Parameter-Dependent Control Lyapunov Functions for Stabilizing Nonlinear Parameter-Varying Systems

Abstract: This paper introduces the concept of parameter-dependent (PD) control Lyapunov functions (CLFs) for gain-scheduled stabilization of nonlinear parameter-varying (NPV) systems. It shows that given a PD-CLF, a min-norm control law can be constructed by solving a robust quadratic program. For polynomial control-affine NPV systems, it provides convex conditions, based on the sum of squares programming, to jointly synthesize a PD-CLF and a PD controller while maximizing the PD region of stabilization. Input constraints can be straightforwardly incorporated into the synthesis procedure. Unlike traditional linear parameter-varying (LPV) methods that rely on linearization or over-approximation to get an LPV model, the proposed framework fully captures the nonlinearities of the system dynamics. The theoretical results are validated through numerical simulations, including a 2D rocket landing case study under varying mass and inertia.