Antiwindup regulation of saturated linear systems

We consider the output regulation problem for linear systems subject to actuators saturation. A state-feedback unconstrained regulator is transformed into an error-feedback bounded regulator by introducing an observer which is then decomposed into the sum of unconstrained and antiwindup dynamics. The unconstrained dynamics are regulated towards a predefined reference trajectory, by a control signal u which may violate the saturation bounds during transients. The antiwindup dynamics transiently store the mismatch between unconstrained and constrained dynamics. The antiwindup design also applies to a predefined error-feedback dynamic regulator for the unconstrained system, as in standard antiwindup setting. As a particular case of distinct interest, the design provides a new global asymptotic stabilizer for saturated null-controllable systems.