Finite-time converging jump observer for switched linear systems with unknown inputs

This work addresses the state observation problem for a class of switched linear systems with unknown inputs. The proposed high-order sliding-mode observer provides a finite-time converging estimate of the continuous system’s state vector in spite of the presence of unknown inputs. The design procedure, which assumes knowledge of the discrete state of the switched system, is based on the principles of disturbance decoupling and hierarchical observer output injection. In order to cope with the switching nature of the plant under observation, jumps in the observer state space are enforced intentionally. The implementation of an additional observer allows for the reconstruction of the unknown inputs, which may be important in the framework of fault detection. Numerical examples illustrate the effectiveness of the suggested technique.