Supply rate ($w(u,y)$)

A supply rate specifies the instantaneous quantity whose time integral is compared with a change of storage function in dissipativity. With control input $u$, plant output $y$ and state $x$, a chosen function $w(u,y)$ enters the balanceThe supply rate can be negative: it then represents net withdrawal in the chosen accounting. Its physical interpretation depends on the variables and sign convention, rather than on the word supply alone.^[ref]

For a mechanical terminal with applied force $F$ and inward-convention velocity $v$, choose $w=Fv$, the entering power. For an electrical terminal with electric current entering its positive-potential terminal, the corresponding choice is $w=Vi$, with $V$ an electric potential difference. Both have units of watts when $S$ is energy. Reversing one terminal sign without changing the other reverses the apparent power flow.

An original capacitor example illustrates the sign. Let $C=2\mathrm{F}$, terminal electric potential difference $V=3\mathrm{V}$, and charging electric current $i=1\mathrm{A}$. Its stored electrostatic energy is $S=C{V}^2/2=9\mathrm{J}$, and at that instant $\dot{S}=Vi=3\mathrm{W}$. With the same potential and $i=-1\mathrm{A}$, the supply rate is $-3\mathrm{W}$ and storage decreases. This is consistent with nonnegative stored energy; negative supply does not mean negative storage.

A different supply rate can express a signal-performance requirement:Nonnegative final storage and zero initial storage then bound accumulated output-square by ${\gamma }^2$ times accumulated input-square. These squares need not be physical power. Scaling or changing the units of the signals requires corresponding changes in the coefficients. A general real quadratic choice can be written as $w=y^{T}Qy+2y^{T}Lu+u^{T}Ru$, with symmetric $Q,R$; the selected quadratic form states which input–output relation is being tested.