Multi-order cascade lag control for high precision tracking systems

Error attenuation capacity of a target tracking system is the key indicator for the system's tracking precision. Without changing the system's feedback control structure, the traditional first order integral control, which is widely used in traditional tracking systems, cannot meet a higher precision for those fast targets with high mobility. The work described in this paper concerns about this problem, and proposes a cascade lag control scheme with one or more order to level up the system's active error suppression capacity in low-frequency range. By substituting the cascade lag controllers for additional integral operator, a higher amplitude ratio system, which implies higher tracking precision, is obtained without loss of stability. As a difficult task for massive parameters' designing, a concept of relative order and a configuration proportion law is proposed to simplify the analysis as well as parameters tuning. Relationship between the relative order and system performance is given. The multi-order cascade lag control scheme's efficiency is proved in both theoretical analysis and experiments in an electro-optical tracking system.