Distributed adaptive output feedback tracking control for a class of uncertain nonlinear multi-agent systems

This paper addresses the distributed output feedback tracking control problem for multi-agent systems with higher order nonlinear non-strict-feedback dynamics and directed communication graphs. The existing works usually design a distributed consensus controller using all the states of each agent, which are often immeasurable, especially in nonlinear systems. In this paper, based only on the relative output between itself and its neighbours, a distributed adaptive consensus control law is proposed for each agent using the backstepping technique and approximation technique of Fourier series (FS) to solve the output feedback tracking control problem of multi-agent systems. The FS structure is taken not only for tracking the unknown nonlinear dynamics but also the unknown derivatives of virtual controllers in the controller design procedure, which can therefore prevent virtual controllers from containing uncertain terms. The projection algorithm is applied to ensure that the estimated parameters remain in some known bounded sets. Lyapunov stability analysis shows that the proposed control law can guarantee that the output of each agent synchronises to the leader with bounded residual errors and that all the signals in the closed-loop system are uniformly ultimately bounded. Simulation results have verified the performance and feasibility of the proposed distributed adaptive control strategy.     

Distributed adaptive consensus for linear multi-agent systems with quantised information

This paper considers the distributed adaptive consensus problem for linear multi-agent systems with quantised relative information. By using a lemma in algebraic graph theory and introducing a projection operator in adaptive law, a novel distributed adaptive state feedback controller is designed with quantised relative state information. It is shown that the practical consensus for multi-agent systems with a uniform quantiser is achieved via the Lyapunov theory and the non-smooth analysis. In contrast with the existing quantised controllers, which rely on the minimum nonzero eigenvalue of the Laplacian matrix, the developed controller is only dependent on the number of nodes. Furthermore, a dynamic output feedback controller based on quantised relative output information is proposed. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.     

Distributed prescribed performance control for consensus output tracking of nonlinear semi-strict feedback systems using finite-time disturbance observers

The distributed consensus output tracking problem is dealt with for a class of nonlinear semi-strict feedback systems in the presence of mismatched nonlinear uncertainties, external disturbances and uncertain nonlinear virtual control coefficients of the subsystems. The systems are under a directed communication graph, where the leader node is the root. The controller is designed in a backstepping manner, and the dynamic surface technique is adopted to avoid direct differentiation. At each step of virtual controller design, a prescribed performance controller is constructed to achieve prescribed transient performance so that the system states remain in the feasible domain. Then each virtual controller is enhanced by a finite-time disturbance observer which estimates the disturbance term in a finite-time. The properties of the control system are analysed theoretically. It is clarified that the prescribed performance control technique ensures that the system signals stay in the feasible domain, whereas sufficiently small ultimate control errors can be achieved by the finite-time disturbance observers. Finally, the performance of the proposed methods is confirmed by numerical studies.     

Consensus Control of Leader-Following Multi-Agent Systems in Directed Topology With Heterogeneous Disturbances

This paper investigates the consensus problem for linear multi-agent systems with the heterogeneous disturbances generated by the Brown motion. Its main contribution is that a control scheme is designed to achieve the dynamic consensus for the multi-agent systems in directed topology interfered by stochastic noise. In traditional ways, the coupling weights depending on the communication structure are static. A new distributed controller is designed based on Riccati inequalities, while updating the coupling weights associated with the gain matrix by state errors between adjacent agents. By introducing time-varying coupling weights into this novel control law, the state errors between leader and followers asymptotically converge to the minimum value utilizing the local interaction. Through the Lyapunov directed method and It? formula, the stability of the closed-loop system with the proposed control law is analyzed. Two simulation results conducted by the new and traditional schemes are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and advantage of the developed control method.      

Robust‐decentralized tracking control for a class of uncertain MIMO nonlinear systems with time‐varying delays

A new control design method based on signal compensation is proposed for a class of uncertain multi‐input multi‐output (MIMO) nonlinear systems in block‐triangular form with nonlinear uncertainties, unknown virtual control coefficients, strongly coupled interconnections, time‐varying delays, and external disturbances. By this method, the controller design is performed in a backstepping manner. At each step of backstepping procedure, a nominal virtual controller is first designed to get desired output tracking for the nominal disturbance‐free subsystem, and then a robust virtual compensator is designed to restrain the effect of the uncertainties, delays involved in the subsystem, and the couplings among the subsystems. The designed controller is linear and time‐invariant, so the explosion of complexity in the control law is avoid. It is proved that robust stability and robust practical tracking property of the closed‐loop system can be ensured, and the tracking errors can be made as small as desired. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于非光滑采样控制算法的二阶有向多智能体系统的一致性

针对二阶有向多智能体系统的一致性问题,在连续时间域和离散时间域分别提出一种非光滑控制协议.首先,提出一种连续时间非光滑一致性协议,通过李雅普诺夫理论和齐次系统理论,证明在无扰动情况下可以实现智能体状态的有限时间一致,而在有扰动情况下智能体状态之间的误差将收敛到一个与控制参数和外部扰动相关的范围内;然后,基于采样控制,提出离散非光滑一致性协议,进一步分析采样周期对智能体状态之间误差的影响,并给出误差收敛区间与控制参数、外部扰动和采样周期关系的显性表达式;最后,通过仿真实例验证理论的正确性和有效性.     

