A structural solution to the monotonic tracking control problem

Abstract: In this paper we present a method for designing a linear time invariant (LTI) state-feedback controller to monotonically track a constant step reference at any desired rate of convergence for any initial condition. Necessary and sufficient constructive conditions are given to deliver a monotonic step response from all initial conditions. This method is developed for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems, and can be applied to square and non-square systems, strictly proper and non-strictly proper systems, and, importantly, also minimum and non-minimum phase systems. The framework proposed here shows that for MIMO LTI systems the objectives of achieving a rapid settling time, while at the same time avoiding overshoot and/or undershoot, are not necessarily competing objectives.