Functional bounds on the time response of multivariable nonlinear systems

The paper describes the derivation of an easily computable functional inequality which represents an absolute vector bound on the linearisation-induced time response error for multivariable systems with measurement nonlinearity. The absolute bound depends on important linearised system descriptions and certain nonlinearity associated parameters and can be particularly useful in anticipating worst case linearised system performance degradation due to the nonlinearity. As such the absolute bound has a significant application in relation to the linearisation-based design of controllers for prescribed time domain system behaviour.