Author Description

Time-delay systems arise when information or material transmission delay occurs, for example in transportation, communications, chemical processing, metallurgical processing, environmental systems or power systems. Time delays in the systems are either due to inherent component delays or due to deliberate delays introduced for control purposes. Considerable research has been done on various aspects of these systems in the last twenty-five years. However, unlike linear nondelay systems on which a host of books have been published, very few books exist on time-delay systems, and those that do are often very theoretical. This book fulfils a need by covering the techniques of analysis and design of time-delay systems without dwelling on mathematical rigor - though to make the book self-sufficient, the required mathematical background is provided in the appendices. The book covers classical as well as modern control approaches, and discrete-time as well as continuous-time TD systems. It is concerned mainly with linear time delay systems, though nonlinear time delay systems are also included whenever applicable. Large-scale time-delay systems are also presented. All areas of concern are dealt with: modeling, analysis, structural properties, design, optimization and applications. Useful for graduates in engineering, science and mathematics, the volume will also appeal to researchers in the area since up-to-date surveys on most topics are provided.