3. Can be used for MIMO (Linear and nonlinear) systems,
4. Many concepts of control theory are used with this representation
like controllability and observability.
5. Many methods for control design are available only for this
representation (optimal control, predictive control ect…)

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