Author: Albert Carruthers Hall
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Servomechanisms
Languages : en
Pages : 208
Book Description
The Analysis and Synthesis of Linear Servomechanisms
Author: Albert Carruthers Hall
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Servomechanisms
Languages : en
Pages : 208
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Servomechanisms
Languages : en
Pages : 208
Book Description
Analysis and Synthesis of Linear Control Systems
Author: Chi-Tsong Chen
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
Dynamic Systems Control
Author: Robert E. Skelton
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 536
Book Description
This text deals with matrix methods for handling, reducing, and analyzing data from a dynamic system, and covers techniques for the design of feedback controllers for those systems which can be perfectly modeled. Unlike other texts at this level, this book also provides techniques for the design of feedback controllers for those systems which cannot be perfectly modeled. In addition, presentation draws attention to the iterative nature of the control design process, and introduces model reduction and concepts of equivalent models, topics not generally covered at this level. Chapters cover mathematical preliminaries, models of dynamic systems, properties of state space realizations, controllability and observability, equivalent realizations and model reduction, stability, optimal control of time-variant systems, state estimation, and model error concepts and compensation. Extensive appendixes cover the requisite mathematics.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 536
Book Description
This text deals with matrix methods for handling, reducing, and analyzing data from a dynamic system, and covers techniques for the design of feedback controllers for those systems which can be perfectly modeled. Unlike other texts at this level, this book also provides techniques for the design of feedback controllers for those systems which cannot be perfectly modeled. In addition, presentation draws attention to the iterative nature of the control design process, and introduces model reduction and concepts of equivalent models, topics not generally covered at this level. Chapters cover mathematical preliminaries, models of dynamic systems, properties of state space realizations, controllability and observability, equivalent realizations and model reduction, stability, optimal control of time-variant systems, state estimation, and model error concepts and compensation. Extensive appendixes cover the requisite mathematics.
Introduction to Linear Control Systems
Author: Yazdan Bavafa-Toosi
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 012812749X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 1135
Book Description
Introduction to Linear Control Systems is designed as a standard introduction to linear control systems for all those who one way or another deal with control systems. It can be used as a comprehensive up-to-date textbook for a one-semester 3-credit undergraduate course on linear control systems as the first course on this topic at university. This includes the faculties of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical and petroleum engineering, industrial engineering, civil engineering, bio-engineering, economics, mathematics, physics, management and social sciences, etc. The book covers foundations of linear control systems, their raison detre, different types, modelling, representations, computations, stability concepts, tools for time-domain and frequency-domain analysis and synthesis, and fundamental limitations, with an emphasis on frequency-domain methods. Every chapter includes a part on further readings where more advanced topics and pertinent references are introduced for further studies. The presentation is theoretically firm, contemporary, and self-contained. Appendices cover Laplace transform and differential equations, dynamics, MATLAB and SIMULINK, treatise on stability concepts and tools, treatise on Routh-Hurwitz method, random optimization techniques as well as convex and non-convex problems, and sample midterm and endterm exams. The book is divided to the sequel 3 parts plus appendices. PART I: In this part of the book, chapters 1-5, we present foundations of linear control systems. This includes: the introduction to control systems, their raison detre, their different types, modelling of control systems, different methods for their representation and fundamental computations, basic stability concepts and tools for both analysis and design, basic time domain analysis and design details, and the root locus as a stability analysis and synthesis tool. PART II: In this part of the book, Chapters 6-9, we present what is generally referred to as the frequency domain methods. This refers to the experiment of applying a sinusoidal input to the system and studying its output. There are basically three different methods for representation and studying of the data of the aforementioned frequency response experiment: these are the Nyquist plot, the Bode diagram, and the Krohn-Manger-Nichols chart. We study these methods in details. We learn that the output is also a sinusoid with the same frequency but generally with different phase and magnitude. By dividing the output by the input we obtain the so-called sinusoidal or frequency transfer function of the system which is the same as the transfer function when the Laplace variable s is substituted with . Finally we use the Bode diagram for the design process. PART III: In this part, Chapter 10, we introduce some miscellaneous advanced topics under the theme fundamental limitations which should be included in this undergraduate course at least in an introductory level. We make bridges between some seemingly disparate aspects of a control system and theoretically complement the previously studied subjects. Appendices: The book contains seven appendices. Appendix A is on the Laplace transform and differential equations. Appendix B is an introduction to dynamics. Appendix C is an introduction to MATLAB, including SIMULINK. Appendix D is a survey on stability concepts and tools. A glossary and road map of the available stability concepts and tests is provided which is missing even in the research literature. Appendix E is a survey on the Routh-Hurwitz method, also missing in the literature. Appendix F is an introduction to random optimization techniques and convex and non-convex problems. Finally, appendix G presents sample midterm and endterm exams, which are class-tested several times.
