Robust state estimation and fault diagnosis for uncertain hybrid nonlinear systems

Robust state estimation and fault diagnosis are challenging problems in the research of hybrid systems. In this paper, a novel robust hybrid observer is proposed for a class of uncertain hybrid nonlinear systems with unknown mode transition functions, model uncertainties and unknown disturbances. The observer consists of a mode observer for discrete mode estimation and a continuous observer for continuous state estimation. It is shown that the mode can be identified correctly and the continuous state estimation error is exponentially uniformly bounded. Robustness to unknown transition functions, model uncertainties and disturbances can be guaranteed by disturbance decoupling and selecting proper thresholds. The transition detectability and mode identifiability conditions are rigorously analyzed. Based on the robust hybrid observer, a robust fault diagnosis scheme is presented for faults modeled as discrete modes with unknown transition functions, and the analytical properties are investigated. Simulations of a hybrid three-tank system demonstrate that the proposed approach is effective. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.