This paper discusses the problem of constraints on both control and its rate or increment, for linear systems in state space form, in both the continuous and discrete-time domains. Necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for autonomous linear systems with constrained state increment or rate (for the continuous-time case), such that the system evolves respecting incremental or rate constraints. A pole assignment technique is then used to solve the inverse problem, giving stabilizing state feedback controllers that respect non-symmetrical constraints on both control and its increment or rate. An illustrative example shows the application of the method on the double integrator problem. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.