Release Notes

Neural Network Based
Control System Design
Toolkit

Version 1.0

Department of Automation, Technical University of Denmark, May 31, 1996

The toolkit has been modified to comply with MATLAB 5, June 17, 1997


This note contains important information on how the present set of tools is to 
be installed and the conditions under which it may be used. Please read it 
carefully before use.

It is important that the NNSYSID toolbox (Neural Network based SYStem 
IDentification) has been installed in advance.


INSTALLING THE TOOL KIT
o       The toolkit is provided in two versions. One for MATLAB 4.2 and one
        for MATLAB 5. Both versions have been tested under UNIX on a 
        HP9000/735 and under MS-WINDOWS 3.1/MS-WINDOWS 95 on an IBM compatible
        Pentium PC.

o       The entire toolkit is implemented as ordinary m-files and thus it
        should work equally well on all hardware platforms. However, a fast
        computer is highly recommended

o       The Signal Processing toolbox is the only official MathWorks toolbox
        required by NNCTRL. However, the Control Toolbox is also used in one of
        the demonstration programs ("lintest"). Although not a requirement, it
        is an advantage if SIMULINK is available as well.

o       When properly installed, the structure of the toolkit is as follows:

        NNCTRL
	Basic directory containing different Readme-files and the following
	three subdirectories:
	
	    CTRLTOOL
	    The actual toolkit functions and script-files.
	    
	    CTRLDEMO
	    Initialization files, SIMULINK models, and mat-files used for 
	    demonstration.
	    
	    TEMPLATE
	    "Templates" for the initialization files which are called by the
	    programs in CTRLTOOL directory.
		
        Your MATLAB path must include the directory CTRLTOOL as well as the
        directory containing the NNSYSID toolbox:

	>>  path(path,'/xx/xx/NNCTRL/CTRLTOOL')
	>>  path(path,'/xx/xx/NNSYSID')

        If the tools are going to be used frequently it is recommended that
        the path statements are included in ones personal startup.m file (see
        the MATLAB-manual).

        During normal use one begins by copying the initialization file
        associated with the desired control system from the TEMPLATE directory
        to the working directory. The file must then be modified to comply with
        the application under consideration. Typical working procedures can be
        seen by running the demonstration programs. Furthermore, the different
        text files in the NNCTRL directory provide supplementary information on
        this matter.

        When running the demonstration programs the working directory must be
        the directory NNCTRL/CTRLDEMO.

o       The checks for incorrect program/function calls are not very thorough
        and consequently MATLAB will often respond with quite incomprehensible
        error messages when a program or function is incorrectly invoked.


CONDITIONS/ DISCLAIMER
By using the toolkit the user agrees to all of the following:

o       If one is going to publish any work where this toolkit has been used,
        please remember it was obtained free of charge and include a reference
        to this technical report (M. Norgaard: "Neural Network Based Control
        System Design Toolkit," Tech. Report. 96-E-830, Department of
        Automation, Technical University of Denmark, 1996).

o       Magnus Norgaard and the Department of Automation do not offer any
        support for this product whatsoever. The toolkit is offered free of
        charge - take it or leave it!

o       The toolkit is copyrighted freeware by Magnus Norgaard/Department of
        Automation, DTU. It may be distributed freely unmodified. It is,
        however, not permitted to utilize any part of the software in commercial
        products without prior written consent of Magnus Norgaard, The
        Department of Automation, DTU.

        THE TOOLKIT IS PROVIDED "AS-IS" WITHOUT WARRENTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER
        EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRENTIES
        OR CONDITIONS OF MECHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN
        NO EVENT SHALL MAGNUS NORGAARD AND/OR THE DEPRATMENT OF AUTOMATION BE
        LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
        OF ANY KIND, OR DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR
        PROFITS, WHETHER OR NOT MN/IAU HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
        SUCH DAMAGES, AND/OR ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR IN
        CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE. 

MATLAB is a trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.
MS-Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Coporation.

Trademarks of other companies and/or organizations mentioned in this 
documentation appear for identification purposes only and are the property of 
their respective companies and/or organizations.


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The work with these tools was initiated during a stay at the Neuro-Engineering 
Group, NASA Ames Research Center. The group members, and in particular their 
"fearless leader" Dr. Charles ("Chuck") Jorgensen, are gratefully acknowledged 
for creating an inspiring atmosphere. I thank Niels Kjolstad Poulsen from the 
Department of Mathematical Modelling for generously letting me draw on his
wealth of knowlegde within most areas of control system design. Also, I wish to 
acknowledge Ole Ravn, Paul Haase Sorensen, and Elbert Hendricks, Department of
Automation for their suggestions and comments. In all neural network related
matters, Lars Kai Hansen and the neural network group at the Department of
Mathematical Modelling has been a major inspiration and I wish to thank them
too.


June 17, 1997 
Magnus Norgaard
Department of Automation, Building 326
Technical University of Denmark
2800 Lyngby
Denmark
e-mail: pmn@iau.dtu.dk