Gain scheduling
Encyclopedia
In control theory
Control theory
Control theory is an interdisciplinary branch of engineering and mathematics that deals with the behavior of dynamical systems. The desired output of a system is called the reference...

, gain scheduling is an approach to control of non-linear systems that uses a family of linear controller
Controller (control theory)
In control theory, a controller is a device which monitors and affects the operational conditions of a given dynamical system. The operational conditions are typically referred to as output variables of the system which can be affected by adjusting certain input variables...

s, each of which provides satisfactory control for a different operating point of the system.

One or more observable
Observability
Observability, in control theory, is a measure for how well internal states of a system can be inferred by knowledge of its external outputs. The observability and controllability of a system are mathematical duals. The concept of observability was introduced by American-Hungarian scientist Rudolf E...

 variables, called the scheduling variables, are used to determine what operating region the system is currently in and to enable the appropriate linear controller. For example in an aircraft flight control system, the altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...

 and Mach number
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...

 might be the scheduling variables, with different linear controller parameters available (and automatically plugged into the controller) for various combinations of these two variables.

It is one of the simplest and most intuitive forms of adaptive control
Adaptive control
Adaptive control is the control method used by a controller which must adapt to a controlled system with parameters which vary, or are initially uncertain. For example, as an aircraft flies, its mass will slowly decrease as a result of fuel consumption; a control law is needed that adapts itself...

.
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