Hybrid Systems Forming Strange Billiards

Abstract

Hybrid dynamical systems consist of piecewise defined continuous time evolution processes interfaced with some logical or decision making process. These switches between different evolutions are triggered if the continuous state of the system reaches thresholds in state space. In the present work we investigate hybrid systems forming a special type of dynamical systems, so-called strange billiards. They show a rich variety of dynamical behavior including some unusual bifurcations and chaos, even if the continuous part of the system evolution is just linear. By means of Poincaré map techniques we discuss different dynamical behaviors. Applications to the simulation of manufacturing systems and consequences for their dynamical behavior are outlined.