EGLM03: Canonical Forms Part 1
Channel: Chris Jobling
Date: 2015-03-24

Although a state space model may uniquely represent a given dynamic system, there is no state space model that uniquely represents a given transfer function. That is there are many state space models that can be transformed into a given transfer function. If one begins the analysis of a dynamic system from an analysis of the elementary dynamics then the state space model that results from such an analysis will accurately reflect the physical state variables in the system. However, if one’s analysis begins from a differential equation or (equivalently) from a transfer function, then it is convenient to transform the model description into one of a small number of “standard” or canonical forms. 

This first part introduces the companion form.