Shannon’s Theory and Feedback Systems

Abstract

Feedback can be used as a means of realizing Shannon-predicted errorless capacity of a noisy communication channel. On the other hand, Shannon’s information theory can be used as a guide for rating feedback control systems as well as selecting system components. A brief summary of the former aspect and the results from some preliminary investigations of the latter aspect are presented. Included topics are calculations of required information capacities of control systems from input characteristics and fidelity requirements, required information capacities of system components, and calculation of information capacities of system components from saturation limits, threshold levels, and transfer functions.