In this paper, motivated by the study of optimal control problems for infinite dimensional systems with endpoint state constraints, we introduce the notion of finite codimensional (exact/approximate) controllability. Some equivalent criteria on the finite codimensional controllability are presented. In particular, the finite codimensional exact controllability is reduced to deriving a G{\aa}rding type inequality for the adjoint system, which is new for many evolution equations. This inequality can be verified for some concrete problems (and hence applied to the corresponding optimal control problems), say the wave equations with both time and space dependent potentials. Moreover, under some mild assumptions, we show that the finite codimensional exact controllability of this sort of wave equations is equivalent to the classical geometric control condition. 查看全文>>