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 012812749X
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 1135
Book Description
Introduction to Linear Control Systems is designed as a standard introduction to linear control systems for all those who one way or another deal with control systems. It can be used as a comprehensive up-to-date textbook for a one-semester 3-credit undergraduate course on linear control systems as the first course on this topic at university. This includes the faculties of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical and petroleum engineering, industrial engineering, civil engineering, bio-engineering, economics, mathematics, physics, management and social sciences, etc. The book covers foundations of linear control systems, their raison detre, different types, modelling, representations, computations, stability concepts, tools for time-domain and frequency-domain analysis and synthesis, and fundamental limitations, with an emphasis on frequency-domain methods. Every chapter includes a part on further readings where more advanced topics and pertinent references are introduced for further studies. The presentation is theoretically firm, contemporary, and self-contained. Appendices cover Laplace transform and differential equations, dynamics, MATLAB and SIMULINK, treatise on stability concepts and tools, treatise on Routh-Hurwitz method, random optimization techniques as well as convex and non-convex problems, and sample midterm and endterm exams. The book is divided to the sequel 3 parts plus appendices. PART I: In this part of the book, chapters 1-5, we present foundations of linear control systems. This includes: the introduction to control systems, their raison detre, their different types, modelling of control systems, different methods for their representation and fundamental computations, basic stability concepts and tools for both analysis and design, basic time domain analysis and design details, and the root locus as a stability analysis and synthesis tool. PART II: In this part of the book, Chapters 6-9, we present what is generally referred to as the frequency domain methods. This refers to the experiment of applying a sinusoidal input to the system and studying its output. There are basically three different methods for representation and studying of the data of the aforementioned frequency response experiment: these are the Nyquist plot, the Bode diagram, and the Krohn-Manger-Nichols chart. We study these methods in details. We learn that the output is also a sinusoid with the same frequency but generally with different phase and magnitude. By dividing the output by the input we obtain the so-called sinusoidal or frequency transfer function of the system which is the same as the transfer function when the Laplace variable s is substituted with . Finally we use the Bode diagram for the design process. PART III: In this part, Chapter 10, we introduce some miscellaneous advanced topics under the theme fundamental limitations which should be included in this undergraduate course at least in an introductory level. We make bridges between some seemingly disparate aspects of a control system and theoretically complement the previously studied subjects. Appendices: The book contains seven appendices. Appendix A is on the Laplace transform and differential equations. Appendix B is an introduction to dynamics. Appendix C is an introduction to MATLAB, including SIMULINK. Appendix D is a survey on stability concepts and tools. A glossary and road map of the available stability concepts and tests is provided which is missing even in the research literature. Appendix E is a survey on the Routh-Hurwitz method, also missing in the literature. Appendix F is an introduction to random optimization techniques and convex and non-convex problems. Finally, appendix G presents sample midterm and endterm exams, which are class-tested several times.
Linear Dynamical Quantum Systems
Author: Hendra I Nurdin
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319552015
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 273
Book Description
This monograph provides an in-depth treatment of the class of linear-dynamical quantum systems. The monograph presents a detailed account of the mathematical modeling of these systems using linear algebra and quantum stochastic calculus as the main tools for a treatment that emphasizes a system-theoretic point of view and the control-theoretic formulations of quantum versions of familiar problems from the classical (non-quantum) setting, including estimation and filtering, realization theory, and feedback control. Both measurement-based feedback control (i.e., feedback control by a classical system involving a continuous-time measurement process) and coherent feedback control (i.e., feedback control by another quantum system without the intervention of any measurements in the feedback loop) are treated. Researchers and graduates studying systems and control theory, quantum probability and stochastics or stochastic control whether from backgrounds in mechanical or electrical engineering or applied mathematics will find this book to be a valuable treatment of the control of an important class of quantum systems. The material presented here will also interest physicists working in optics, quantum optics, quantum information theory and other quantum-physical disciplines.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319552015
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 273
Book Description
This monograph provides an in-depth treatment of the class of linear-dynamical quantum systems. The monograph presents a detailed account of the mathematical modeling of these systems using linear algebra and quantum stochastic calculus as the main tools for a treatment that emphasizes a system-theoretic point of view and the control-theoretic formulations of quantum versions of familiar problems from the classical (non-quantum) setting, including estimation and filtering, realization theory, and feedback control. Both measurement-based feedback control (i.e., feedback control by a classical system involving a continuous-time measurement process) and coherent feedback control (i.e., feedback control by another quantum system without the intervention of any measurements in the feedback loop) are treated. Researchers and graduates studying systems and control theory, quantum probability and stochastics or stochastic control whether from backgrounds in mechanical or electrical engineering or applied mathematics will find this book to be a valuable treatment of the control of an important class of quantum systems. The material presented here will also interest physicists working in optics, quantum optics, quantum information theory and other quantum-physical disciplines.
