Generalized Quadratic Linearization of Machine Models

In the exact linearization of involutive nonlinear system models, the issue of singularity needs to be addressed in practical applications. The approximate linearization technique due to Krener, based on Taylor series expansion, apart from being applicable to noninvolutive systems, allows the singularity issue to be circumvented. But approximate linearization, while removing terms up to certain order, also introduces terms of higher order than those removed into the system. To overcome this problem, in the case of quadratic linearization, a new concept called “generalized quadratic linearization” is introduced in this paper, which seeks to remove quadratic terms without introducing third‐ and higher‐order terms into the system. Also, solution of generalized quadratic linearization of a class of control affine systems is derived. Two machine models are shown to belong to this class and are reduced to only linear terms through coordinate and state feedback. The result is applicable to other machine models as well.