Robust Stability of Switched Interconnected Systems With Time-Varying Delays

Abstract

The problem of robust exponential stability for a class of switched nonlinear dynamical systems with uncertainties and time-varying delays is investigated. On the assumption that each isolated subsystem of the interconnected system can be exponentially stabilized and the corresponding Lyapunov functions are available, using M-matrix property, the differential inequalities with time-varying delays are constructed. By the stability analysis of the differential inequalities, the sufficient conditions to ensure the robust exponential stability of the switched interconnected systems (SIS) under arbitrary switching are obtained. The proposed method, which neither requires the individual subsystems to share a common Lyapunov function (CLF), nor needs to know the values of individual Lyapunov functions at each switching time, would provide a new mentality for studying stability of arbitrary switching. In addition, by resorting to average dwell time approach, conditions for guaranteeing the robust exponential stability of SIS under constrained switching are derived. The proposed criteria are explicit, and they are convenient for practical applications. Finally, two numerical examples are given to illustrate the validity and correctness of the proposed theories.