J Shanghai Univ (Engl Ed), 2009, 13(3): 255–259

Digital Object Identifier(DOI): 10.1007/s11741-009-0310-3

Global exponential stability of Cohen-Grossberg neural networks

with time-varying delays and impulses

ZHU Qing ( ), LIANG Fang ( ), ZHANG Qing ( )

Department of Mathematics, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, P. R. China

Abstract In this paper, the Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with time-varying delays and impulses are considered. New
sufficient conditions for the existence and global exponential stability of a unique equilibrium point are established by using
the fixed point theorem and Lyapunov functional. An example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of our results.

Keywords Cohen-Grossberg neural networks, exponential stability, delays, impulses

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification 92B20

Introduction tions:
⎧  n
Recently, the dynamical behaviors of neural networks ⎪ 
⎪
⎪ ẋi (t) = αi (xi (t)) − βi (xi (t)) +
⎪
⎪ aij fj (xj (t))
have attracted increasing attention due to their applica- ⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪
j=1
bility in some optimization problems and pattern recog- ⎪
⎪ n 
⎪
⎪ 
nition problems. In particular, delay effect on the sta- ⎨ + bij fj (xj (t − τij (t))) + ui ,
bility and other dynamical behavior of neural networks j=1 (1)
⎪
⎪
has been studied in literature. However, besides delay ⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪ t > 0, t = tk ,
⎪
⎪
effect, impulsive effect likewise exists in a wide variety ⎪
⎪ Δxi (tk ) = xi (tk ) − xi (t−
⎪
⎪ k)
of evolutionary processes in which states are changed ⎪
⎩ −
abruptly at certain moments of time, involving such = Ik (xi (tk )), i = 1, 2, · · · , n, k ∈ N,
fields as medicine and biology, economics, mechanics,
where 0 = t0 < t1 < t2 < · · · , lim tk = +∞;
electronics and telecommunications. Motivated by this, k→∞

many researchers have studied the equilibrium point and
stability properties of neural networks with delays and
impulses and presented various sufficient conditions for
the uniqueness and global exponential stability[1−8] . To
the best of our knowledge, few authors have considered
the global exponential stability of the Cohen-Grossberg
neural networks with time-varying delays and impulses.
In this paper, we use the method in [9–10] and focus on
the global exponential stability of the Cohen-Grossberg
neural networks with time-varying delays and impulses.
By applying the fixed point theorem and Lyapunov func-
tional, we obtain some new criteria for the global expo-
nential stability of the Cohen-Grossberg neural networks
with time-varying delays and impulses.
The Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with time-
varying delays and impulses we consider in this paper
are assumed to be described by the following set of equa-
Received Apr.9, 2008; Revised Nov.13, 2008
Corresponding author ZHU Qing, E-mail: zhuqing7630@yahoo.com.cn
x(t) = (x1 (t), x2 (t), · · · , xn (t))T is the state vec-
tor of the neural networks; α(x(t)) = diag(α1 (x1 (t)),
α2 (x2 (t)), · · · , αn (xn (t))) with αi (·) representing an am-
plification functions; βi (·) is the behaved function and
β(t) = (β1 (t), β2 (t), · · · , βn (t))T ; f (x(·)) = (f1 (x1 (·)),
f2 (x2 (·)), · · · , fn (xn (·)))T denotes the activation func-
tion vector, and u = (u1 , u2 , · · · , un )T is the external
input vector. A = (aij )n×n and B = (bij )n×n denote
the connection weight matrix and the delayed connec-
tion weight matrix, respectively. The time delay τij (t)
satisfies the following conditions: 0 < τij (t)  τij , and
τ = max τij . The initial value associated with (1) is
1i,jn
assumed to be x(s) = φ(s), s ∈ [−τ, 0].
In order to establish the global exponential stability
conditions for the impulsive network (1), we make some
usual assumptions on the functions αi , βi and fi .
Assumption A1 The functions αi (x)(i = 1, 2,
256 J Shanghai Univ (Engl Ed), 2009, 13(3): 255–259

