Decentralized and adaptive nonlinear tracking of large-scale systems via output feedback

This paper presents for the first time a solution to the Problem of decentr alized adaptive asymptotic tracking for a new class of large-scale systems using nonlinear output feedback. The proposed constructive approach does no t require any matching conditions on the parametric uncertainties nor growt h conditions of any kind on the subsystem and interacting output nonlineari ties. Any decentralized system in the family may have an unknown, nonzero e quilibrium point. Partially decentralized reduced-order filters are present ed to recover the unmeasured states. The recursive, decentralized, output-f eedback design procedure is illustrated in a practical example of two inver ted pendulums on carts without velocity measurements. The effectiveness of the decentralized algorithm is supported by simulation results.