Stability and assignment of spectrum in systems with discrete time lags (Q871394)

Summary: The asymptotic stability with a prescribed degree of time delayed systems subject to multiple bounded discrete delays has received important attention in the past few years. It is basically proved that the \(\alpha\)-stability (i.e., all the eigenvalues have prefixed strictly negative real parts located in \(\Re s\leq-\alpha<0\)) may be tested for a set of admissible delays including possible zero delays either through a set of Lyapunov matrix inequalities or, equivalently, by checking that a given number of matrices related to the delayed dynamics are all stability matrices. The result may be easily extended to check the \(\epsilon\)-asymptotic stability independent of the delays, that is, for all values of the delays, the eigenvalues are stable and located in \(\Re s\leq\epsilon\to 0^-\). The above-mentioned number of stable matrices to be tested is \(2^r\) for a set of distinct \(r\) point delays and includes all possible cases of alternate signs for summations for all the matrices of delayed dynamics. The paper is completed with a study of prescribed closed-loop spectrum assignment (or `pole placement') under output feedback.