On the Design of Observer for Nonlinear Time‐Delay Systems

This paper suggests a new method to design observers in a class of nonlinear time‐delay systems with delays in system states. The method is based on an extension of the well‐known state‐dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) technique. The conditions for locally asymptotic stability of the proposed observer are investigated. Some numerical simulations are provided to show the design procedure and the flexibility of the proposed observer.     

Retaining and attracting users in social networking services: An empirical investigation of cyber migration

Users are the most critical strategic resource of any online social networking service (SNS). This paper offers strategic recommendations for SNS providers based on an empirical study exploring why users switch from a primary SNS to others. We first identify important characteristics that combine to distinguish SNSs from conventional information systems, then develop a “cyber migration” research model that includes push, pull and mooring factors which influence user intention to switch from one SNS to another. Findings from a field survey of 180 users reveal four significant factors that promote switching: dissatisfaction with socialization support, dissatisfaction with entertainment value, continuity cost, and peer influence. Strategies grounded in these factors are suggested for SNS providers to better attract and retain users.     

一类多时变时滞T-S模糊广义系统的容许控制

研究了一类具有多时变时滞的T-S模糊广义系统的容许控制问题。首先,给出了多时变时滞的T-S模糊广义系统数学模型,并且利用Lyapunov稳定性分析方法,得到了多时变时滞的T-S模糊广义系统的容许的一个充分条件,所得的结果对时变时滞的变化率没有限制。该充分条件可以通过严格线性矩阵不等式来求解。然后基于所给出的容许性定理,提出了状态反馈控制器的设计方法.最后,使用算例说明了所给方法的可行性和有效性。     

Asynchronous fault detection filter design approach for discrete‐time switched linear systems

This paper is concerned with the problem of the fault detection filter design for discrete‐time switched linear systems with average dwell‐time. The designed fault detection filters are also switched systems, which are assumed to be asynchronously switched with the original switched systems. Improved results on the weighted l₂ performance and the H _? performance are first given, and the multiple Lyaounov‐like functions during matched period and unmatched period for the running time of one subsystem are used. By the aid of multiple Lyapunov‐like functions combined with Projection Lemma, the FD filters are designed such that the augmented systems under asynchronous switching are exponentially stable, and the residual signal generated by the filters achieves the weighted l₂‐gain for disturbances and guarantees the H _? performance for faults. Sufficient conditions are formulated by linear matrix inequalities, and the filter gains are characterized in terms of the solution of a convex optimization problem. Finally, examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On adaptive sliding mode control without switching gain overestimation

This paper presents some further results on adaptive sliding mode control (ASMC) for a class of nonlinear systems with bounded uncertain parameters. Given a large initial tracking error, current ASMC design generally produces an unnecessarily large switching gain, consequently leading to a serious chattering problem or a large‐amplitude control jump for the continuous counterpart. To solve such an overadaptation problem, the switching gain adaptation mechanism is first analyzed in this paper, and the adaptation induced by the initial tracking error is suggested to be removed. Then, by exploiting the global sliding mode feature of time‐varying sliding mode control and integral sliding mode control, we present two effective methodologies for ASMC design. The proposed ASMC algorithms ensure that there is no overestimation of the switching gain and the system response is not slowed down when a small switching gain is generated. The validity of the proposed methods is verified by both theoretical analysis and simulation results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Decentralized weighted control for a class of large‐scale systems with multi‐modes

In this paper, the control synthesis problem for a class of large‐scale systems with multi‐modes that are called large‐scale switched systems is addressed. By introducing the concept of decentralized switching signal and the relevant decentralized average dwell time, the asymptotic stability and weighted ?₂ gain performance are investigated. It should be noted that the decentralized switching covers general switching cases for large‐scale switched systems, namely, it admits both time‐dependent switching signal and arbitrary switching signal blended in the decentralized switching. Then, on the basis of the analysis results, the decentralized weighted control scheme including state feedback controller gains and switching signals is studied. Several design algorithms are proposed to meet different controller design problems. Finally, numerical examples are provided to illustrate theoretical findings within this paper. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observer‐based H ∞ control for networked systems with bounded random delays and consecutive packet dropouts

This paper is concerned with the H _∞ control problem for a class of systems with bounded random delays and consecutive packet dropouts that exist in both sensor‐to‐controller channel and controller‐to‐actuator channel during data transmission. A new model is developed to describe possible random delays and packet dropouts by two groups of Bernoulli distributed stochastic variables. To avoid the state augmentation, a full‐order observer‐based feedback controller is designed via LMI approach. Based on the Lyapunov theory, a sufficient condition is provided to guarantee the closed‐loop networked system to be asymptotically mean‐square stable and achieve the prescribed H _∞ disturbance‐rejection‐attenuation level. The simulation examples illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Containment control of multi‐agent systems by exploiting the control inputs of neighbors

This paper studies the containment control problem for multi‐agent systems consisting of multiple leaders and followers connected as a network. The objective is to design control protocols so that the leaders will converge to a certain desired formation while the followers converge to the convex hull of the leaders. A novel protocol is proposed by exploiting the control input information of neighbors. Both continuous‐time and discrete‐time systems are considered. For continuous‐time systems, it is proved that the protocol is robust to any constant delays of the neighbors' control inputs. For discrete‐time systems, a sufficient condition on the feedback gain for the containment control is given in terms of the time delay and graph information. Some numerical examples are given to demonstrate the results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐fragile H ∞ control for switched stochastic delay systems with application to water quality process

In this paper, the problem of non‐fragile observer‐based H _∞ control for discrete‐time switched delay systems is investigated. Both data missing and time delays are taken into account in the links from sensors to observers and from controllers to actuators. Because data missing satisfies the Bernoulli distribution, such problem is transformed into an H _∞ control problem for stochastic switched delay systems. Average dwell time approach is used to obtain sufficient conditions on the solvability of such problems. A numerical example and a real example for water quality control are provided to illustrate the effectiveness and potential applications of the proposed techniques. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new result on the delay‐dependent stability of discrete systems with time‐varying delays

This paper proposes an improvement to the delay‐dependent stability of discrete systems with time‐varying delays. The approach is based on the observation that the positive definiteness of a chosen Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional does not necessarily require all the involved symmetric matrices to be positive definite, which has been overlooked in the literature. The derived delay‐dependent stability conditions are in terms of linear matrix inequalities. It is theoretically proved that our results are less conservative than the corresponding ones obtained by requiring the positive definiteness of all the symmetric matrices in a chosen Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional. The importance of the present approach is that a great number of delay‐dependent analysis and synthesis results obtained by the aforementioned requirement in the literature can be improved by the present approach without introducing any new decision variables. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.