Online tuning fuzzy PID controller using robust extended Kalman filter

Fuzzy PID controllers have been developed and applied to many fields for over a period of 30 years. However, there is no systematic method to design membership functions (MFs) for inputs and outputs of a fuzzy system. Then optimizing the MFs is considered as a system identification problem for a nonlinear dynamic system which makes control challenges. This paper presents a novel online method using a robust extended Kalman filter to optimize a Mamdani fuzzy PID controller. The robust extended Kalman filter (REKF) is used to adjust the controller parameters automatically during the operation process of any system applying the controller to minimize the control error. The fuzzy PID controller is tuned about the shape of MFs and rules to adapt with the working conditions and the control performance is improved significantly. The proposed method in this research is verified by its application to the force control problem of an electro-hydraulic actuator. Simulations and experimental results show that proposed method is effective for the online optimization of the fuzzy PID controller. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.