Locally covering maps in metric spaces and coincidence points

We study the notion of α-covering map with respect to certain subsets in metric spaces. Generalizing results from [1] we use this notion to give some coincidence theorems for pairs of single-valued and multivalued maps one of which is relatively α-covering while the other satisfies the Lipschitz condition. These assertions extend some classical contraction map principles. We define the notion of α-covering multimap at a point and give conditions under which the covering property of a multimap at each interior point of a set implies that it is covering on the whole set. As applications we consider the solvability of a system of inclusions and the existence of a positive trajectory for a semilinear feedback control system. © 2009 Birkhäuser Verlag Basel/Switzerland.