Summary
This paper investigates the problem of adaptive output‐feedback neural network (NN) control for a class of switched pure‐feedback uncertain nonlinear systems. A switched observer is first constructed to estimate the unmeasurable states. Next, with the help of an NN to approximate the unknown nonlinear terms, a switched small‐gain technique‐based adaptive output‐feedback NN control scheme is developed by exploiting the backstepping recursive design scheme, input‐to‐state stability analysis, the common Lyapunov function method, and the average dwell time (ADT) method. In the recursive design, the difficulty of constructing an overall Lyapunov function for the switched closed‐loop system is dealt with by decomposing the switched closed‐loop system into two interconnected switched systems and constructing two Lyapunov functions for two interconnected switched systems, respectively. The proposed controllers for individual subsystems guarantee that all signals in the closed‐loop system are semiglobally, uniformly, and ultimately bounded under a class of switching signals with ADT, and finally, two examples illustrate the effectiveness of theoretical results, which include a switched RLC circuit system.