State estimation-based parameter identification for a class of nonlinear fractional-order systems

Parametric identification is an important part of system theory since knowledge of the parameters allows the analysis and control of the system. The aim of this paper is to propose a novel robust (against measurement noise) parameter identification method for a class of nonlinear fractional-order systems. In order to solve the parametric identification we carry out this problem to a state estimation problem, we introduce a Fractional Algebraic Identifiability (FAI) property which allows to represent the system parameters as a function of the inputs and outputs of the system, this parameter identification method provides an on-line identification process (while the system is operating), we also propose a fractional-order differentiator which allows to reduce the effect of measurement noise as well as to provide the estimation of a fractional-order derivative of the system output. Moreover, we use the Mittag-Leffler boundedness to demonstrate the convergence of this method, a different approach for this stability analysis method is given in this paper. Finally, we illustrate the accuracy and robustness of our proposed method by means of the parametric identification of two nonlinear fractional-order systems: a time-varying nonlinear fractional-order system and a nonlinear fractional-order mathematical model of a simple pendulum.