Pseudo-Predictor Feedback Control for Multiagent Systems with Both State and Input Delays

This paper is concerned with the consensus problem for high-order continuous-time multiagent systems with both state and input delays. A novel approach referred to as pseudo-predictor feedback protocol is proposed. Unlike the predictor-based feedback protocol which utilizes the open-loop dynamics to predict the future states, the pseudo-predictor feedback protocol uses the closed-loop dynamics of the multiagent systems to predict the future agent states. Full-order/reduced-order observer-based pseudo-predictor feedback protocols are proposed, and it is shown that the consensus is achieved and the input delay is compensated by the proposed protocols. Necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing the stability of the integral delay systems are provided in terms of the stability of the series of retarded-type time-delay systems. Furthermore, compared with the existing predictor-based protocols, the proposed pseudo-predictor feedback protocol is independent of the input signals of the neighboring agents and is easier to implement. Finally, a numerical example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.      

Admissible consensus for networked singular multi-agent systems with communication delays

This study concerns the admissible consensus problem for networked singular multi-agent systems with communication delays and agents described by general singular systems. Only the information of outputs is available through the network. An observer-based networked predictive control scheme (NPCS) is employed to compensate for the communication delays actively. Based on NPCS and dynamic compensator (dynamic output feedback), a novel protocol is proposed. Based on graph, algebra and singular system theory, the necessary and sufficient conditions are given to guarantee existence of the proposed protocol. The conditions depend on the topologies of singular multi-agent systems and the structure properties of each agent dynamics. Moreover, a consensus algorithm is provided to design the predictive protocol. A numerical example demonstrates the effectiveness of compensation for networked delays.     

Asynchronous Consensus in Continuous-Time Multi-Agent Systems With Switching Topology and Time-Varying Delays

The paper studies asynchronous consensus problems of continuous-time multi-agent systems with discontinuous information transmission. The proposed consensus control strategy is implemented based on the state information of each agent's neighbors at some discrete times. The asynchrony means that each agent's update times, at which the agent adjusts its dynamics, are independent of others'. Furthermore, it is assumed that the communication topology among agents is time-dependent and the information transmission is with bounded time-varying delays. If the union of the communication topology across any time interval with some given length contains a spanning tree, the consensus problem is shown to be solvable. The analysis tool developed in this paper is based on nonnegative matrix theory and graph theory. The main contribution of this paper is to provide a valid distributed consensus algorithm that overcomes the difficulties caused by unreliable communication channels, such as intermittent information transmission, switching communication topology, and time-varying communication delays, and therefore has its obvious practical applications. Simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

Stabilisation and consensus of linear systems with multiple input delays by truncated pseudo-predictor feedback

This paper provides a new approach referred to as pseudo-predictor feedback (PPF) for stabilisation of linear systems with multiple input delays. Differently from the traditional predictor feedback which is from the model reduction appoint of view, the proposed PPF utilises the idea of prediction by generalising the corresponding results for linear systems with a single input delay to the case of multiple input delays. Since the PPF will generally lead to distributed controllers, a truncated pseudo-predictor feedback (TPPF) approach is established instead, which gives finite dimensional controllers. It is shown that the TPPF can compensate arbitrarily large yet bounded delays as long as the open-loop system is only polynomially unstable. The proposed TPPF approach is then used to solve the consensus problems for multi-agent systems characterised by linear systems with multiple input delays. Numerical examples show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

Consensus Seeking for Discrete-time Multi-agent Systems with Communication Delay

This paper studies the consensus problem for discrete-time multi-agent systems of first-order in the presence of constant communication delay. Provided that the agent dynamics is unstable and the network topology is undirected, effects of two kinds of communication delays on consensus are investigated. When the relative information is affected by delay, we show that the effect of delay can be alleviated by using the historical input information in the protocol design. On the other hand, if the communication delay only influences the actually transmitted information, sufficient condition admitting any large yet bounded delay for consensus is obtained, and the delay in this case is allowed to be unknown and time-varying. Finally, simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.      

Robust and nonfragile consensus of positive multiagent systems via observer‐based output‐feedback protocols

This article investigates the consensus problem for positive multiagent systems via an observer‐based dynamic output‐feedback protocol. The dynamics of the agents are modeled by linear positive systems and the communication topology of the agents is expressed by an undirected connected graph. For the consensus problem, the nominal case is studied under the semidefinite programming framework while the robust and nonfragile cases are investigated under the linear programming framework. It is required that the distributed state‐feedback controller and observer gains should be structured to preserve the positivity of multiagent systems. Necessary and/or sufficient conditions for the analysis of consensus are obtained by using positive systems theory and graph theory. For the nominal case, necessary and sufficient conditions for the codesign of state‐feedback controller and observer of consensus are derived in terms of matrix inequalities. Sufficient conditions for the robust and nonfragile consensus designs are derived and the codesign of state‐feedback controller and observer can be obtained in terms of solving a set of linear programs. Numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness and applicability of the theoretical results and algorithms.     

