Controllability Gramian 2026-10-14
For and the constant matrices over the real numbers in the Kalman rank criterion, the finite-time Controllability Gramian accumulates the influence of all command times. Its column space equals that of the controllability matrix, and is a symmetric positive-definite matrix exactly when the controllability matrix has rank of a matrix . If so, put . Among square-integrable functions steering to at , the command
minimizes , with value . Here in a matrix superscript denotes transpose. This cost is a squared input norm, not necessarily physical energy, and the optimizing command need not satisfy an amplitude bound. [ref]
For the double integrator, , so direct integration gives
For a rest-to-rest distance , and the minimum squared input norm is . Compare the two constant commands in the double integrator example, whose cost is : both attain the target, but the smooth command costs less. At , , however, peaks at , so it violates while the two constant commands remain admissible. Controllability, optimal control, and constrained reachability in control theory answer different questions.