Setcontrolled

Setcontrolled is a term used in control theory and related disciplines to describe a system, controller, or objective that enforces that the state or output remains within a predefined set. The concept emphasizes set-based control rather than steering toward a specific point or trajectory. A target set S in the state space is forward invariant if, under the closed-loop dynamics induced by the controller, any state in S remains in S for all future times.

Practitioners use setcontrolled designs to guarantee safety and constraint satisfaction in the presence of disturbances or model uncertainty. The design task often involves characterizing an invariant set, computing a stabilizing control law on that set, and ensuring feasibility of inputs. Common tools include invariant-set theory, control barrier functions, and model predictive control with state and input constraints, as well as Lyapunov methods adapted to sets.

Applications of setcontrolled approaches include autonomous vehicles maintaining position within a road boundary, robotic arms operating within a reachable workspace, and industrial processes that must satisfy safety or quality bounds. The notion also informs planning and verification, where sets define admissible regions for states and controls.

In software and data analysis contexts, setControlled may also appear as a naming convention for functions or flags that apply a set of constraints or govern access to a resource under a control policy.

See also:

- Invariant set

- Control barrier function

- Set-based control

- Model predictive control