Symbolic models for infinite networks of control systems: A compositional approach

This paper presents a compositional framework for the construction of symbolic models for a network composed of a countably infinite number of finite-dimensional discrete-time control subsystems. We refer to such a network as infinite network. The proposed approach is based on the notion of alternating simulation functions. This notion relates a concrete network to its symbolic model with guaranteed mismatch bounds between their output behaviors. We propose a compositional approach to construct a symbolic model for an infinite network, together with an alternating simulation function, by composing symbolic models and alternating simulation functions constructed for subsystems. Assuming that each subsystem is incrementally input-to-state stable and under some small-gain type conditions, we present an algorithm for orderly constructing local symbolic models with properly designed quantization parameters. In this way, the proposed compositional approach can provide us a guideline for constructing an overall symbolic model with any desired approximation accuracy. A compositional controller synthesis scheme is also provided to enforce safety properties on the infinite network in a decentralized fashion. The effectiveness of our result is illustrated through a road traffic network consisting of infinitely many road cells.     

A geometric approach for reachability and observability of linear switched impulsive systems

This paper is concerned with the reachability and observability of linear switched impulsive systems with singular impulse matrices. First some new concepts with respect to the reachability and unobservability are introduced. Especially, span reachability is proposed because the reachable sets of switched impulsive systems do not always constitute subspaces. Then the geometric characterization of the span reachable and unobservable sets is presented. Moreover, the relations between the span reachable set, unobservable set and the invariant subspaces of such systems are discussed. Finally, corresponding criteria applied to linear impulsive systems and linear switched systems are also discussed.     

Switching defence for switched systems under malicious attacks: A Stackelberg game approach

The security issue of switched systems is researched from a noncooperative dynamic game-theoretic perspective in this paper. A Stackelberg game is developed for the switched autonomous system suffering malicious attacks, and the Stackelberg equilibrium switching and attack strategies are constructed respectively. Afterwards, the proposed game-theoretic approach is extended to switched control systems. A Stackelberg Nash game is consequently established to characterize the hierarchical decision making processes, where the controller and the attacker are the followers who simultaneously make their own decisions, and a sufficient condition is provided for the construction of the Stackelberg Nash equilibrium. Finally, a continuous stirred tank reactor is exploited to validate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed results.     

Robust exponential stability of impulsive switched systems with switching delays: A Razumikhin approach

In this paper, we focus on the robust exponential stability of a class of uncertain nonlinear impulsive switched systems with switching delays. We introduce a novel type of piecewise Lyapunov-Razumikhin functions. Such functions can efficiently eliminate the impulsive and switching jump of adjacent Lyapunov functions at impulsive switching instants. By Razumikhin technique, the delay-independent criteria of exponential stability are established on the minimum dwell time. Finally, an illustrative numerical example is presented to show the effectiveness of the obtained theoretical results.     

A randomized method for the identification of switched NARX systems

The identification of switched systems is a complex optimization problem that involves both continuous (parametrizations of the local models, a.k.a. modes) and discrete variables (model structures, switching signal). In particular, the combinatorial complexity associated with the estimation of the switching signal grows exponentially with the number of samples, which makes data segmentation (i.e. estimating the number and location of mode switchings, and the mode sequence) a challenging problem. In this work, we extend a previously developed randomized approach for the identification of switched systems to encompass the estimation of the switching locations. The method operates by extracting samples from a probability distribution of switched models, and gathering information from the associated model performances to update the distribution, until convergence to a limit distribution associated to a specific model. A suitable probability distribution is employed to represent the likelihood of a mode switching at a certain time, and the update process is designed to correct the switching locations and remove redundant switchings. The proposed algorithm has been compared to existing state-of-the-art methods and has been tested on various benchmark examples, to demonstrate its effectiveness.     