Network Analysis and Synthesis
Author: Brian D. O. Anderson
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486152170
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 559
Book Description
This comprehensive look at linear network analysis and synthesis explores state-space synthesis as well as analysis, employing modern systems theory to unite classical concepts of network theory. 1973 edition.
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486152170
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 559
Book Description
This comprehensive look at linear network analysis and synthesis explores state-space synthesis as well as analysis, employing modern systems theory to unite classical concepts of network theory. 1973 edition.
Control System Synthesis
Author: Mathukumalli Vidyasagar
Publisher: Morgan & Claypool Publishers
ISBN: 1608456625
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
This book introduces the so-called "stable factorization approach" to the synthesis of feedback controllers for linear control systems. The key to this approach is to view the multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) plant for which one wishes to design a controller as a matrix over the fraction field F associated with a commutative ring with identity, denoted by R, which also has no divisors of zero. In this setting, the set of single-input, single-output (SISO) stable control systems is precisely the ring R, while the set of stable MIMO control systems is the set of matrices whose elements all belong to R. The set of unstable, meaning not necessarily stable, control systems is then taken to be the field of fractions F associated with R in the SISO case, and the set of matrices with elements in F in the MIMO case. The central notion introduced in the book is that, in most situations of practical interest, every matrix P whose elements belong to F can be "factored" as a "ratio" of two matrices N,D whose elements belong to R, in such a way that N,D are coprime. In the familiar case where the ring R corresponds to the set of bounded-input, bounded-output (BIBO)-stable rational transfer functions, coprimeness is equivalent to two functions not having any common zeros in the closed right half-plane including infinity. However, the notion of coprimeness extends readily to discrete-time systems, distributed-parameter systems in both the continuous- as well as discrete-time domains, and to multi-dimensional systems. Thus the stable factorization approach enables one to capture all these situations within a common framework. The key result in the stable factorization approach is the parametrization of all controllers that stabilize a given plant. It is shown that the set of all stabilizing controllers can be parametrized by a single parameter R, whose elements all belong to R. Moreover, every transfer matrix in the closed-loop system is an affine function of the design parameter R. Thus problems of reliable stabilization, disturbance rejection, robust stabilization etc. can all be formulated in terms of choosing an appropriate R. This is a reprint of the book Control System Synthesis: A Factorization Approach originally published by M.I.T. Press in 1985.
Publisher: Morgan & Claypool Publishers
ISBN: 1608456625
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
This book introduces the so-called "stable factorization approach" to the synthesis of feedback controllers for linear control systems. The key to this approach is to view the multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) plant for which one wishes to design a controller as a matrix over the fraction field F associated with a commutative ring with identity, denoted by R, which also has no divisors of zero. In this setting, the set of single-input, single-output (SISO) stable control systems is precisely the ring R, while the set of stable MIMO control systems is the set of matrices whose elements all belong to R. The set of unstable, meaning not necessarily stable, control systems is then taken to be the field of fractions F associated with R in the SISO case, and the set of matrices with elements in F in the MIMO case. The central notion introduced in the book is that, in most situations of practical interest, every matrix P whose elements belong to F can be "factored" as a "ratio" of two matrices N,D whose elements belong to R, in such a way that N,D are coprime. In the familiar case where the ring R corresponds to the set of bounded-input, bounded-output (BIBO)-stable rational transfer functions, coprimeness is equivalent to two functions not having any common zeros in the closed right half-plane including infinity. However, the notion of coprimeness extends readily to discrete-time systems, distributed-parameter systems in both the continuous- as well as discrete-time domains, and to multi-dimensional systems. Thus the stable factorization approach enables one to capture all these situations within a common framework. The key result in the stable factorization approach is the parametrization of all controllers that stabilize a given plant. It is shown that the set of all stabilizing controllers can be parametrized by a single parameter R, whose elements all belong to R. Moreover, every transfer matrix in the closed-loop system is an affine function of the design parameter R. Thus problems of reliable stabilization, disturbance rejection, robust stabilization etc. can all be formulated in terms of choosing an appropriate R. This is a reprint of the book Control System Synthesis: A Factorization Approach originally published by M.I.T. Press in 1985.
