Sampled-Data Observers for 1-D Parabolic PDEs with Non-Local Outputs

The present work provides a systematic approach for the design of sampled-data observers to a wide class of 1-D, parabolic PDEs with non-local outputs. The studied class of parabolic PDEs allows the presence of globally Lipschitz nonlinear and non-local terms in the PDE. Two different sampled-data observers are presented: one with an inter-sample predictor for the unavailable continuous measurement signal and one without an inter-sample predictor. Explicit conditions on the upper diameter of the (uncertain) sampling schedule for both designs are derived for exponential convergence of the observer error to zero in the absence of measurement noise and modeling errors. Moreover, explicit estimates of the convergence rate can be deduced based on the knowledge of the upper diameter of the sampling schedule. When measurement noise and/or modeling errors are present, Input-to-Output Stability (IOS) estimates of the observer error hold for both designs with respect to noise and modeling errors. The main results are illustrated by two examples which show how the proposed methodology can be extended to other cases (e.g., boundary point measurements).