The abridged syllabus you’re looking for has not been entered yet. We’ve provided a similar abridged syllabus as an example. Check back later for that specific abridged syllabus. The complete syllabus will be available in your Canvas course.

525.609.81 - Continuous Control Systems

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Fall 2024

Description

This course closely examines classical methods of representation, analysis, and design of continuous control systems, and introduces state-space representation, analysis and design techniques. Topics include dynamic system representation by linear time invariant ordinary differential equations, state-space representation of linear time-invariant systems, block diagrams and signal flow graphs, performance measures, sensitivity, stability, root locus analysis, frequency domain analysis, similarity transformations, controllability, and control design methods. Some practical examples are considered. MATLAB is used as a computational tool. Prerequisite(s): Background in linear algebra and linear differential equations.

Instructor

Neil Palumbo

npalumb1@jhu.edu

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into modules which can be accessed by clicking Course Modules on the course menu. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. You are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days, exceptions are noted in the Course Outline. You should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

Mathematical Foundations: Laplace Transforms.

Transfer Functions, Block Diagrams, Signal Flow Graphs, Mason's Gain Formula.

State Equations, Direct Decomposition, Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors, Similarity Transformations.

Steady-state Error Analysis.

Stability Concepts, Routh-Hurwitz Criterion.

Time Domain Representation and Analysis.

Root Locus Plots and Analysis.

Phase Lead and Phase Lag Controller Design via Root Locus Techniques.

Frequency Domain Analysis: Bode Plots, Polar Plots, Nyquist Criterion, Gain and Phase Margin.

Phase Lead and Phase Lag Controller Design via Frequency Domain Techniques.

Controllability, Observability and Pole Placement via State Feedback.

Course Goals

The goal of this course is to develop a strong understanding of the fundamentals associated with the analysis, design, and simulation of continuous-time (automatic) control systems using both time- and frequency-domain techniques. Upon completion of this course, the student will have learned about the analysis and design of classical feedback controllers and will have been introduced to state-feedback methods as well.

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

Apply various mathematical techniques such as Laplace Transforms and matrix analysis methods to solve linear, time-invariant differential equations.
Construct, interpret and assess linear time-invariant dynamic system descriptions in both transfer function and state-space form.
Interpret, analyze and evaluate block diagrams, signal flow graphs and transfer functions as related to control system design.
Analyze and evaluate the stability and performance of linear time-invariant systems in both the time and frequency domain.
Create Root Locus plots given a description of a dynamic system, evaluate the dynamic system through interpretation of the Root Locus plot, and apply Root Locus design techniques to the development of single-input, single-output phase-lead and phase-lag compensators.
Create Bode and Nyquist plots given a description of a dynamic system, evaluate the dynamic system through interpretation of the Bode plot or Nyquist plot, and apply frequency domain design techniques to the development of single-input, single-output phase-lead and phase-lag compensators.
Apply full-state feedback techniques to design pole placement compensation.

Textbooks

Required

Golnaraghi, Farid, and Benjamin C. Kuo (2010). Automatic Control Systems 10th Edition McGraw Hill Publishers is preferred, 9th Edition John Wiley and Sons Publishers can be substituted.

10th Edition (preferred)

ISBN-13: 978-1259643835

ISBN-10: 1259643832

9th Edition

ISBN-13: 978-0470048962

ISBN-10: 0470048964

Textbook information for this course is available online through the appropriate bookstore website: For online courses, search the MBS website at http://ep.jhu.edu/bookstore.

Optional

Additionally, any of the following texts may be useful for this course:

Kuo, B.C. and F. Golnaraghi, Automatic Control Systems (8th Edition). John Wiley and Sons Publishers.
Dorf, R.C. and R.H. Bishop, Modern Control Systems (9th Edition). Prentice Hall Publishers.
Franklin, G.F., J.D. Powell, A. Emami-Naeini, Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems (3rd Edition). Addison Wesley Publishers.
Frederick, D and J. Chow, Feedback Control Problems Using MATLAB and the Control Systems Toolbox. Brooks/Cole Publishers.

Required Software

You will need access to a recent version of MATLAB with Control Systems Toolbox. The MATLAB Total Academic Headcount (TAH) license is now in effect. This license is provided at no cost to you. Send an email to software@jhu.edu to request your license file/code. Please indicate that you need a standalone file/code. You will need to provide your first and last name, as well as your Hopkins email address. You will receive an email from Mathworks with instructions to create a Mathworks account. The MATLAB software will be available for download from the Mathworks site.

