Lecture Notes in Control and Information Sciences Editors: M. Thoma, M. Morari 353 Claudio Bonivento, Alberto Isidori, Lorenzo Marconi, Carlo Rossi (Eds.) Advances in Control Theory and Applications ABC Series Advisory Board F. Allgöwer, P. Fleming, P. Kokotovic, A.B. Kurzhanski, H. Kwakernaak, A. Rantzer, J.N. Tsitsiklis Editors Claudio Bonivento Lorenzo Marconi Carlo Rossi DEIS-CASY University of Bologna Viale Risorgimento, 2 40136 Bologna - Italy Email:
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Alberto Isidori Dipartimento di Informatica e Sistemistica Sapienza - Università di Roma Via Eudossiana 18 00184 Rome Italy Library of Congress Control Number: 2007920184 ISSN print edition: 0170-8643 ISSN electronic edition: 1610-7411 ISBN-10 3-540-70700-X Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York ISBN-13 978-3-540-70700-4 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer is a part of Springer Science+Business Media springer.com c Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007 The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Typesetting: by the authors and SPS using a Springer LATEX macro package Printed on acid-free paper SPIN: 11930259 89/SPS 543210 Preface This volume can be considered a direct outcome of the special scientific “meetingin-the-fortress” on “Advances in Control Theory and Applications” organized in Bertinoro, Italy, by the Centre of research on Complex Automated Systems (CASY), Department of Electronics Computer and Systems of the University of Bologna, during the week May 22–26, 2006. The inspiring idea of that workshop was to provide a forum for exchange of ideas between theory-oriented and application-oriented researchers working on various systems and control problems. The meeting offered an opportunity for formal presentations of research results as well as for informal discussions about ideas and problems, case-studies, limitations and potentials of existing and emerging theories. The main goal of the meeting was to facilitate cross-fertilization between different theoretical and applicative areas. Emphasis was put on identification of new theoretical developments and research directions, as needed by recent progresses in applications and problems which are still looking