Explicit hybrid model predictive control: discontinuous piecewise-affine approximation and FPGA implementation

In this paper we introduce a digital architecture implementing the explicit solution of a switched model predictive control problem. Given a mixed-logic dynamical system, we derive an explicit controller in the form of a possibly discontinuous piecewise-affine function. This function is then approximated by resorting to piecewise-affine simplicial functions, which can be implemented on a circuit by extending the representation capabilities of a previously proposed architecture to evaluate the control action. The architecture has been implemented on FPGA and validated on a benchmark example related to an air conditioning system. © 2011 IFAC.