Dissipative periodic systems and symmetric interpolation in Schur classes

Matrix-valued functions analytic and contractive in the open unit disk (Schur functions) play an important role in system theory. They represent transfer functions of causal time-invariant dissipative systems. In this paper we show how a Schur function can still be associated to a k-periodic system. This function satisfies a certain symmetry condition (conditions (1.7) for k = 2 and (4.4) for general k). We study a general bitangential interpolation problem for the Schur functions satisfying this symmetry condition.