Equivalent classes of decouplable and controllable linear systems

The problem we consider in this paper is more demanding than the problem of input-output linearization with state equivalence recently solved by Cheng, Isidori, Respondek, and Tarn. We request that the MIMO nonlinear system, for which the problem of input-output linearization with state-equivalence is solvable, can be decoupled. In exchange for further requirement like this, our problem produces more usable and informative results than the problem of input-output linearization with state-equivalence. We present the necessary and sufficient conditions for our problem to be solvable. We characterize each of the nonlinear systems satisfying these conditions by a set of parameters which are invariant under the group action of state feedback and transformation. Using this set of parameters, we can determine directly the unique one, among the canonical forms of decouplable and controllable linear systems, to which a nonlinear system can be transformed via appropriate state feedback and transformation. Finally, we present the necessary and sufficient conditions for our problem to be solvable with internal stability, that is, for stable decoupling.