SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION WITH ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS

Abstract

System identification is the term scientists and engineers use to refer to the process of building mathematical models of dynamical systems based on observed data. This paper approaches system identification as a pattern recognition problem. We use computers to simulate the system response for a variety of different mathematical models. For each distinct system model, simulated system responses tend to remain segregated in one or more amorphous regions of system response space despite (1) large variations in system parameters, (2) experimental errors, and (3) noise. The actual system response is classified with the model corresponding to the region of system response space where it is found. The classifier is an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) which implements a Generalized Vector Quantizer (GVQ). A small number of simple but powerful discriminant functions facilitate the correct classification of most of the responses in any given region. The required distribution of discriminants among the regions evolves automatically as they learn their respective functions.