Automatic control systems

"A complete toolkit for teaching, learning, and understanding the essential concepts of automatic control systems. Edition after acclaimed edition, Automatic Control Systems has delivered up-to-date, real-world coverage designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of control systems. More than a comprehensive text, Automatic Control Systems includes innovative virtual labs that replicate physical systems and sharpen readers' problem-solving skills. The Tenth Edition introduces the concept of Control Lab, which includes two classes of experiments: SIMLab (model-based simulation) and LEGOLab (physical experiments using LEGO® robots). These experiments are intended to supplement, or replace, the experimental exposure of the students in a traditional undergraduate control course and will allow these students to do their work within the MATLAB® and Simulink® environment--even at home. This cost-effective approach may allow educational institutions to equip their labs with a number of LEGO test beds and maximize student access to the equipment at a fraction of the cost of currently available control-systems experiments. Alternatively, as a supplemental learning tool, students can take the equipment home and learn at their own pace."

A. Dedication -- B. About the Authors -- C. In Memory of Professor Benjamin C. Kuo-A Visionary Pioneer and a Brilliant Teacher -- D. LEGO and MINDSTORMS are registered trademarks of the LEGO Group. -- E. Preface -- 1. Introduction to Control Systems -- CHAPTER PRELIMINARIES -- BASIC COMPONENTS OF A CONTROL SYSTEM -- EXAMPLES OF CONTROL-SYSTEM APPLICATIONS -- OPEN-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEMS (NONFEEDBACK SYSTEMS) -- CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL SYSTEMS (FEEDBACK CONTROL SYSTEMS) -- WHAT IS FEEDBACK, AND WHAT ARE ITS EFFECTS? -- TYPES OF FEEDBACK CONTROL SYSTEMS -- LINEAR VERSUS NONLINEAR CONTROL SYSTEMS -- TIME-INVARIANT VERSUS TIME-VARYING SYSTEMS -- CONTINUOUS-DATA CONTROL SYSTEMS -- DISCRETE-DATA CONTROL SYSTEMS -- CASE STUDY: INTELLIGENT VEHICLE OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE-LEGO MINDSTORMS -- SUMMARY -- 2. Modeling of Dynamic Systems -- CHAPTER PRELIMINARIES -- MODELING OF SIMPLE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS -- INTRODUCTION TO MODELING OF SIMPLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS -- INTRODUCTION TO MODELING OF THERMAL AND FLUID SYSTEMS -- LINEARIZATION OF NONLINEAR SYSTEMS -- ANALOGIES -- PROJECT: INTRODUCTION TO LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT MOTOR-MECHANICAL MODELING -- SUMMARY -- REFERENCES -- PROBLEMS -- 3. Solution of Differential Equ…