The Complete Proof Theory of Hybrid Systems

Abstract

Hybrid systems are a fusion of continuous dynamical systems and discrete dynamical systems. They freely combine dynamical features from both worlds. For that reason, it has often been claimed that hybrid systems are more challenging than continuous dynamical systems and than discrete systems. We now show that, proof-theoretically, this is not the case. We present a complete proof-theoretical alignment that interreduces the discrete dynamics and the continuous dynamics of hybrid systems. We give a sound and complete axiomatization of hybrid systems relative to continuous dynamical systems and a sound and complete axiomatization of hybrid systems relative to discrete dynamical systems. Thanks to our axiomatization, proving properties of hybrid systems is exactly the same as proving properties of continuous dynamical systems and again, exactly the same as proving properties of discrete dynamical systems. This fundamental cornerstone sheds light on the nature of hybridness and enables flexible and provably perfect combinations of discrete reasoning with continuous reasoning that lift to all aspects of hybrid systems and their fragments.