Observer-based distributed coordinated tracking control for multiple simple-pendulum network systems with time-varying delays

For networked control systems consisting of multiple simple-pendulums driven by corresponding DC motors with time-varying communication and input delays, a distributed coordinated controller via observer-based output feedback is designed to solve the tracking problem under both fixed and jointly-connected switching topologies. Firstly, the linearized dynamic model for multiple nonlinear simple-pendulum network systems with DC motors is presented, and the distributed coordinated tracking problem considering time-varying input delays is mathematically described. Then the distributed observer-based tracking control protocol with time-varying communication and input delays is proposed, and simultaneously, both the observer gain and feedback gain are designed. Two examples are simulated to demonstrate consensus tracking for three types of states, i.e., swing angles, angular velocities of multiple simple-pendulums and armature currents of DC motors can be completed utilizing the developed coordinated tracking control with fixed and jointly connected topologies.     

Adaptive consensus control for stochastic nonlinear multiagent systems with full state constraints

In this paper, the consensus tracking problem is investigated for stochastic nonlinear multiagent systems with full state constraints and time delays. The barrier Lyapunov functions proposed for single‐agent constrained systems are constructively extended to solve the consensus problem for multiagent systems with the full state constraints. Some Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functionals are introduced to compensate for state time delays, which are inherent in the complicated nonlinear systems. Based on the variable separation technique, the difficulty arising from the nonstrict‐feedback structure is overcome. Under a directed communication topology, the distributed neuroadaptive control protocols are proposed to guarantee that all the follower agents follow the trajectory of the leader agent and the full state constraints are not violated. The effectiveness of the proposed distributed adaptive control approach is verified via simulation examples.     

Consensus problem of heterogeneous multi-agent systems with time delay under fixed and switching topologies

Consensus problem is investigated for heterogeneous multi-agent systems composed of first-order agents and second-order agents in this paper. Leader-following consensus protocol is adopted to solve consensus problem of heterogeneous multi-agent systems with time-varying communication and input delays. By constructing Lyapunov-Krasovkii functional, sufficient consensus conditions in linear matrix inequality(LMI) form are obtained for the system under fixed interconnection topology. Moreover, consensus conditions are also obtained for the heterogeneous systems under switching topologies with time delays. Simulation examples are given to illustrate effectiveness of the results.     

Leader-follower consensus for a class of nonlinear multi-agent systems

This paper deals with the leader-follower consensus problem for a class of nonlinear multiagent systems. All agents have identical nonlinear dynamics in the strict feedback form with Lipschitz growth condition. Both full state consensus protocol and dynamic output consensus protocol are provided. It is shown that under a connected undirected information communication topology, the proposed protocols can solve the leader-follower consensus problem. Two consensus protocol design procedures are presented and a numerical example is given to illustrate the proposed protocols.     

Consensus of Multi-Agent Systems With Diverse Input and Communication Delays

The consensus problem for multi-agent systems with input and communication delays is studied based on the frequency-domain analysis. Two decentralized consensus conditions are obtained, one of which is given for the systems based on undirected graphs with diverse input delays and the other is for the systems based on directed graphs with diverse communication delays and input delays. For the systems with both communication delays and input delays, the consensus condition is dependent on input delays but independent of communication delays.     

Average consensus problems in networks of agents with delayed communications

The present paper is devoted to the study of average consensus problems for undirected networks of dynamic agents having communication delays. By focusing on agents with integrator dynamics, the accent is put here on the study of the time-delay influence: both constant and time-varying delays are considered, as well as uniform and non-uniform repartitions of the delays in the network. The main results provide sufficient conditions (also necessary in most cases) for the existence of average consensus under bounded communication delays. Simulations are provided that show adequation with these results.     

