Skip to main content
Log in

Analysis of limit-cycle conditions in intercoupled relay oscillators with reference to gastrointestinal modelling

  • Published:
Bulletin of Mathematical Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper presents an exact analysis of a mutually coupled relay oscillator based on a method orignated by Tsypkin. Limit-cycle frequencies and phases can be determined exactly using this method, unlike other approximate methods based on describing functions and harmonic balance techniques. A new method of exact determination of limit-cycle stability is also shown to give excellent agreement with simulation studies. Different types of intercoupling are shown to give different stability conditions, and these are discussed in relation to gastrointestinal (GI) smooth muscle modelling. GI tract electrical activity has previously been modelled using bidirectionally coupled nonlinear oscillators, and the results of the present analysis of relay oscillators is compared with other studies using van der Pol dynamics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature

  • Aldridge, J. F. and T. Pavlidis. 1976. “Studies of Coupled Biological Oscillators Through Describing Functions”. Proceedings of the IEEE Confrence on ‘Cybernetics & Society’, pp. 336–339.

  • Atherton, D. P. 1966. “Conditions for Periodicity in Control Systems Containing Several Relays”. 3rd IFAC Congress London, paper 28E.

  • —. 1974. “The Stability of Oscillations.”Auto. Control. Theory Appl. 2, 47–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1975.Non-linear Control Engineering. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1981.Stability of Non-linear Systems. Chichester: Research Studies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Balasubramanian, R. 1981. “Stability of Limit Cycles in Feedback Systems Containing a Relay.”Proc. Instn elect. Engrs D 128, 24–29.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, G. W. C., C. von Euler, I. Martilla and B. Roos. 1975. “A Model of the Central and Reflex Inhibition of Inspiration in the Cat.”Biol. Cybernet 19, 105–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, K. M. 1969. “A Quadratically Convergent Newton-like Method Based upon Gaussian Elimination.”Siam. J. num. Anal. 6, 560–569.

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Choudhury, S. K. and D. P. Atherton. 1974. “Limit-cycles in High-order Non-linear Systems”Proc. Instn. elect. Engrs 121, 717–724.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daniel, E. E., V. P. Daniel, G. Ducham, R. E. Garfield, M. Nichols, S. K. Malhorta and M. Oki. 1976. “Is the Nexus Necessary for Cell-to-cell Coupling of Smooth Muscle?”J. Membr. Biol.,28, 207–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Datardina, S. P. and D. A. Linkens. 1978. “Multimode Oscillations in Mutually Coupled van der Pol Oscillators with Fifth-power Nonlinear Characteristics.”IEEE Trans. Cct. Sys. CAS26, 308–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Endo, T. and S. Mori. 1976a. “Mode Analysis of a Multimode Ladder Oscillator.”IEEE Trans., Cct. Sys. 23, 100–113.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • — and —. 1976b. “Mode Analysis of a Two-dimensional Low-pass Multimode Oscillator.”IEEE Trans. Cct. Sys. 23, 517–530.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Fitzhugh, R. 1961. “Impulses and Physiological States in Nerve Models.”Biophys. J. 1, 446–466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, B. 1963.Temporal Organisation in Cells New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herman-Taylor, J. and C. F. Code. 1971. “Localisation of the Duodenal Pacemaker and its Role in the Organisation of Duodenal Myoelectric Activity.”Gut 12, 40–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitney, R. I. 1974. “The Analysis and Simulation of the Human Thermoregulatory Control System.”Med. biol. Eng. 12, 57–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • —. 1975. “An Analysis of the Nonlinear Behaviour of the Human Thermal Vasomotor Control System.”J. theor. Biol. 52, 231–248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — and O. Rompelman. 1977. “Some Aspects of Heart-rate Variability.” InBiomedical Computing, Ed. J. Perkins. London: Pitman Medical.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindgren, A. G. 1964. “Limit Cycles in Symmetric Multivariable Systems”IEEE Trans. Auto. Control AC-9, 119–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Linkens, D. A. 1977. “The Stability of Entrainment Conditions for RLC Coupled van der Pol Oscillators.”Bull. math. Biol. 39, 359–372.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • —. 1979. “Theoretical Analysis of Beating and Modulation Phenomena in Weakly Intercoupled van der Pol Oscillator Systems for Biological Modelling”J. theor. Biol. 79, 31–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — 1980. “Pulse Synchronisation of Intestinal Myoelectrical Models.”IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME-27 177–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, I. Taylor and H. L. Duthie. 1976. “Mathematical Modelling of the Colorectal Myoelectrical Activity in Humans.”IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. BME-23, 101–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • — and R. I. Kiteny. 1982. “Mode Analysis of Physiological Oscillators Intercoupled via Pure Time Delays.”Bull. math. Biol. 44, 57–74.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • MacFarlane, A. G. J. and J. J. Belletrutti 1973. “The Characteristic Locus Design Method.”Automatica 9, 575–588.

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Nelsen, T. S. and J. C. Becker. 1968. “Simulation of the Electrical and Mechanical Gradient of the Small-Intestine.”Am. J. Physiol. 214, 749–757.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao, U. M. and D. P. Atherton. 1978. “Multi-pulse Oscillations in Relay Systems”. Proceedings of the 7th IFAC World Congress, Helsinki, Vol. 3. Paper No. 42-3, pp. 1748–1754.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robertson-Dunn, B., N. K. Kwong and D. A. Linkens. 1971. “Computer Modelling of Electrical Activity of the Gastro-intestinal Tract”. IEE. Conference Publication No. 79, pp. 200–204.

  • Sarna, S. K., E. E. Daniel and Y. J. Kingma. 1971. “Simulation of Slow-wave Electrical Activity of Small-intestine.”Am. J. Physiol. 221, 166–175.

    Google Scholar 

  • —— and —. 1972. “Simulation of the Electrical Control Activity of the Stomach by an Array of Relaxation Oscillators.”Am. J. Dig. Dis. 17, 299–310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsypkin, Y. Z. 1955.Theory of Relay Control Systems. (In Russian.) Moscow: Moscow State Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Atherton, D.P., Linkens, D.A. Analysis of limit-cycle conditions in intercoupled relay oscillators with reference to gastrointestinal modelling. Bltn Mathcal Biology 45, 239–257 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02462359

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02462359

Keywords

Navigation