· · · , n) are continuously bounded, that is, there exist Define a mapping Φ(y) = (Φ1 (y), Φ2 (y), · · · , Φn (y))T :
positive constants αi and αi such that 0 < αi  αi (x)  Rn → Rn as follows:
αi .
Assumption A2 The function βi (x) is continuous Φi (y1 , y2 , · · · , yn )
and there exists a constant ri > 0 such that  n

1
= βi−1 (aij + bij )fj (pj yj ) + ui ,
βi (x) − βi (y) pi j=1
 ri > 0,
x−y i = 1, 2, · · · , n.
i = 1, 2, · · · , n, ∀x, y ∈ R, x = y.
Then for ∀z1 , z2 ∈ Rn , we have
Assumption A3 The activation functions are Lip-
schitz continuous, i.e., there exists constant Li such that Φ(z1 ) − Φ(z2 )∞
  n

1
|fi (x) − fi (y)|  Li |x − y|, = max  βi−1 (aij + bij )fj (pj z1j ) + ui
1in pi
j=1
i = 1, 2, · · · , n, ∀x, y ∈ R, x = y. 

n
1 −1 
− βi (aij + bij )fj (pj z2j ) + ui 
1 Main results and their proof pi j=1
 n
Theorem 1.1 Suppose Assumptions A1, A2 and  1 −1 

 max  ri (aij + bij )(fj (pj z1j )
A3 hold. Then the impulse network (1) has a 1in pi
j=1
unique equilibrium point if there exist positive constants

 (3)
p1 , p2 , · · · , pn , such that − fj (pj z2j )) 
n
 n

1 
pi αi ri − αi pj Lj (|aij | + |bij |) > 0, i = 1, 2, · · · , n.  max Lj pj (|aij | + |bij |)|z1j − z2j |
1in pi ri
j=1 j=1
n

Proof For i = 1, 2, · · · , n, from αi  αi > 0, we 1

 max Lj pj (|aij | + |bij |)
1in pi ri
note that j=1
n
 · max |z1j − z2j |
1jn
pi ri − pj Lj (|aij | + |bij |)
j=1 ≡ M z1 − z2 ∞ ,
n

αi
 pi ri − pj Lj (|aij | + |bij |) > 0. where
αi j=1 n

1 
M = max Lj pj (|aij | + |bij |) < 1.
If x∗ = (x∗1 , x∗2 , · · · , x∗n )T is an equilibrium point of the 1in pi ri j=1
impulse network (1), then x∗ satisfies
n Thus it follows that Φ(·) : Rn → Rn is a compressive

− βi (x∗i ) + (aij + bij )fj (x∗j ) + ui = 0, mapping and hence the mapping Φ(·) has a unique fixed
j=1 point y ∗ ∈ Rn satisfying Φ(y ∗ ) = y ∗ . Therefore, there
i = 1, 2, · · · , n. (2) exists a unique point x∗ = (p1 y1∗ , p2 y2∗ , · · · , pn yn∗ )T sat-
isfying the equation (2). That is, the impulse network
x∗
Let yi∗ = i
pi . Then (2) is changed into (1) has a unique equilibrium point and this completes
the proof.
n
 We consider the impulsive network (1) in which
−βi (pi yi∗ ) + (aij + bij )fj (pj yj∗ ) + ui = 0.
the impulse state displacements characterized by Ik :
j=1
R → R at fixed instants t = tk , k ∈ N are defined
By Assumptions A2, we have by
n

1 −1  xi (tk ) − xi (t− −
k ) = Ik (xi (tk ))
yi∗ = βi (aij + bij )fj (pj yj∗ ) + ui .
pi j=1 = −dik (xi (t− ∗
k ) − xi ), i = 1, 2, · · · , n, k ∈ N,
J Shanghai Univ (Engl Ed), 2009, 13(3): 255–259 257

