Global normal forms for MIMO nonlinear systems, with applications to stabilization and disturbance attenuation (Q1293210)

This paper is concerned with smooth affine control systems with outputs \[ \dot x=f(x)+ g(x)u,y= h(x). \] The systems are assumed to be square (the number of outputs equals the number of controls) and invertible. Using the zero dynamics algorithm, conditions are found under which the system is globally feedback equivalent to the following normal form: \[ \begin{aligned} & \dot\eta=f_0 (\eta,\xi^1_1, \dots,\xi_1^m),\\ & \dot\xi^1_1= \xi^2_1,\\ & \vdots \\ & \dot \xi^1_{n_1-1}= \xi^1_{n_1},\\ & \dot\xi^1_{n_1}= v_1,\\ & \dot\xi^2_1=\xi^2_2+\delta^2_{1,1}(\eta,\xi)v_1,\\ & \vdots \\ & \dot\xi^2_{n_2-1}= \xi^2_{n_2}+ \delta^2_{n_2-1,1} (\eta,\xi)v_1,\\ & \dot\xi^2_{n_2} =v_2,\\ & \vdots \\ & \dot\xi^i_1 =\xi^i_2+ \sum^{i-1}_{j=1} \delta^i_{1,j} (\eta,\xi)v_j,\\ & \vdots \\ & \dot\xi^i_{n_i-1} =\xi^i_{n_i}+ \sum^{i-1}_{j=1} \delta^i_{n_i-1,j}(\eta, \xi) v_j, \\ & \dot\xi^i_{n_i} -v_i,\\ & \vdots \\ & y_1=\xi^1_1,\;y_2=\xi^2_1, \dots, y_m= \xi_1^m. \end{aligned} \] It has been demonstrated that, if the functions \(\delta\) above have a specific, ``triangular'' (backstepping friendly) dependence on the state variables then the integrator backstepping technique applies to solving the stabilization problem of the system. Furthermore, if disturbances entering the system are also structured appropriately then there exists a static feedback solving the problem of disturbance decoupling with stability in the system.