A new unified modelling framework based on the superposition of additive submodels, functional components, and
wavelet decompositions is proposed for non-linear system identification. A non-linear model, which is often represented
using a multivariate non-linear function, is initially decomposed into a number of functional components via the wellknown
analysis of variance (ANOVA) expression, which can be viewed as a special form of the NARX (non-linear
autoregressive with exogenous inputs) model for representing dynamic input–output systems. By expanding each functional
component using wavelet decompositions including the regular lattice frame decomposition, wavelet series and
multiresolution wavelet decompositions, the multivariate non-linear model can then be converted into a linear-in-theparameters
problem, which can be solved using least-squares type methods. An efficient model structure determination
approach based upon a forward orthogonal least squares (OLS) algorithm, which involves a stepwise orthogonalization
of the regressors and a forward selection of the relevant model terms based on the error reduction ratio (ERR), is
employed to solve the linear-in-the-parameters problem in the present study. The new modelling structure is referred to
as a wavelet-based ANOVA decomposition of the NARX model or simply WANARX model, and can be applied to
represent high-order and high dimensional non-linear systems