Piecewise Linear Control Systems
Author: Mikael K.-J. Johansson
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3540368019
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 212
Book Description
2. Piecewise Linear Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2. 1 Model Representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2. 2 Solution Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. 3 Uncertainty Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. 4 Modularity and Interconnections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2. 5 Piecewise Linear Function Representations . . . . . . . . . 28 2. 6 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3. Structural Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 3. 1 Equilibrium Points and the Steady State Characteristic . . 32 3. 2 Constraint Verification and Invariance . . . . . . . . . . . 35 3. 3 Detecting Attractive Sliding Modes on Cell Boundaries 37 3. 4 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 4. Lyapunov Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4. 1 Exponential Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4. 2 Quadratic Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 4. 3 Conservatism of Quadratic Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 4. 4 From Quadratic to Piecewise Quadratic . . . . . . . . . . . 48 4. 5 Interlude: Describing Partition Properties . . . . . . . . . 51 4. 6 Piecewise Quadratic Lyapunov Functions . . . . . . . . . 55 4. 7 Analysis of Piecewise Linear Differential Inclusions . . . . 61 4. 8 Analysis of Systems with Attractive Sliding Modes . . . . 63 4. 9 Improving Computational Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 4. 10 Piecewise Linear Lyapunov Functions . . . . . . . . . . . 72 4. 11 A Unifying View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 4. 12 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 5. Dissipativity Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 5. 1 Dissipativity Analysis via Convex Optimization . . . . . . 86 21 14 Contents Contents 5. 2 Computation of £2 induced Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 5. 3 Estimation of Transient Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 5. 4 Dissipative Systems with Quadratic Supply Rates . . . . . 91 5. 5 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Controller Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 6. 1 Quadratic Stabilization of Piecewise Linear" Systems . . . 97 6. 2 Controller Synthesis based on Piecewise Quadratics . . . 98 6. 3 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 7. Selected Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 7. 1 Estimation of Regions of Attraction . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3540368019
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 212
Book Description
2. Piecewise Linear Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2. 1 Model Representation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 2. 2 Solution Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. 3 Uncertainty Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. 4 Modularity and Interconnections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2. 5 Piecewise Linear Function Representations . . . . . . . . . 28 2. 6 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3. Structural Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 3. 1 Equilibrium Points and the Steady State Characteristic . . 32 3. 2 Constraint Verification and Invariance . . . . . . . . . . . 35 3. 3 Detecting Attractive Sliding Modes on Cell Boundaries 37 3. 4 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 4. Lyapunov Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4. 1 Exponential Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 4. 2 Quadratic Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 4. 3 Conservatism of Quadratic Stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 4. 4 From Quadratic to Piecewise Quadratic . . . . . . . . . . . 48 4. 5 Interlude: Describing Partition Properties . . . . . . . . . 51 4. 6 Piecewise Quadratic Lyapunov Functions . . . . . . . . . 55 4. 7 Analysis of Piecewise Linear Differential Inclusions . . . . 61 4. 8 Analysis of Systems with Attractive Sliding Modes . . . . 63 4. 9 Improving Computational Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 4. 10 Piecewise Linear Lyapunov Functions . . . . . . . . . . . 72 4. 11 A Unifying View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 4. 12 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 5. Dissipativity Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 5. 1 Dissipativity Analysis via Convex Optimization . . . . . . 86 21 14 Contents Contents 5. 2 Computation of £2 induced Gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 5. 3 Estimation of Transient Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 5. 4 Dissipative Systems with Quadratic Supply Rates . . . . . 91 5. 5 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Controller Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 6. 1 Quadratic Stabilization of Piecewise Linear" Systems . . . 97 6. 2 Controller Synthesis based on Piecewise Quadratics . . . 98 6. 3 Comments and References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 7. Selected Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 7. 1 Estimation of Regions of Attraction . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Analysis and Synthesis of Dynamical Systems with Time-Delays
Author: Yuanqing Xia
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3642026966
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
