Piecewise Linear Model Descriptions

Abstract

A piecewise linear function can be represented in many different forms. Since the end of the seventies with the presentation of the first model description for PL functions by Chua and Kang, many effort is put in a search for that particular explicit model description in which all continuous PL functions could be modeled. This under the restriction that there must exist a one-to-one relation between the model parameters and the PL function. Finally we want to obtain the model description that is able to handle all continuous PL functions. In this chapter we will give an overview of the state of art in this field. In contrast to the previous chapter where we developed the model from a network point of view we will here start from a mathematical background.