Lec 6

State Space Representation

 System output
input

𝑋1 , 𝑋2 , … … … , 𝑋𝑛
State

The state of a dynamic system is the smallest set of

variables such that the knowledge of these variables a
t = t0, with the knowledge of input for t≥t0 completely
determines the behavior of the system for any time
t≥t0.
State Variables
• The state variables of a dynamic system are the variable which make
up the smallest set of variables that determine the state of the
dynamic system.

• If at least n variables are needed to completely describe the behavior

of a dynamic system, then such n variables are a set of state variables.
State Vector
• If n state variables are needed to completely describe the behavior of
a given system, then these n state variables can be considered the n
components of a vector x. Such a vector is aclled a state vector.

• A state vector is a vector that determines uniquely, the system state

x(t) for any time t≤t0 once the state at t = t0 is given and the input u (t)
for t≥t0 is specified.
State Space
• The n dimensional space where x1 axis, x2 axis, …. , xn axis, where x1,
x2, …. , xn are state cariables, is called the state space.

• Any state can be represented by a point in the state space.

 Definitions

• Define n state variables: x1(t), x2(t), ……… xn(t). Then the

system may be described by
The State Differential Equation:
The state of a system is described by the set of first-order differential equations
written in terms of the state variables [x1 x2 ... xn]. These first-order differential
equations can be written in general form as

x 1  a11x1  a12 x 2   a1n x n  b11u1   b1m u m

x 2  a 21x1  a 22 x 2   a 2 n x n  b 21u1   b 2 m u m

x n  a n1x1  a n 2 x 2   a nn x n  b n1u1   b nm u m
Thus, this set of simultaneous differential equations can be written in matrix
form as follows:

 x1   a 11 a 12  a 1n   x1 
       b11  b1m   u1 
 a 2n  x 2  
    
d  x 2  a 21 a 22
   
dt           
       b n1  b nm  u m 
 x n   a n1 a n2  a nn   x n 

n: number of state variables, m: number of inputs.

The column matrix consisting of the state variables is called the state vector
and is written as

 x1 
x 
x   2
 
 
x n 
• The outputs y1(t), y2(t), ……… yl(t) of the system may
be given by
 y1 
y 
Y (t )   2   output vector

 
 yl 

 y1   c11 c12  c1n   x1 

 y  c     d11  d1m   u1 
c22  c2 n   x2  
 2    21         
      
       d l1  d lm  u m 
 yl   cl1 cl 2  cln   xn 
The vector of input signals is defined as u. Then the system can be
represented by the compact notation of the state differential equation as

x  A x  B u
This differential equation is also commonly called the state equation. The
matrix A is an nxn square matrix, and B is an nxm matrix. The state differential
equation relates the rate of change of the state of the system to the state of the
system and the input signals. In general, the outputs of a linear system can be
related to the state variables and the input signals by the output equation

y C xDu
Where y is the set of output signals expressed in column vector form. The
state-space representation (or state-variable representation) is comprised of
the state variable differential equation and the output equation.
State Space Representation
• A continuous linear time invariant state space model takes the
following form:

A = State Matrix B = Input Matrix

C = Output Matrix D = Feedforward Matrix
 Block Diagram
• A(t) is called the state matrix,
• B(t) the input matrix,
• C(t) the output matrix, and
• D(t) the direct transmission matrix.
• A block diagram representation
 Example-1
For an RLC Circuit:

• The input is voltage source v(t) and the output is Vr(t)

 • For the electric circuit, the states are
current in the coil and volt on the
For an RLC Circuit: capacitor
• The state variables are i(t) and Vc (t).
• X1(t) = i(t) x2(t)=vc(t)
 Ri  VC  vt 
di
L
dt

But , i t   c dvc dt

  i  Vc  vt 
di R 1 1 dVc 1
 And ,  i (t )
dt L L L dt c
x1 (t )   x1  x2  u t 
 R 1 1  1
x2 (t )  x1
L L L c

y  vR t   Ri (t )
For an RLC Circuit:

• The state variables are • In Matrix Form:

i(t) and Vc (t).

x  Ax  Bu u  vt 
 i (t )   di dt 
x(t )    x   
Vc(t ) dVc dt 

 R / L  1 / L  1 L 
A B 
 1/ C 0   0 

y  Cx  Du y  vR t   Ri (t )

C  R 0 D0
 Example-2
• Consider the mechanical system shown in figure. We assume that the system is linear. The
external force u(t) is the input to the system, and the displacement y(t) of the mass is the
output. The displacement y(t) is measured from the equilibrium position in the absence of the
external force. This system is a single-input, single-output system.

