A separation theorem for guaranteed H2 performance through matrix inequalities

Abstract

The usage of convex optimisation programs that leverage linear matrix inequalities allows for numerical solutions to the design of output-feedback controllers with guaranteed H2 performance. As decreed by the classical separation theorem for the related LQG control problem, the H2 control problem admits an optimal solution in terms of those of the separate optimal state-estimation and state-feedback design problems. This work details a new and alternative proof of this separation theorem. The proof builds on techniques for (linear) matrix inequalities and shows, in particular, that feasible but sub-optimal solutions of the state-feedback and the state-estimation problem yield a sub-optimal output feedback controller with guaranteed H2 performance.