A new approach to the stability theory of functional differential systems (Q5902936)

The principal aim of the paper is to improve existing estimates of the generalized total derivative of a Lyapunov function in the case of a functional differential equation [Principal reference: \textit{V. Lakshmikantham} and \textit{S. Leela}, Differential and integral inequalities I, II (1969; Zbl 0177.124)]. These improvements are of the following kind: 1. (Partial) removal of the necessity of advance knowledge of the solutions of the comparison equation (and dropping of the requirement that the right-hand side of the latter be positive). 2. Unification (for different stability results) of the choice of the minimal class of functions relative to which the derivative mentioned above is estimated. These results are then applied to the study of stability and asymptotic behavior of the system in question. As a byproduct, a generalized variation of constants formula for functional differential systems is given, extending a result of G. S. Ladde.