An algorithm for the structural analysis of state space: synthesis of nonlinear observers

The problem addressed is the linearization of multi-input multi-output (MIM O) nonlinear systems by. a generalized state coordinates transformation and generalized input-output injection, in order to design an observer. This o bserver will have linear error dynamics. The goal is to bring together two observers design approaches: a structural one and a numerical one. Necessar y and sufficient conditions for the existence of a Linearizing generalized state transformation are obtained by an algebraic way and without computing the input-output differential equations. The main result tests integrabili ty conditions of differential one-forms derived from the state space repres entation and is applicable to a large subclass of nonlinear systems. Copyri ght (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.