A non-iterative approach to linear quadratic static output feedback

This paper considers the problem of static output feedback (SOF) synthesis for linear timeinvariant (LTI) systems. Static output feedback, and more generally structured controller synthesis, is of special interest to any industrial application where a reduced-order controller is desired, e.g., high-order systems, or a specific structure is to be imposed, i.e., distributed/decentralised control. A simple two-step process is proposed, solving one Riccati equation and one optimisation problem with linear matrix inequality (LMI) constraints, enabled via a dilation using the distance to the full-state feedback optimum gain. Numerical analysis shows considerable computational savings, with negligible differences in the performance, when compared to current iterative methods.