Pseudo-predictor feedback stabilization of linear systems with time-varying input delays

This paper is concerned with stabilization of (time-varying) linear systems with a single time-varying input delay by using the predictor based delay compensation approach. Differently from the traditional predictor feedback which uses the open-loop system dynamics to predict the future state and will result in an infinite dimensional controller, we propose in this paper a pseudo-predictor feedback (PPF) approach which uses the (artificial) closed-loop system dynamics to predict the future state and the resulting controller is finite dimensional and is thus easy to implement. Necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing the stability of the closed-loop system under the PPF are obtained in terms of the stability of a class of integral delay operators (systems). Moreover, it is shown that the PPF can compensate arbitrarily large yet bounded input delays provided the open-loop (time-varying linear) system is only polynomially unstable and the feedback gain is well designed. Comparison of the proposed PPF approach with the existing results is well explored. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.     

Leader-following consensus for a class of second-order nonlinear multi-agent systems

This paper deals with the leader-following consensus problem for a class of multi-agent systems with nonlinear dynamics and directed communication topology. The control input of the leader agent is assumed to be unknown to all follower agents. A distributed adaptive nonlinear control law is constructed using the relative state information between neighboring agents, which achieves leader-following consensus for any directed communication graph that contains a spanning tree with the root node being the leader agent. Compared with previous results, the nonlinear functions are not required to satisfy the globally Lipschitz or Lipschitz-like condition and the adaptive consensus protocol is in a distributed fashion. A numerical example is given to verify our proposed protocol.     

基于嵌套?伪预估器反馈的时滞控制系统输入时滞补偿

本文研究同时具有输入和状态时滞的控制系统的输入时滞补偿问题. 通过建立嵌套?伪预估器反馈方法预测系统未来的状态, 使得任意大但有界的输入时滞得到完全补偿. 不同于传统的预估器反馈利用开环系统预测系统未来的状态, 嵌套?伪预估器反馈则是利用闭环系统嵌套地预测系统未来的状态. 依据积分时滞系统的稳定性, 给出了保证闭环系统渐近稳定的充要条件. 最后, 采用数值仿真验证所提出方法的有效性.     

Output Consensus of Heterogeneous Multi-agent Systems under Directed Topologies via Dynamic Feedback

This paper discusses the problem of dynamic output consensus for heterogeneous multi-agent systems (MAS) with fixed topologies. All the agents possess unique linear dynamics, and only the output information of each agent is delivered throughout the communication digraphs. A series of conditions and protocols are set for reaching the consensus. With the proper feedback controllers, the output consensus of the overall system is guaranteed. An application illustrates the theorems.     

Allowable delay bound for consensus of linear multi-agent systems with communication delay

This paper studies the consensus of a group of linear dynamic agents with a uniform communication delay and focuses on searching an allowable delay bound. As long as the delay is less than this bound, there exist linear feedback consensus protocols driving the multi-agent system to achieve consensus. Both fixed and switching topology cases are investigated. In both cases, the consensus problem is converted to the robust stability problem of corresponding uncertain state-delayed systems. By using Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional analysis, consensus conditions which contain the feedback gain conditions and delay conditions are proposed for systems over fixed and switching topologies, respectively. Furthermore, allowable delay bounds are obtained for both systems by solving the optimal robust stabilisation problems. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the results.     

High-order consensus of heterogeneous multi-agent systems with unknown communication delays

This paper studies the high-order consensus problem for heterogeneous multi-agent systems with unknown communication delays. A necessary and sufficient condition is given for the existence of a high-order consensus solution to heterogeneous multi-agent systems. The condition shows that, for systems with diverse communication delays, high-order consensus does not require the self-delay of each agent to be equal to the corresponding communication delay. When the communication delays are unknown, a simple adaptive adjustment algorithm is presented for on-line adjusting self-delays.     

Robust <Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis><Subscript>∞</Subscript> consensus control of uncertain multi-agent systems with time delays

This paper is devoted to the robust H _∞ consensus control of multi-agent systems with model parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. In particular, switching networks of multiple agents with general linear dynamics are considered, and uncertain communication delays are also taken into account. It shows that a sufficient condition in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) is derived for the robust consensus performance with a given H _∞ disturbance attenuation level, and meanwhile the unknown feedback matrix of the proposed distributed state feedback protocol is also determined. A numerical example is included to validate the theoretical results.     

Remote Stabilization Via Communication Networks With a Distributed Control Law

In this note, we investigate the problem of remote stabilization via communication networks involving some time-varying delays of known average dynamics. This problem arises when the control law is remotely implemented and leads to the problem of stabilizing an open-loop unstable system with time-varying delay. We use a time-varying horizon predictor to design a stabilizing control law that sets the poles of the closed-loop system. The computation of the horizon of the predictor is investigated and the proposed control law explicitly takes into account an estimation of the average delay dynamics. The resulting closed loop system robustness with respect to some uncertainties on the delay estimation is also considered. Simulation results are finally presented.