Active Return-to-Center Control Based on Torque and Angle Sensors for Electric Power Steering Systems.

This paper presents a complete control strategy of the active return-to-center (RTC) control for electric power steering (EPS) systems. We first establish the mathematical model of the EPS system and analyze the source and influence of the self-aligning torque (SAT). Second, based on the feedback signals of steering column torque and steering wheel angle, we give the trigger conditions of a state switch between the steering assist state and the RTC state. In order to avoid the sudden change of the output torque for the driving motor when the state switches frequently between the steering assist state and the RTC state, we design an undisturbed state switching logic algorithm. This state switching logic algorithm ensures that the output value of the RTC controller is set to an initial value and increases in given steps up to a maximum value after entering the RTC state, and the output value of the RTC controller will reduce in given steps down to zero when exiting the RTC state. This therefore ensures smooth switch control between the two states and improves the driver's steering feeling. Third, we design the RTC controller, which depends upon the feedback signals of the steering wheel angle and the angular velocity. In addition, the controller increases the auxiliary control function of the RTC torque based on vehicle speed. The experimental results show that the active RTC control method does not affect the basic assist characteristics, which effectively reduces the residual angle of the steering wheel at low vehicle speed and improves the RTC performance of the vehicle.

Sensor Fault and Delay Tolerant Control for Networked Control Systems Subject to External Disturbances.

In this paper, the problem of sensor fault and delay tolerant control problem for a class of networked control systems under external disturbances is investigated. More precisely, the dynamic characteristics of the external disturbance and sensor fault are described as the output of exogenous systems first. The original sensor fault and delay tolerant control problem is reformulated as an equivalence problem with designed available system output and reformed performance index. The feedforward and feedback sensor fault tolerant controller (FFSFTC) can be obtained by utilizing the solutions of Riccati matrix equation and Stein matrix equation. Based on the designed fault diagnoser, the proposed FFSFTC is further reconstructed to compensate for the sensor fault and delayed measurement effects. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed FFSFTC with different cases with various types of sensor faults, measurement delays and external disturbances.

Modeling the impact of immigration on the epidemiology of tuberculosis.

This paper presents two new theoretical frameworks to investigate the impact of immigration on the transmission dynamics of tuberculosis. For the basic model, we present new analysis on the existence and stability of equilibria. Then, we use numerical simulations of the model to illustrate the behavior of the system. We apply the model to Canadian reported data on tuberculosis and observe a good agreement between the model prediction and the data. For the extended model, which incorporated the recruitment of the latent and infectious in immigrants to the basic model, we find that the usual threshold condition does not apply and a unique equilibrium exists for all parameter values. This indicates that the disease does not disappear and becomes endemic in host areas. This finding is also supported by numerical simulations with the extended model. Our study suggests that immigrants have a considerable influence on the overall transmission dynamics behavior of tuberculosis.