where dik denote real numbers. For convenience in our and lim Fi (λi ) = ∞,
λi →∞
analysis, let which implies that Fi (λi ) is a strictly monotone increas-
yi (t) = xi (t) − x∗i , ing function. It is concluded that there exists ui > 0
such that
gi (yi (t)) = fi (yi (t) + x∗i ) − fi (x∗i ),
ci (yi (t)) = αi (yi (t) + x∗i ), Fi (ui ) = 0, and Fi (λi ) < 0 for ∀λi ∈ (0, ui ).
di (yi (t)) = βi (yi (t) + x∗i ).
Therefore, for i = 1, 2, · · · , n, we have Fi (λ) < 0, where
So (1) can be rewritten as
λ = min (λi ). We can choose a constant l > 1 such that
⎧  n 1in
⎪
⎪ qi = lpi > sup |φi (s) − x∗i |. So, for i = 1, 2, · · · , n,
⎪
⎪ ẏ i (t) = c i (y i (t)) − d i (y i (t)) + aij gj (yj (t))
⎪
⎪
−τ s0
⎪
⎨ j=1 we have
 n 
(4)
⎪
⎪ + bij gj (yj (t−τij (t))) , t > 0, t = tk , n

⎪
⎪
⎪
⎪ j=1 (λ − ri αi )qi + qj Lj αi (|aij | + eλτij |bij |)
⎪
⎩ j=1
yi (tk ) = γik yi (t− k ), i = 1, 2, · · · , n, k ∈ N,  
n

λτij
where γik = 1 − dik , and the activation functions = (λ − ri αi )pi + pj Lj αi (|aij | + e |bij |) l
gj (·)(j = 1, 2, · · · , n), inheriting the properties of fj (·), j=1

satisfy gj (0) = 0, |gj (y)|  Lj |y| for all y ∈ R. < 0. (6)

Theorem 1.2 Suppose Assumptions A1, A2 and
A3 hold. Then the impulse network (1) has a unique Let wi (t) = |yi (t)|, i = 1, 2, · · · , n. Then, we have
equilibrium point which is globally exponentially stable
d+ wi (t) 
if the following conditions hold:
= sign (yi (t))ci (yi (t)) − di (yi (t))
(i) There exist positive constants p1 , p2 , · · · , pn , such dt
that n n
 
+ aij gj (yj (t)) + bij gj (yj (t − τij (t)))
n
 j=1 j=1
pi αi ri − αi pj Lj (|aij | + |bij |) > 0,  n

j=1
 ci (yi (t)) − ri |yi (t)| + |aij |Lj |yj (t)|
i = 1, 2, · · · , n, (5) j=1
n
 
(ii) There exists a constant γ < λ, such that + |bij |Lj |yj (t − τij (t))|
j=1
γk  eγΔtk for i = 1, 2, · · · , n, n

 −ri αi wi (t) + |aij |Lj αi wj (t)
 Δtk = tk − tk−1 for k ∈ N, γk =
where
j=1
max 1, max (|γik |) and λ = min λi : (λi −ri αi )pi + n
1in 1in 
n + |bij |Lj αi wj (t − τij (t)) (7)
pj Lj αi (|aij | + eλi τij |bij |) < 0 . j=1
j=1
Proof Consider the following function:
n
for t > 0, t = tk , and i = 1, 2, · · · , n. We define a

Fi (λi ) = (λi − ri αi )pi + pj Lj αi (|aij | + e λi τij
|bij |). Lyapunov function V = (V1 (t), V2 (t), · · · , Vn (t))T by
j=1 Vi (t) = eλt wi (t), i = 1, 2, · · · , n. In view of (7), we ob-
tain
From (5), we have
n
 d+ Vi (t) d+ wi (t)
 eλt + λeλt wi (t)
Fi (0) = −ri αi pi + pj Lj αi (|aij | + |bij |) < 0. dt dt
j=1  n
 eλt − ri αi wi (t) + |aij |Lj αi wj (t)
Moreover, j=1

d
n
 n
 
Fi (λi ) = pi + pj Lj αi τij eλi τij |bij | > 0, + |bij |Lj αi wj (t − τij (t)) + λeλt wi (t)
dλi j=1 j=1
258 J Shanghai Univ (Engl Ed), 2009, 13(3): 255–259

n
 that D+ Vi (T )  0. It follows from (8) that
 (λ − ri αi )Vi (t) + |aij |Lj αi Vj (t)
j=1
n 0  D+ Vi (T )

