Switched linear systems have a long history of interest in the control community, and have attracted considerable attention recently because they are not only practically relevant, but also tangible with the rich results in the linear system theory. Rapid progress in the field has generated many new ideas and powerful tools. This paper provides a concise and timely survey on analysis and synthesis of switched linear control systems, and presents the basic concepts and main properties of switched linear systems in a systematic manner. The fundamental topics include (i) controllability and observability, (ii) system structural decomposition, (iii) feedback controller design for stabilization, and (iv) optimal control. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.