Iterative feedback tuning via minimization of the absolute error

This paper introduces a mechanism for controller tuning based on the optimization of a cost function suited to batch production. The cost function penalizes the absolute value of the difference between the desired and the actual signals, i.e., the absolute value of the error. The main innovation in this work is the computation and estimation of the partial derivatives of such a cost function with respect to the parameters of the controller. Besides the computation of those derivatives, we provide auxiliary mechanisms that allow the estimation of efficient tuning directions and a stable implementation of the controller updating scheme. Simulation results indicate the viability of this approach.