A new analytic form of backlash characteristic description is introduced, which uses appropriate switching functions and their complements. The backlash parameters in the model equation are separated; hence their estimation can be solved as a quasi-linear problem using an iterative method with internal variable estimation. Also, the identification of cascaded systems consisting of an input backlash followed by a linear dynamic system is presented. Simulation studies of backlash and cascaded systems identification are included. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.