Extending satisficing control strategy to slowly varying nonlinear systems

Based on the satisficing control strategy, a novel approach to design a stabilizing control law for nonlinear time varying systems with slowly varying parameters (slowly varying systems) is presented. The satisficing control strategy has been originally introduced for time-invariant systems; however, this technique does not have any stability proof for time varying systems. In this paper, first, a parametric version of the satisficing control strategy is developed. Then, by considering the time as a frozen parameter, the parametric satisficing control strategy is utilized. Finally, a theorem is presented which suggested a stabilizing satisficing control law for the slowly varying control systems. Moreover, in this theorem, the maximum admissible rate of change of the system dynamics is evaluated. The efficiency of the proposed approach is demonstrated by a computer simulation.

► We consider nonlinear time varying systems with slow variations (slowly varying).
► Most of works in stabilizing controller design are on linear slowly varying systems.
► Satisficing strategy is an approach to stabilize nonlinear time-invariant systems.
► Based on satisficing, an approach to stabilize nonlinear slowly varying systems is proposed.
► The maximum admissible rate of change of the system dynamics is evaluated.