A method of control system design using global search

A method is presented that eliminates the problem of the conventional quadratic performance criterion not being effective for some real-world systems because the performance parameters are seldom related to meaningful quantities. Globally searching the performance index allows the index to have local minimums as well as discontinuities, so it can be defined in meaningful terms. This ability to define meaningful performance indexes potentially can reduce the design time and produce better controls for nonlinear systems. The method has been implemented and tested with a simulated nonlinear system. Comparison to optimal control theory shows that the methodology has merit. Gains occur because the controller can be nonlinear and the system can be efficiently optimized to have the desired characteristics