A new method for control of nonlinear state-dependent switched systems

In this paper, a new method for the control of input-affine nonlinear switched systems is introduced. The system switching conditions are assumed to be state-dependent, rather than the simpler input-dependent case. The main contribution of this research is that the effects of switched dynamics are interpreted as a model uncertainty bounded within a polynomial of states norms, with unknown coefficients. In order to prevent extra conservativeness, coefficients are tuned adaptively, so that a minimal state-varying bound could be achieved. This is unlike the conventional sliding mode control (SMC) scheme, where the existence of a constant and usually large upper bound must be presumed. To address the challenge of coping with such a new concept of uncertainty, an extended form of the original adaptive fuzzy sliding mode control scheme is proposed. Adaptation laws are used to tune a fuzzy controller and also real-time estimation of the instantaneous bound of uncertainties. Closed-loop stability is guaranteed by proposing a group of multiple Lyapunov functions (MLF) with tunable parameters. Except for the mild condition that the largest difference between the magnitudes of the sub-manifolds of the switched system is bounded by a polynomial of states with uncertain coefficients, the proposed method has the distinct advantage that no information about the dynamic equations or switching conditions is required in the control design stage. The proposed method is applied to the two challenging case studies, depicting the outstanding effectiveness of the method.     

A new proof of a theorem on optimal control of switched systems

Recently Sorin C. Bengea and Raymond A. DeCarlo [Sorin C. Bengea, Raymond A. DeCarlo, Optimal control of switching systems, Automatica J. IFAC 41 (2005) 11-27] have offered a key result that the set of trajectories of the two-switched system is dense in the set of trajectories of the embedded system. This result was proven by means of relaxed controls and the Chattering Lemma. In this paper we use the Lyapunov theorem to give a new simple proof.     

Dwell-time stability and stabilization conditions for linear positive impulsive and switched systems

Several results regarding the stability and the stabilization of linear impulsive positive systems under arbitrary, constant, minimum, maximum and range dwell-time are obtained. The proposed stability conditions characterize the pointwise decrease of a linear copositive Lyapunov function and are formulated in terms of finite-dimensional or semi-infinite linear programs. To be applicable to uncertain systems and to control design, a lifting approach introducing a clock-variable is then considered in order to make the conditions affine in the matrices of the system. The resulting stability and stabilization conditions are stated as infinite-dimensional linear programs for which three asymptotically exact computational methods are proposed and compared with each other on numerical examples. Similar results are then obtained for linear positive switched systems by exploiting the possibility of reformulating a switched system as an impulsive system. Some existing stability conditions are retrieved and extended to stabilization using the proposed lifting approach. Several examples are finally given for illustration.     

Stabilization of switched linear systems with time-delay in detection of switching signal

A feedback stabilization problem for switched linear systems with time-delay in detection of switching signal is formulated. First, online state feedback controller design method for asymptotic stability and exponential stability is given. Then, offline state feedback controller design method for asymptotic stability and exponential stability is given as well.     

A computationally efficient robust tube based MPC for linear switched systems

This article considers the robust regulation problem for a class of constrained linear switched systems with bounded additive disturbances. The proposed solution extends the existing robust tube based model predictive control (RTBMPC) strategy for non-switched linear systems to switched systems. RTBMPC utilizes nominal model predictions, together with tightened sets constraints, to obtain a control policy that guarantees robust stabilization of the dynamic systems in presence of bounded uncertainties. In this work, similar to RTBMPC for non-switched systems, a disturbance rejection proportional controller is used to ensure that the closed loop trajectories of the switched linear system are bounded in a tube centered on the nominal system trajectories. To account for the uncertainty related to all sub-systems, the gain of this controller is chosen to simultaneously stabilize all switching dynamics. The switched system RTBMPC requires an on-line solution of a Mixed Integer Program (MIP), which is computationally expensive. To reduce the complexity of the MIP, a sub-optimal design with respect to the previous formulation is also proposed that uses the notion of a pre-terminal set in addition to the usual terminal set to ensure stability. The RTBMPC design with the pre-terminal set aids in determining the trade-off between the complexity of the control algorithm with the performance of the closed-loop system while ensuring robust stability. Simulation examples, including a Three-tank benchmark case study, are presented to illustrate features of the proposed MPC.     

Stability of perturbed switched nonlinear systems with delays

This paper addresses the stability problems of perturbed switched nonlinear systems with time-varying delays. It is assumed that the nominal switched nonlinear system (perturbation-free system) is uniformly exponentially stable and that the perturbations satisfy a linear growth bound condition. It is revealed that there exists an upper bound of perturbation guaranteeing that the perturbed system preserves the stability property of the nominal system, locally or globally, depending on both perturbations and the nominal system itself. An example is provided to illustrate the proposed theoretical results.     

