Constrained zonotopes: A new tool for set-based estimation and fault detection

This article introduces a new class of sets, called constrained zonotopes, that can be used to enclose sets of interest for estimation and control. The numerical representation of these sets is sufficient to describe arbitrary convex polytopes when the complexity of the representation is not limited. At the same time, this representation permits the computation of exact projections, intersections, and Minkowski sums using very simple identities. Efficient and accurate methods for computing an enclosure of one constrained zonotope by another of lower complexity are provided. The advantages and disadvantages of these sets are discussed in comparison to ellipsoids, parallelotopes, zonotopes, and convex polytopes in halfspace and vertex representations. Moreover, extensive numerical comparisons demonstrate significant advantages over other classes of sets in the context of set-based state estimation and fault detection.