The OPCL control method for entrainment, model-resonance, and migration actions on multiple-attractor systems

A survey is given of three different control objectives that can be achieved with the use of the Open-Plus-Closed-Loop (OPCL) control method, developed by Jackson and Grosu. For a system that can be characterized by N first-order ordinary differential equations, these objectives are: (1) the asymptotic entrainment of the system's dynamics to a prescribed "goal" dynamics, g(t); (2) an experimental-search method to determine an approximate dynamic model; (3) the transferal of the system from one attractor to any "target" attractor. For one class of systems, this may be accomplished without a model, by using only a short-duration record of the natural dynamics in the target attractor, as demonstrated experimentally using the Chua system.