STATE SPACE
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 3181 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
- “Any n-dimensional space containing points representing the state description… of a system”.
This formal definition has been given by M. TODA and M. SHUFORD (1965, p.26).
R. ROSEN clarifies the concept as follows: “The totality of all possible states of the system, meaning the totality of different aspects the system can assume for us at an instant of time, forms a set called the state space of the system” (1972, p.50).
T. F. H. ALLEN and T. STARR consider more specifically the observer's viewpoint and describe as follows the state space: “A mode of description of system behavior where, at each point in time, the system is described by the position of a point inside a space the dimensions of which are axes relating to the various systems attributes expressed as states (as opposed to derivatives)” (1982, p.278).
An interesting point: The state space is actually a space-time frame.
F. HEYLIGHEN gives a shortened definition of the state space: “The set of all possible states (of the system)” (1990a, p.426).