Modern Control Engineering

As an undergrad Electrical Engineer, I wish I had found this book sooner! In the first few chapters, Ogata concisely (yet thoroughly) explains everything that was taught in two semesters' worth of signal theory and complex linear algebra. The explanations are complete and Ogata doesn't cut corners with the dreaded "it is easily shown that..." cop-out many technical text authors use to drive us undergrads slowly insane. Furthermore, he goes out of his way to show the relationships between ideas and reinforce properties and behaviors introduced earlier in the book. Whether you're looking for a powerful and fast introduction to control theory with linear systems (the first few chapters) or a desk reference for advanced material (the later chapters), this is the book for you.

This book is very good. I really like the way the formulas are given, with all the variables immediatelly defined. When reading it was amazing. As the questions arose in my mind as to what something meant, the next sentence or two satisfied my curiosity.While other books tend claim that a piece of information is "beyond the scope of this text" (yet then expect knowledge of the topic), Ogota takes a couple of extra paragraphs to explain the basics of what is needed for better understanding.

This is an excellent controls text. All concepts are beautifully explained and developed. The examples in the book are clear and concise and the exercises cover a broad range of control system design applications. One of the greatest perks of this book is the extensive coverage of MATLAB applications to control system design. Not only do you learn how to do it mathematically but you learn how to program and let MATLAB aid you. You get double the learning for the price of one text!

First of all, the book is written by an extraordinary authority in the field, one of few such professionals in the world. It covers the whole subject of modern control engineering, so if You know most of it, what is in the book, You know a lot of the subject. There are many clear and precise physical models, block diagrams, MatLab instructions, the results given by a computer, the problems solved or/and explained by the language of mathematics and theory of control. ALL IN ONE. The book is The Art of Modern Control Engineering. However, You have to have at least some physical and mathematical bases to learn and see the beauty and art of it all.

I have taught control theory for over 20 years, used over 20 different textbooks, and read over 100 different control theory books. Nothing beats Ogata for a first book. His forte is a very wide-ranging selection of detailed worked out sample problems, with NO steps left out, and; NO "easily shown by the reader", cop outs. He also uses the best computational crutch since the programmable calculator (or the slide rule for those over 55 or 60), namely MATLAB. MATLAB, MATHMATICA, MATHCAD, and SPICE are all powerful tools for the aspiring electrical engineer, but MATLAB excels for ease of use when dealing with control theory, and Ogata wisely relies on MATLAB. However, before you start plugging numbers into some computer simulation, you need to know the basics, so that you can reject the ever present garbage answers, resulting from a faulty keystroke. Ogata provides the best basics available anywhere. Which is why I recommend it, just as I recommend Hagan Das coffee ice cream,--- the best available. Richard G. Costello, Ph.D. A Mechanic Of New York, who admires Peter Cooper, who invented Jello, the I beam, and founded The Cooper Union in 1859. [email protected] 1/29/97