Time-delay occurs in many dynamical systems such as biological systems, chemical systems, metallurgical processing systems, nuclear reactor, long transmission lines in pneumatic, hydraulic systems and electrical networks. Especially, in recent years, time-delay which exists in networked control s- temshasbroughtmorecomplexproblemintoanewresearcharea.Frequently, itisasourceofthegenerationofoscillation,instabilityandpoorperformance. Considerable e?ort has been applied to di?erent aspects of linear time-delay systems during recent years. Because the introduction of the delay factor renders the system analysis more complicated, in addition to the di?culties caused by the perturbation or uncertainties, in the control of time-delay s- tems, the problems of robust stability and robust stabilization are of great importance. This book presents some basic theories of stability and stabilization of systems with time-delay, which are related to the main results in this book. More attention will be paid on synthesis of systems with time-delay. That is, sliding mode control of systems with time-delay; networked control systems with time-delay; networked data fusion with random delay.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3642026966
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
Time-delay occurs in many dynamical systems such as biological systems, chemical systems, metallurgical processing systems, nuclear reactor, long transmission lines in pneumatic, hydraulic systems and electrical networks. Especially, in recent years, time-delay which exists in networked control s- temshasbroughtmorecomplexproblemintoanewresearcharea.Frequently, itisasourceofthegenerationofoscillation,instabilityandpoorperformance. Considerable e?ort has been applied to di?erent aspects of linear time-delay systems during recent years. Because the introduction of the delay factor renders the system analysis more complicated, in addition to the di?culties caused by the perturbation or uncertainties, in the control of time-delay s- tems, the problems of robust stability and robust stabilization are of great importance. This book presents some basic theories of stability and stabilization of systems with time-delay, which are related to the main results in this book. More attention will be paid on synthesis of systems with time-delay. That is, sliding mode control of systems with time-delay; networked control systems with time-delay; networked data fusion with random delay.
Systems Analysis and Synthesis
Author: Barry Dwyer
Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 0128054492
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 515
Book Description
Systems Analysis and Synthesis: Bridging Computer Science and Information Technology presents several new graph-theoretical methods that relate system design to core computer science concepts, and enable correct systems to be synthesized from specifications. Based on material refined in the author's university courses, the book has immediate applicability for working system engineers or recent graduates who understand computer technology, but have the unfamiliar task of applying their knowledge to a real business problem. Starting with a comparison of synthesis and analysis, the book explains the fundamental building blocks of systems-atoms and events-and takes a graph-theoretical approach to database design to encourage a well-designed schema. The author explains how database systems work-useful both when working with a commercial database management system and when hand-crafting data structures-and how events control the way data flows through a system. Later chapters deal with system dynamics and modelling, rule-based systems, user psychology, and project management, to round out readers' ability to understand and solve business problems. - Bridges computer science theory with practical business problems to lead readers from requirements to a working system without error or backtracking - Explains use-definition analysis to derive process graphs and avoid large-scale designs that don't quite work - Demonstrates functional dependency graphs to allow databases to be designed without painful iteration - Includes chapters on system dynamics and modeling, rule-based systems, user psychology, and project management
Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 0128054492
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 515
Book Description
Systems Analysis and Synthesis: Bridging Computer Science and Information Technology presents several new graph-theoretical methods that relate system design to core computer science concepts, and enable correct systems to be synthesized from specifications. Based on material refined in the author's university courses, the book has immediate applicability for working system engineers or recent graduates who understand computer technology, but have the unfamiliar task of applying their knowledge to a real business problem. Starting with a comparison of synthesis and analysis, the book explains the fundamental building blocks of systems-atoms and events-and takes a graph-theoretical approach to database design to encourage a well-designed schema. The author explains how database systems work-useful both when working with a commercial database management system and when hand-crafting data structures-and how events control the way data flows through a system. Later chapters deal with system dynamics and modelling, rule-based systems, user psychology, and project management, to round out readers' ability to understand and solve business problems. - Bridges computer science theory with practical business problems to lead readers from requirements to a working system without error or backtracking - Explains use-definition analysis to derive process graphs and avoid large-scale designs that don't quite work - Demonstrates functional dependency graphs to allow databases to be designed without painful iteration - Includes chapters on system dynamics and modeling, rule-based systems, user psychology, and project management