Sporadic Model Predictive Control

We present a control scheme combining a Model Predictive Control (MPC) layer and a hierarchically inferior one, in general not of the MPC type. The purpose is to avoid solving the MPC optimisation problem at each control step, thereby lightening the computational burden. The MPC controller can be designed within the classical receding horizon framework, and independently of the lower layer. This makes it easy to apply the scheme to existing systems, where the lower layer may just be the pre-existing control, in a view to enhancing industrial applicability. We name the approach grounding the scheme “sporadic” MPC, owing to the characteristic just evidenced, and in particular to the particular interplay with the existing control layer. We show some simulation examples to demonstrate the achievable advantages.