On the output-input stability property for multivariable nonlinear control systems

We study the recently introduced notion of output-input stability, which is a robust variant of the minimum-phase property for general smooth nonlinear control systems. The subject of this paper is developing the theory of output-input stability in the multi-input, multi-output setting. We show that output-input stability can be viewed as a combination of two system properties, one related to detectability and the other to left-invertibility. For systems affine in controls, we provide a necessary and sufficient condition for output-input stability, which relies on Hirschorn's nonlinear structure algorithm.