Design of stabilizing switching control laws for discrete- and continuous-time linear systems using piecewise-linear Lyapunov functions

In this paper, the stability of switched linear systems is investigated using piecewise linear Lyapunov functions. In particular, we identify classes of switching sequences that result in stable trajectories. Given a switched linear system, we present a systematic methodology for computing switching laws that guarantee stability based on the matrices of the system. In the proposed approach, we assume that each individual subsystem is stable and admits a piecewise linear Lyapunov function. Based on these Lyapunov functions, we compose 'global' Lyapunov functions that guarantee stability of the switched linear system. A large class of stabilizing switching sequences for switched linear systems is characterized by computing conic partitions of the state space. The approach is applied to both discrete-time and continuous-time switched linear systems.