Decentralized tracking for a class of interconnected nonlinear systems using variable structure control (Q1102897)

The problem of decentralized tracking for a class of large-scale interconnected composite systems consisting of linearly interconnected nonlinear dynamic elements is discussed. Decentralized variable structure control theory is used to decompose the overall goal of asymptotic tracking into two simpler objectives: (1) the design of special local manifolds (sliding surfaces) such that asymptotic tracking is guaranteed when the subsystem state trajectories are restricted to the interconnection of manifolds, and (2) the construction of the decentralized control which drives the system to and maintains it on the respective manifolds in the composite system state space. It is shown that proper manifold design can be accomplished by using linear decentralized control techniques. Also the structure of a decentralized nonlinear control law is presented.