Kernel and Offspring Concepts for the Stability Robustness of Multiple Time Delayed Systems (MTDS)

Abstract

A novel treatment for the stability of linear time invariant (LTI) systems with rationally independent multiple time delays is presented. The independence of delays makes the problem much more challenging compared to the systems with commensurate time delays (where the delays have rational relations). It is shown that the imaginary characteristic roots can all be found along a set of curves in the domain of the delays. They are called the “kernel curves”, and it is proven that their number is small and bounded. All possible time delay combinations, which yield an imaginary characteristic root, lie on a curve so called the offspring of the kernel curves within the domain of the delays. We also claim that the root tendencies show a very interesting invariance property as a test point crosses these curves. An efficient, exact and exhaustive methodology results from these outstanding characteristics. It is unique to the new methodology that, the systems under consideration do not have to possess stable behavior for zero delays. Several example case studies are presented, which are prohibitively difficult, if not impossible to solve using any other peer methodology.