Identification of FIR models using basis models of first-order plus time delays

In this article, a new methodology is presented for identification of finite-impulse-response (FIR) models. The central idea is to use a series of stable models of first-order plus time delays (FOPTD) to approximate the dynamics of the process. A quantitative analysis of the modelling error is provided. Compared to the existing basis model approaches, the advantages of the proposed method lie in the following aspects: (i) a simple model structure with a small number of basis models is sufficient to obtain satisfactory approximations, thereby reducing the model structural risks; and (ii) basis models could be determined with limited prior process information, which is beneficial for practical implementations. Representative simulation examples are provided to illustrate the superiority of our method over the existing identification approaches based on basis models.