Student Coursework Requirements

It is expected that each module will take approximately 8–11 hours per week to complete. Here is an approximate breakdown: reading the assigned sections of the texts (approximately 2 hours per week) as well as some outside reading, listening to the audio annotated slide presentations (approximately 2–3 hours per week), and completing assignments and computer solutions (approximately 4–6 hours per week).

This course will comprise four basic student requirements:

1. Preparation and Participation (Module Discussions) (15% of Final Grade Calculation)

There will be module discussion topics posted each week in which there is not a quiz or exam. The designated module discussion forums will be graded – these graded discussion forums will occur during modules 1 through 14. You are responsible for carefully reading all assigned material, performing the practice assignment problems, and being prepared for discussion. The majority of readings and practice assignment problems are from the course text. Additional reading may be assigned to supplement text readings.

Post your initial response to the discussion questions by the evening of day 3 for that module week. Posting a response to the discussion question is part one of your grade for the designated module discussion forums (i.e., Timeliness).

Part two of your grade for designated module discussion forums is your interaction (i.e., responding to classmate postings with thoughtful responses) with at least two classmates (i.e., Critical Thinking). Just posting your response to a discussion question is not sufficient; we want you to interact with your classmates. Be detailed in your postings and in your responses to your classmates' postings. Feel free to agree or disagree with your classmates. Please ensure that your postings are civil and constructive.

I will monitor all module discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as they are posted. In some instances, I may summarize the overall discussions and post the summary for the module.

Evaluation of your preparation and participation is based on your contribution to the designated module discussion forums.

Preparation and participation is evaluated by the following grading elements:

Timeliness (50%)
Critical Thinking (50%)

Preparation and participation is graded as follows:

100–90 = A—Timeliness [participates regularly in all designated discussion forums; all required postings; early in discussion; throughout the discussion]; Critical Thinking [rich in content; full of thoughts, insight, and analysis].

89–80 = B—Timeliness [frequently participates in all designated discussion forums; all required postings; some not in time for others to read and respond]; Critical Thinking [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].

79–70 = C—Timeliness [infrequently participates in all designated discussion forums; all required postings; most at the last minute without allowing for response time]; Critical Thinking [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].

2. Practice Assignments (20% of Final Grade Calculation)

Practice Assignments will include qualitative questions and quantitative problem sets. Include a cover sheet with your name and assignment identifier. Also include your name and a page number indicator (i.e., page x of y) on each page of your submissions. Each problem should have the problem statement, assumptions, computations, and conclusions/discussion delineated. All Figures and Tables should be captioned and labeled appropriately.

All Practice Assignments are due according to the dates in the Calendar.

Late submissions will be reduced by one letter grade for each week late (no exceptions without prior coordination with the instructors).

If, after submitting a written assignment you are not satisfied with the grade received, you are encouraged to redo the assignment and resubmit it. If the resubmission results in a better grade, that grade will be substituted for the previous grade.

Qualitative Practice Assignments are evaluated by the following grading elements:

Each part of the assignment question is answered (20%)
Solution assumptions and rationale are provided and articulated clearly (writing and organization of your solution response is expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate-level English and scholarship standards) (20%)
Solution intermediate results are included (20%)
Technical accuracy of the response / solution (40%)

Qualitative Practice Assignments are graded as follows:

100–90 = A—All parts of question are addressed; Assumptions and rationale; Intermediate results / Technical accuracy of the solution [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].

89–80 = B—All parts of the question are addressed; Assumptions and rationale; Intermediate results / Technical accuracy of the solution [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].

<70=F—Some parts of the question are addressed; Assumptions and rationale; Intermediate results / Technical accuracy of the solution [rudimentary and superficial; no analysis or insight displayed].

Quantitative Practice Assignments are evaluated by the following grading elements:

Each part of question is answered (25%)
Assumptions are clearly stated (15%)
Intermediate derivations and calculations are provided (25%)
Answer is technically correct and is clearly indicated (25%)
Answer precision and units are appropriate (10%)

Quantitative Practice Assignments are graded as follows:

100–90 = A—All parts of question are addressed; All assumptions are clearly stated; All intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is technically correct and is clearly indicated; Answer precision and units are appropriate.

89–80 = B—All parts of question are addressed; All assumptions are clearly stated; Some intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is technically correct and is indicated; Answer precision and units are appropriate.

79–70=C—Most parts of question are addressed; Assumptions are partially stated; Few intermediate derivations and calculations are provided; Answer is not technically correct but is indicated; Answer precision and units are indicated but inappropriate.