• From the diagram, the system equation is

𝑚𝑦(𝑡)
ሷ + 𝑏𝑦(𝑡)
ሶ + 𝑘𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑢(𝑡)

• This system is of second order. This means that the system

involves two integrators. Let us define state variables 𝑥1 (𝑡)and
𝑥2 (𝑡)as

𝑥1 𝑡 = 𝑦(𝑡)
𝑥2 𝑡 = 𝑦(𝑡)
ሶ
 Example-2
𝑥1 𝑡 = 𝑦(𝑡) 𝑥2 𝑡 = 𝑦(𝑡)
ሶ 𝑚𝑦(𝑡)
ሷ + 𝑏𝑦(𝑡)
ሶ + 𝑘𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑢(𝑡)

• Then we obtain
𝑥ሶ 1 𝑡 = 𝑥2 (𝑡)
𝑏 𝑘 1
𝑥ሶ 2 𝑡 = − 𝑦ሶ 𝑡 − 𝑦 𝑡 + 𝑢 (𝑡)
𝑚 𝑚 𝑚
• Or
𝑥ሶ 1 𝑡 = 𝑥2 (𝑡)
𝑏 𝑘 1
𝑥ሶ 2 𝑡 = − 𝑥2 𝑡 − 𝑥1 𝑡 + 𝑢 (𝑡)
𝑚 𝑚 𝑚
• The output equation is
𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥1 𝑡
 Example-2
𝑏 𝑘 1
𝑥ሶ 1 𝑡 = 𝑥2 (𝑡) 𝑥ሶ 2 𝑡 = − 𝑥2 𝑡 − 𝑥1 𝑡 + 𝑢 (𝑡) 𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥1 𝑡
𝑚 𝑚 𝑚

• In a vector-matrix form,

 x1 (t )   0 1   x (t )   0 
 x (t )     k b  1    1  u (t )
   x2 (t )   
 2   m m m

 x1 (t ) 
y (t )  1 0 
 2
x (t ) 
 Example-2
• State diagram of the system is

𝑥ሶ 1 𝑡 = 𝑥2 (𝑡)

𝑏 𝑘 1
𝑥ሶ 2 𝑡 = − 𝑥2 𝑡 − 𝑥1 𝑡 + 𝑢 (𝑡)
𝑚 𝑚 𝑚

𝑦 𝑡 = 𝑥1 𝑡

-k/m

-b/m
1/m 𝑥ሶ 2 𝑥1
𝑢(𝑡) 1/s 1/s 𝑦(𝑡)
𝑥2 = 𝑥ሶ 1
 Example-2
• State diagram in signal flow and block diagram format

-k/m

-b/m
1/m 𝑥ሶ 2 𝑥1
𝑢(𝑡) 1/s 1/s 𝑦(𝑡)
𝑥2 = 𝑥ሶ 1
 Example-3
• State space representation of armature Controlled D.C Motor.
Ra La
B 
ia
ea eb T J


• ea is armature voltage (i.e. input) and  is output.

dia
ea  Ra ia  La  eb
dt
T  J  B
 Example-3
T  K t ia eb  K b

J  B-K t ia  0
dia
La  Ra ia  K b  ea
dt
• Choosing 𝜃, 𝜃ሶ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑎 as state variables
0
1 0
𝐵 𝐾𝑡 0
𝑑 𝜃 0 − 𝜃
ሶ 0
𝜃 = 𝐽 𝐽 𝜃ሶ + 1 𝑒𝑎
𝑑𝑡 𝑖 𝐾𝑏 𝑅𝑎 𝑖𝑎
𝑎
0 − − 𝐿𝑎
𝐿𝑎 𝐿𝑎
• Since 𝜃 is output of the system therefore output equation is given as

𝜃
𝑦 𝑡 = 1 0 0 𝜃ሶ
𝑖𝑎