State elimination and identifiability of the delay parameter for nonlinear time-delay systems

The identifiability of the delay parameter for nonlinear systems with a single constant time delay is analyzed. We show the existence of input-output equations and relate the identifiability of the delay parameter to their form. Explicit criteria based on rank calculations are formulated. The identifiability of the delay parameter is shown not to be directly related to the well-characterized identifiability/observability of the other system parameters/states. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.