<70=F—Some parts of the question are addressed; Assumptions are not stated; Intermediate derivations and calculations are not provided; The answer is incorrect or missing; The answer precision and units are inappropriate or missing.

3. Quiz[s] (15% of Final Grade Calculation, combined from two quizzes)

Two quizzes will be given. Quiz #1 will be available in Module 3 and Quiz #2 will be available in Module 11. You will have one week to complete the quizzes and they will be due by 5PM exactly one week from their release. You may use the course text to complete the quizzes.

The quizzes are evaluated by the following grading elements:

Each part of the question is answered (20%)
Solution assumptions and rationale are provided and articulated clearly (writing and organization of your solution response is expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate-level English and scholarship standards) (20%)
Solution intermediate results are included (20%)
Technical accuracy of the response / solution (40%)

Quizzes are graded as follows:

100–90 = A—All parts of question are addressed; Assumptions and rationale; Intermediate results / Technical accuracy of the solution [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].

79–70 = C—Majority of parts of the question are addressed; Assumptions and rationale; Intermediate results / Technical accuracy of the solution [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].

4. Exam[s] (50% of Final Grade Calculation, combined from 25% for Midterm and 25% for Final)

A midterm and final exam will be given. The midterm exam will be available in Module 7 and the final exam will be available in the last Module. You will have one week to complete the exams and they will be due by 5PM exactly one week from their release. You may use the course text to complete the exams.

The exams are evaluated by the following grading elements:

Each part of the question is answered (20%)
Solution assumptions and rationale are provided and articulated clearly (writing and organization of your solution response is expected to meet or exceed accepted graduate-level English and scholarship standards) (20%)
Solution intermediate results are included (20%)
Technical accuracy of the response / solution (40%)

Exams are graded as follows:

100–90 = A—All parts of question are addressed; Assumptions and rationale; Intermediate results / Technical accuracy of the solution [rich in content; full of thought, insight, and analysis].

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in your Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Course Calendar or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. I will post grades one week after assignment due dates.

I generally do not directly grade spelling and grammar. However, egregious violations of the rules of the English language will be noted without comment. Consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade.

A grade of A indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week.

A grade of B indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course.

A breakdown of grading is provided, below.

Score Range	Letter Grade
100-98	= A+
97-94	= A
93-90	= A−
89-87	= B+
86-83	= B
82-80	= B−
79-77	= C+
76-73	= C
72-70	= C−
69-67	= D+
66-63	= D
<63	= F

Course Evaluation

Final grades will be determined by the following weighting:

Item	% of Grade
Preparation and Participation (Module Discussions)	15%
Practice Assignments	20%
Quizzes (1 and 2)	15%
Exam[s] (Midterm + Final)	50% (25% + 25%)

Course Policies

Academic Integrity

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students.

Policy on Disability Services

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or veteran status in any student program or activity, or with regard to admission or employment. JHU works to ensure that students, employees and visitors with disabilities have equal access to university programs, facilities, technology and websites.

Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, a person is considered to have a disability if c (1) he or she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (such as hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, performing manual tasks, walking, caring for oneself, learning, or concentrating); (2) has a record of having such an impairment; or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment class. The University provides reasonable and appropriate accommodations to students and employees with disabilities. In most cases, JHU will require documentation of the disability and the need for the specific requested accommodation.

The Disability Services program within the Office of Institutional Equity oversees the coordination of reasonable accommodations for students and employees with disabilities, and serves as the central point of contact for information on physical and programmatic access at the University. More information on this policy may be found at the Disabilities Services website or by contacting (410) 516-8075.

Disability Services

Johns Hopkins Engineering for Professionals is committed to providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations to students with disabilities.

Students requiring accommodations are encouraged to contact Disability Services at least four weeks before the start of the academic term or as soon as possible. Although requests can be made at any time, students should understand that there may be a delay of up to two weeks for implementation depending on the nature of the accommodations requested.

Requesting Accommodation

New students must submit a Disability Services Graduate Registration Form along with supporting documentation from a qualified diagnostician that:

Identifies the type of disability
Describes the current level of functioning in an academic setting
Lists recommended accommodations

Questions about disability resources and requests for accommodation at Johns Hopkins Engineering for Professionals should be directed to:

EP Disability Services Phone: 410-516-2306 Fax: 410-579-8049 E-mail: ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/academic-calendar/). Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course.

Academic Misconduct Policy

This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.

For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu.

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically.

For a full description of the code please visit the following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity.

If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team [EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu] in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.