An informativity approach to the data-driven algebraic regulator problem

In this paper, the classical algebraic regulator problem is studied in a data-driven context. The endosystem is assumed to be an unknown system that is interconnected to a known exosystem that generates disturbances and reference signals. The problem is to design a regulator so that the output of the (unknown) endosystem tracks the reference signal, regardless of its initial state and the incoming disturbances. In order to do this, we assume that we have a set of input-state data on a finite time-interval. We introduce the notion of data informativity for regulator design, and establish necessary and sufficient conditions for a given set of data to be informative. Also, formulas for suitable regulators are given in terms of the data. Our results are illustrated by means of two extended examples.