Global stabilization of switched control systems with time delay

In this paper, the stabilization problem of switched control systems with time delay is investigated for both linear and nonlinear cases. First, a new global stabilizability concept with respect to state feedback and switching law is given. Then, based on multiple Lyapunov functions and delay inequalities, the state feedback controller and the switching law are devised to make sure that the resulting closed-loop switched control systems with time delay are globally asymptotically stable and exponentially stable.     

A generic design methodology for sliding mode control of switched systems

The aim of this paper is to present a generic methodology to design sliding mode controllers for multivariable switched systems affine in control such as dc–dc power converters. An original formulation of the so-called reachability condition, suitable for this class of systems, is established. Based on the choice of a Lyapunov-like function and parameterized by a single weighting matrix, it allows several kinds of control strategies to be derived, namely conventional piecewise continuous strategies as well as discrete (Boolean) strategies. Its application to the important subclass of linear time invariant systems is investigated more specifically. In the Boolean case, the present approach is also compared to another hybrid one called the stabilizing approach. Eventually, its efficiency as a design methodology, as well as the performance of the resulting control, are shown by simulating it on non-trivial examples of power converters.     

Time-triggered and event-triggered control of switched affine systems via a hybrid dynamical approach

This paper focuses on the design of both periodic time- and event-triggered control laws of switched affine systems using a hybrid dynamical system approach. The novelties of this paper rely on the hybrid dynamical representation of this class of systems and on a free-matrix min-projection control, which relaxes the structure of the usual Lyapunov matrix-based min-projection control. This contribution also presents an extension of the usual periodic time-triggered implementation to the event-triggered one, where the control input updates are permitted only when a particular event is detected. Together with the definition of an appropriate optimization problem, a stabilization result is formulated to ensure the uniform global asymptotic stability of an attractor for both types of controllers, which is a neighborhood of the desired operating point. Finally, the proposed method is evaluated through a numerical example.     

Controller synthesis for constrained discrete-time switched positive linear systems

This paper investigates the controller synthesis for a class of discrete-time switched linear systems with bounds on the controls and the states. First, the synthesis of state-feedback controllers guaranteeing positivity and stability of the closed-loop system is studied for sign-restricted inputs. Also, the results can be extended to asymmetrically bounded controls and constrained states. All the derived conditions are shown as linear programming framework. In addition, a cost function is proposed to maximize the length of the box constraints on the initial state. Finally, several numerical examples illustrate the validity of the developed results.     

Equivalence of several characteristics of dual switched linear systems

This paper is concerned with the equivalence of several dynamic characteristics between mutually dual switched linear systems, both discrete- and continuous-time cases are considered. Two systems are mutually dual means that their system matrices are transpose of each other. The dynamic properties considered in this paper include four types: exponential stability, global uniform asymptotic stability, attractivity, and weak attractivity. It is shown that every one of the four dynamic properties of a switched linear system implies each of the four dynamic properties of its dual system, and vice versa. The main results enable us to investigate these dynamic properties of switched system by virtue of study related to the corresponding properties of its dual system, thus providing an alternative way to explore the dynamics of switched systems. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the obtained theoretical conclusions.     

Controllability of switched time-delay systems under constrained switching

Different from the existing mathematical models for switched systems, where the switching from one subsystem to another subsystem is finished instantly, in this paper it is assumed that the switching is a transfer process. Moreover, there exists a basic transfer subsystem such that in the transfer process, the transfer subsystem is active. Based on the model of switched systems under constrained switching, this paper studies the controllability of such systems with time delay in the control function. A necessary and sufficient condition for controllability of such systems is established. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the utility of our results.     

Robust fault tolerant control of continuous-time switched systems: An LMI approach

The present paper proposes a new robust fault tolerant control (RFTC) design for continuous-time switched systems. The main objective is to design in an integrated way the couple (controller, observer) that allows to stabilize switched systems even in the presence of actuator faults. A state/fault estimation observer is designed to simultaneously estimate system state and actuator faults. Based on this observer, a fault tolerant controller is developed to stabilize the system and accommodate the actuator faults automatically. The RFTC problem is formalized in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMI) rather than bilinear matrix inequalities (BMI), to avoid the difficulty of solving BMIs. Finally, a numerical example composed of unstable subsystems is studied to show the applicability and efficiency of the obtained results.