A generalized state-space for singular systems

Systems of the form , with singular, are studied. Of particular interest are the impulsive modes that may appear in the free-response of such systems when arbitrary initial conditions are permitted, modes that are associated with natural system frequencies at infinity. A generalized definition of system order that incorporates these impulsive degrees of freedom is proposed, and concepts of controllability and observability are defined for the impulsive modes. Allowable equivalence transformations of such singular systems are specified. The present framework is shown to overcome several difficulties inherent in other treatments of singular systems, and to extend, in a natural and satisfying way, many results previously known only for regular state-space systems.