Integrator forwarding: A new recursive nonlinear robust design (Q1360496)

The paper is devoted to the problem of global stabilization (bv state feedback) of single input nonlinear systems: \hskip17mm \(\dot x_1= f_1(x_2,\dots,x_n)+ g_1(x_2,\dots,x_n)u\), \hskip17mm \(\dot x_2= f_2(x_3,\dots,x_n)+ g_2(x_3,\dots,x_n)u\), \hskip17mm \(\cdots\cdots\) \hskip17mm \(\dot x_{n-1}= f_{n-1}(x_n)+ g_{n-1}(x_n)u\), \hskip17mm \(\dot x_n= g_nu\), where \(f= (f_1,\dots,f_{n-1})\) and \(g= (g_1,\dots,g_{n-1})\) are smooth, \(f(0)= 0\) and \(g_n\neq 0\) is a constant. It is shown that with a recursive construction, the original upper triangular form can be transformed by a diffeomorphism and feedback into a global lower triangular form. The corresponding Lyapunov function is quadratic in the transformed coordinates and has a negative definite time derivative. In addition to global asymptotic stability and local exponential stability the obtained controller has some optimality properties and also certain robustness properties.