Unknown Input Observer Design for Linear Time-Invariant Systems -- A Unifying Framework

Abstract: This paper presents a new observer design approach for linear time invariant multivariable systems subject to unknown inputs. The design is based on a transformation to the so-called special coordinate basis. This form reveals important system properties like invertability or the finite and infinite zero structure. Depending on the system's strong observability properties, the special coordinate basis allows for a straightforward unknown input observer design utilizing linear or nonlinear observers design techniques. The chosen observer design technique does not only depend on the system properties, but also on the desired convergence behavior of the observer. Hence, the proposed design procedure can be seen as a unifying framework for unknown input observer design.