Abstract The relationship between the observability of standard and fractional discrete-time and continuous-time linear systems are addressed. It is shown that the fractional discrete-time and continuous-time linear systems are observable if and only if the standard discrete-time and continuous-time linear systems are observable.

Abstract The asymptotic stability of discrete-time and continuous-time linear systems described by the equations xi+1 = Ākxi and x(t) = Akx(t) for k being integers and rational numbers is addressed. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the asymptotic stability of the systems are established. It is shown that: 1) the asymptotic stability of discrete-time systems depends only on the modules of the eigenvalues of matrix Āk and of the continuous-time systems depends only on phases of the eigenvalues of the matrix Ak, 2) the discrete-time systems are asymptotically stable for all admissible values of the discretization step if and only if the continuous-time systems are asymptotically stable, 3) the upper bound of the discretization step depends on the eigenvalues of the matrix A.

The minimum energy control problem for the positive descriptor discrete-time linear systems with bounded inputs by the use of Weierstrass-Kronecker decomposition is formulated and solved. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the positivity and reachability of descriptor discrete-time linear systems are given. Conditions for the existence of solution and procedure for computation of optimal input and the minimal value of the performance index is proposed and illustrated by a numerical example.

The Bulletin of the Polish Academy of Sciences: Technical Sciences (Bull.Pol. Ac.: Tech.) is published bimonthly by the Division IV Engineering Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences, since the beginning of the existence of the PAS in 1952. The journal is peer‐reviewed and is published both in printed and electronic form. It is established for the publication of original high quality papers from multidisciplinary Engineering sciences with the following topics preferred: Artificial and Computational Intelligence, Biomedical Engineering and Biotechnology, Civil Engineering, Control, Informatics and Robotics, Electronics, Telecommunication and Optoelectronics, Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Thermodynamics, Material Science and Nanotechnology, Power Systems and Power Electronics.

Journal Metrics: JCR Impact Factor 2018: 1.361, 5 Year Impact Factor: 1.323, SCImago Journal Rank (SJR) 2017: 0.319, Source Normalized Impact per Paper (SNIP) 2017: 1.005, CiteScore 2017: 1.27, The Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education 2017: 25 points.

Abbreviations/Acronym: Journal citation: Bull. Pol. Ac.: Tech., ISO: Bull. Pol. Acad. Sci.-Tech. Sci., JCR Abbrev: B POL ACAD SCI-TECH Acronym in the Editorial System: BPASTS.

A new method for computation of positive realizations of given transfer matrices of fractional linear continuous-time linear systems is proposed. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of positive realizations of transfer matrices are given. A procedure for computation of the positive realizations is proposed and illustrated by examples.

Abstract The conditions for positivity and stability of a class of fractional nonlinear continuous-time systems are established. It is assumed that the nonlinear vector function is continuous, satisfies the Lipschitz condition and the linear part is described by a Metzler matrix. The stability conditions are established by the use of an extension of the Lyapunov method to fractional positive nonlinear systems.

Abstract A new formulation of the minimum energy control problem for the positive 2D continuous-discrete linear systems with bounded inputs is proposed. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the reachability of the systems are established. Conditions for the existence of the solution to the minimum energy control problem and a procedure for computation of an input minimizing the given performance index are given. Effectiveness of the procedure is demonstrated on numerical example.

Abstract A method of analysis of descriptor nonlinear discrete-time systems with regular pencils of linear part is proposed. The method is based on the Weierstrass-Kronecker decomposition of the pencils. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the positivity of the nonlinear systems are established. A procedure for computing the solution to the equations describing the nonlinear systems are proposed and demonstrated on numerical examples.

The analysis of the positivity and stability of linear electrical circuits by the use of state-feedbacks is addressed. Generalized Frobenius matrices are proposed and their properties are investigated. It is shown that if the state matrix of an electrical circuit has generalized Frobenius form then the closed-loop system matrix is not positive and asymptotically stable. Different cases of modification of the positivity and stability of linear electrical circuits by state-feedbacks are discussed and necessary conditions for the existence of solutions to the problem are established.

The problem of zeroing of the state variables in fractional descriptor electrical circuits by state-feedbacks is formulated and solved. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of gain matrices such that the state variables of closed-loop systems are zero for time greater zero are established. The procedure of choice of the gain matrices is demonstrated on simple descriptor electrical circuits with regular pencils.

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the reachability and observability of the positive electrical circuits composed of resistors, coils, condensators and voltage sources are established. Definitions of the input-decoupling zeros, output-decoupling zeros and input-output decoupling zeros of the positive electrical circuits are proposed. Some properties of the decoupling zeros of positive electrical circuits are discussed.