A frequency domain condition for stability of interconnected MIMO systems

Abstract

Analysis of interconnected dynamical systems is considered. A framework for the analysis of stability of the interconnection is given. The results of Fax and Murray that studies the SISO-case for a constant interconnection matrix are generalized to the MIMO-case where arbitrary interconnection is allowed. The analysis shows the existence of a separation principle that is very useful in the sense of the simplicity for stability analysis. Stability could be checked graphically using a Nyquist-like criterion. The problem with time-delays and interconnection variation and robustness appear to be natural special cases of the general framework, and hence, simple stability criteria are derived easily.