+ |bij |Lj αi eλτij (t) Vj (t − τij (t)) n

j=1  (λ − ri αi )Vi (T ) + |ai j |Lj αi Vj (T )
n j=1

 (λ − ri αi )Vi (t) + |aij |Lj αi Vj (t) n

j=1 + |bi j |Lj αi eλτi j Vj (T − τi j (T ))
n j=1

+ |bij |Lj αi e λτij
Vj (t − τij (t)) (8) k
  n

j=1  γh (λ − ri αi )qi + qj Lj αi (|ai j |
h=0 j=1

for t > 0, t = tk . We claim that λτi j
+e |bi j |) , (12)
λt
Vi (t) = e wi (t) < qi , t ∈ [t0 , t1 ), i = 1, 2, · · · , n. (9)
which is a contradiction to (6). Hence (11) holds.
Contrarily, there must exist i ∈ {1, 2, · · · , n} and By the mathematical induction, we can conclude
T1 ∈ [t0 , t1 ) such that Vi (T1 ) = qi , and Vj (t) < qj that
for t ∈ [t0 , T1 ), j = 1, 2, · · · , n, which implies that k

D+ Vi (T1 )  0. It follows from (8) that eλt |yi (t)| < γh qi , t ∈ [tk , tk+1 ), k = 1, 2, · · · . (13)
h=0
0  D+ Vi (T1 )
n Since γk  eγ(tk −tk−1 ) , from (13), we have

 (λ − ri αi )Vi (T1 ) + |aij |Lj αi Vj (T1 )
k

j=1
n
|yi (t)| < γh e−λt qi

h=0
+ |bij |Lj αi eλτij Vj (T1 − τij (T1 ))
j=1  eγ(t1 −t0 ) eγ(t2 −t1 ) · · · eγ(tk−1 −tk−2 ) e−λt qi
n
  eγt e−λt qi = e−(λ−γ)t qi (14)
 (λ − ri αi )qi + qj Lj αi (|aij | + eλτij |bij |), (10)
j=1
for ∀t ∈ [t0 , tk ), k = 1, 2, · · · . Therefore, the impulse net-
work (1) has a unique equilibrium point which is globally
which is a contradiction to (6). Hence (9) holds.
exponentially stable.
Suppose for all m = 1, 2, · · · , k, and i = 1, 2, · · · , n,
Remark 1.1 The requirement |y(tk )| < |y(t− k )|
the following inequalities hold:
as a result of assuming 0 < |γik | < 1 (or equiva-
m−1
 lently, 0 < dik < 2) has appeared in the previous
Vi (t) < γh qi , t ∈ [tm−1 , tm ), studies[1−5] . Although the results provide some insights
h=0 into the exponential convergence dynamics of impulsive
neural networks, their practical use for potential appli-
where γ0 = 1. We have Vi (tk ) = |γik |Vi (t− k) < cations of the networks might be limited. In Theorem

k−1 
k
1.2 in this paper, we eliminate the severe restriction
|γik | γh qi < γh qi . We also claim that
h=0 h=0 |y(tk )| < |y(t− k )|, and allow the impulse magnitude to
be as large as possible. Therefore, the application of
k
 our results has certainly extended the functionality of
Vi (t) < γh qi , t ∈ [tk , tk+1 ), i = 1, 2, · · · , n. (11) the impulsive network a little further for solving real-
h=0
life problems.
Contrarily, there must exist i ∈ {1, 2, · · · , n} and T ∈ Remark 1.2 Our results improve and generalize

k the results in [5–6]. In additions, our results are in-
[tk , tk+1 ) such that Vi (T ) = γh qi , and Vj (t) < dependent of the delayed quantity for the global expo-
h=0

k nential stability of the impulsive network, and can be
γh qj for t ∈ [tk , T ), j = 1, 2, · · · , n, which implies verified easily in the application.
h=0
J Shanghai Univ (Engl Ed), 2009, 13(3): 255–259 259

2 Example bility of impulsive neural networks with time-varying

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