Where are the PHYSICAL inputs to a control system?

[TheNoname]

Hey everyone, I'm brand new here, so please bare with me if my question doesn't come out right.

Homework Statement

So for my senior design class I am working with a control system that balances an inverted pendulum. Here is my SIMULINK diagram:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/62748/Untitled.jpg

I am using a simple potentiometer to measure the angle of the pendulum, but my question is, where do I hook this into? The input that is currently there is a force. Like a disturbance on the cart.

Homework Equations

I used the following equations from wikipedia to model the system and I linearized them about θ = 0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_pendulum#Pendulum_on_a_cart

The Attempt at a Solution

Since the bottom right integrator's output is the angle, my inclination is to take out that integrator and connect the output from the pot to where the output of the integrator used to be. Does that make sense?

I've tried asking my professor, but I don't think he understands my question and if I ask him any more times he might think I'm crazy lol.

 

[RoshanBBQ]

I'm not sure. I know my controls books has a section on estimating states and also estimating states when one or more state is known through measurement.

 

[TheNoname]

Oh okay. What is the name or ISBN number of the book? I think you are describing an observer but I want to look it up.

 

[RoshanBBQ]

Oh okay. What is the name or ISBN number of the book? I think you are describing an observer but I want to look it up.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0131866141/?tag=pfamazon01-20

I think it is an observer.