The first loudspeaker was invented almost 150 years ago and even though much has changed regarding the manufacturing, the main idea is still the same. To produce clean sound, modern loudspeaker consist of expensive materials that often need advanced manufacturing equipment. The relatively newly established company Actiwave AB uses digital signal processing to enhance the audio for loudspeakers with poor acoustic properties. Their algorithms concentrate on attenuating the linear distortion but there is no compensation for the loudspeakers' non-linear distortion, such as harmonic distortion. To attenuate the harmonic distortion, this thesis presents controllers based on exact input-output linearisation. This type of controller needs an accurate model of the system. A loudspeaker model has been derived based on the LR-2 model, an extension of the more common Thiele-Small model. A controller based on exact input-output linearisation also needs full state feedback, but since feedback risk being expensive, state estimators were used. The state estimators were based on feed-forward or observers using the extended Kalman filter or the unscented Kalman filter. A combination of feed-forward state estimation and a PID controller were designed as well. In simulations, the total harmonic distortion was attenuated for all controllers up to 180 Hz. The simulations also showed that the controllers are sensitive to inaccurate parameter values in the loudspeaker model. During real-life experiments, the controllers needed to be extended with a model of the used amplifier to function properly. The controllers that were able to attenuate the harmonic distortion were the two methods using feed-forward state estimation. Both controllers showed improvement compared to the uncontrolled case for frequencies up to 40 Hz.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on Dec. 30, 2009). "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Process Control, Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta." Includes bibliographical references.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 121-124).

As the speed and power demands on Buck converters continue to increase, it has become time to replace the linearly-controlled conventional Buck converter. Digital circuits, such as microprocessors, are requiring higher dynamic currents, at lower voltages, than ever before. Traditionally, such Buck converters have been controlled by linear voltage-mode or current-mode control methods. While these controllers offer such advantages as fixed switching frequencies and zero steady-state error, their reaction speed is inherently limited by their bandwidth which is a fraction of the converter switching frequency. Therefore, to improve the transient response of a Buck converter in a practical manner, four novel ideas are presented in this thesis. The first contribution is an analog “charge balance controller”. The control method utilizes the concept of capacitor charge balance to achieve a near-optimal transient response for Buck converters undergoing a rapid load change. Unlike previous work, the proposed controller does not require expensive and/or slow analog multipliers/dividers. In addition, the nominal inductance value is not required by the proposed controller. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate a significant improvement in transient performance over that of a linear voltage-mode controller. For low duty cycle applications, the unloading transient performance of a Buck converter tends to be poor when compared to the corresponding loading transient performance. Therefore, the second contribution is an auxiliary circuit and an analog auxiliary controller which drastically improves the performance of a Buck converter undergoing an unloading transient. Significant overshoot reduction was observed over that of a linearly-controlled conventional Buck converter. The third contribution is a digital implementation of the aforementioned “charge balance control” concept. Through digital implementation the control law is extended to include load-line regulation. Unlike previous work, large lookup tables are not required to perform complex mathematical functions, thus the number of required gates is significantly reduced. The final contribution is a digital implementation of the “charge balance controller” capable of operating with the previously-mentioned auxiliary circuit. This complete solution is capable of improving the voltage deviation caused by loading and unloading transients. In addition, the combined auxiliary circuit and control law is extended to load-line regulation applications. / Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-01-31 23:01:24.606

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio University, November, 1995. / Title from PDF t.p.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-40). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2008. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: p. 227-238.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 145-153).

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2008. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-126). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (MScEng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A unified method is proposed to treat saturation in both Multi-Input-Multi-Output MIMO and Single-Input-Single-Output controllers. This method offers superior performance over existing MIM 0 anti-saturation schemes. The anti-saturation problem is posed as a linear programming problem. A practical and efficient implementation of the algorithm is developed by transforming the problem into its dual linear programming form. The problem, in dual form, is then solved using the dual simplex method rather than the primal simplex method. The nature of the problem when expressed in dual form and the properties of the dual simplex method are harmonised to guarantee an initial basic feasible solution and an optimal bounded final solution in a finite, predictable and minimal number of iterations. The resultant controller never saturates, hence cannot windup. Furthermore the resultant controller always applies the optimal control effort to the plant to minimise the error signal input as follows: • The controller is governed such that while the future free response combined with the present forced response of the controller results in no saturation limits being exceeded, now or at some time in the future, the normal linear response of the controller prevails. • When the future free response combined with the present forced response of the controller will result in a saturation limit being reached, now or at some time in the future, the present time input signal into the controller is optimally governed to prevent the saturation limit from being exceeded at any future time. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Metode word voorgestel waarmee versadiging in enkel-inset enkel-uitset en meer-inset meeruitset (MIMU) stelsels beheer kan word. Die metode presteer beter as ander huidige teenversadiging- maatreels vir (MIMU) beheerders. Die teen-versadigings-probleem word as 'n lineere programmeringsprobleem herformuleer. 'n Praktiese en effektiewe implementering van die algoritme word verkry deur die probleem na die duale vorm te transformeer. Die probleem, in duale vorm, word opgelos met die duale simplex metode, in plaas van die direkte metode. Die eienskappe van hierdie formulering is 'n gewaarborgde, aanvanklike, bereikbare oplossing en 'n optimale, begrensde, finale oplossing in 'n eindige, voorspelbare en minimum aantal stappe. Die uiteindelike beheerder versadig nooit nie, en wen gevolglik nie op nie. Die beheerder wend altyd die optimale aanleg-inset aan om die foutsein te minimeer soos volg: • Wanneer die nul-inset gedrag saam met die huidige inset-gedrag geen beperkings nou of in die toekoms saloorskry nie, word geen beperkende aksie geneem nie, en tree die beheerder dus lineer op. • Sodra die toekomstige nul-inset gedrag saam met die huidige inset-gedrag, nou of later versadiging sou veroorsaak, word die huidige inset tot die beheerder optimaal begrens om latere versadiging te voorkom.