Oscillations in a second-order discontinuous system with delay

We consider the equation $\alpha x''(t)=-x'(t)+F(x(t),t)-$sign$x(t-h),\quad\alpha=$const$>0,\ $ $h=$const$>0,$ which is a model for a scalar system with a discontinuous negative delayed feedback, and study the dynamics of oscillations with emphasis on the existence, frequency and stability of periodic oscillations. Our main conclusion is that, in the autonomous case $F(x,t)\equiv F(x)$, for $|F(x)|<1$, there are periodic solutions with different frequencies of oscillations, though only slowly-oscillating solutions are (orbitally) stable. Under extra conditions we show the uniqueness of a periodic slowly-oscillating solution. We also give a criterion for the existence of bounded oscillations in the case of unbounded function $F(x,t)$. Our approach consists basically in reducing the problem to the study of dynamics of some discrete scalar system.