输入与速度饱和的异构多智能体系统的一致性

针对由一阶与二阶智能体构成的异构多智能体系统具有输入和速度饱和特性,系统无法达到一致性的问题,构建了无领航者和有领航者的异构多智能体分布式控制器,并给出了系统达到一致性的充分条件。通过Lyapunov稳定性理论和Lasalle不变集原理推导出了系统稳定性的充分条件,并以此计算出了通信增益的取值范围。对具有输入和速度饱和特性的无领航者异构多智能体系统进行数值仿真,结果显示,当选取的通信增益不在合适的范围内时,无领航者的异构多智能体系统无法实现一致性;而通过提出的增益选取方法选取通信增益时,异构多智能体系统可以克服输入和速度的饱和特性,进而实现异构多智能体系统的半全局一致性。对具有输入和速度饱和特性的领航跟随异构多智能体系统进行数值仿真的结果则证明了通信增益的计算方法也适用于异构多智能体系统的半全局领航跟随一致性控制。     

Robust consensus of multi-agent systems with time-delays and exogenous disturbances

In this paper, the robust consensus of multi-agent dynamical systems with time-delays and exogenous disturbances is studied. A pinning control strategy is designed for a parts of agents of the multi-agent systems without disturbances, and this pinning control can bring multiple agents?? states to an expected consensus track. Under the effects of the disturbances, disturbance observers based control (DOBC) are developed for disturbances generated by an exogenous system to estimate the disturbances. Asymptotical consensus of the multi-agent systems with disturbances under the composite controller can be achieved for fixed and switching topologies. Finally, by applying an example of multi-agent systems with switching topologies and exogenous disturbances, the design of the parameters of DOBC are illuminated.     

带有不连续动力学的非线性多智能体系统固定时间一致性EI北大核心CSCD

本文研究了一类带有不连续动力学和有界扰动的非线性多智能体系统领导跟随固定时间一致性问题.首先,在不对称的有向拓扑图下,本文设计了一种辅助信号,该辅助信号用于观测领导者状态,且该辅助信号不在通信信道中传输,可以有效地减少系统计算代价.随后,基于辅助信号,本文设计了一种不连续控制协议,以实现多智能体系统固定时间收敛.然后,利用非光滑分析、Lyapunov稳定性理论及代数图论等证明系统可在任意初始状态下达到固定时间一致.最后,仿真实例进一步验证了理论结果的有效性.     

四旋翼无人飞行器的轨迹跟踪与滑模事件驱动控制

四旋翼飞行器作为一个典型的欠驱动的系统,具有强耦合、非线性等特性.针对飞行器外部干扰、和通信资源受限条件下的轨迹跟踪控制问题,进行滑模事件驱动控制方法的研究.首先,分析动力学特性,通过时间尺度分解方法将系统解耦成位置子系统和姿态子系统.其次,将位置子系统转化为严格反馈形式,设计反步滑模控制器,实现位置轨迹稳定跟踪;针对姿态子系统存在时变有界扰动及通信受限,设计滑模事件驱动控制律,在抑制干扰的同时实现对虚拟姿态跟踪指令的跟踪.根据Lyapunov分析方法证明了所设计控制器的稳定性,并通过理论分析证明闭环控制系统不会出现Zeno现象.最后,仿真结果验证了滑模事件驱动控制律在存在外部扰动和通信受限时四旋翼无人飞行器轨迹跟踪的鲁棒性.     

不确定多智能体系统的鲁棒量化一致性研究

采用滑模控制设计方法考虑了多智能体系统的鲁棒量化一致性问题。将多智能体系统的滑模面设计由考虑匹配不确定的情形推广到同时带有匹配和不匹配不确定性的情形,并采用线性矩阵不等式技术给出滑模面参数的求解方法。针对数字通信通道编解码的特点,充分考虑了量化参数不匹配和外部干扰等多种不利因素的影响,提出一种新的滑模到达控制律确保闭环系统能在有限时间到达设计的滑模面,实现量化一致性的目标。经计算机仿真实验比较验证了本设计方法的有效性。     

Adaptive tracking control of leader-following linear multi-agent systems with external disturbances

In this paper, the consensus problem for leader-following linear multi-agent systems with external disturbances is investigated. Brownian motions are used to describe exogenous disturbances. A distributed tracking controller based on Riccati inequalities with an adaptive law for adjusting coupling weights between neighbouring agents is designed for leader-following multi-agent systems under fixed and switching topologies. In traditional distributed static controllers, the coupling weights depend on the communication graph. However, coupling weights associated with the feedback gain matrix in our method are updated by state errors between neighbouring agents. We further present the stability analysis of leader-following multi-agent systems with stochastic disturbances under switching topology. Most traditional literature requires the graph to be connected all the time, while the communication graph is only assumed to be jointly connected in this paper. The design technique is based on Riccati inequalities and algebraic graph theory. Finally, simulations are given to show the validity of our method.     

基于事件触发二阶多智能体系统的固定时间比例一致性

研究了在无向拓扑下,由多个子群组成的二阶多智能体系统的固定时间比例一致性问题,采用反推法设计了一种基于事件触发的固定时间非线性比例一致控制策略,该策略包含分段式事件触发函数:当智能体在追踪虚拟速度时,给出了基于速度信息的触发条件;当智能体速度与虚拟速度达到一致时,切换至基于位置信息的触发条件,可有效减少系统能量耗散及控...     

Observer-based prescribed-time consensus control for heterogeneous multi-agent systems under directed graphs

This work studies the prescribed-time robust consensus tracking problem of heterogeneous multi-agent systems over directed graphs. Aiming at multi-agent systems with a static leader and only matched disturbances, a distributed observer-based consensus algorithm is developed, to ensure that the tracking errors converge to zero accurately in prescribed time. For the case of multi-agent systems with a dynamic leader and mismatched/matched disturbances, an adaptive strategy based on a distributed observer and a disturbance observer is designed by the dynamic damping reciprocal technology. Such strategy can avoid the numerical singularity, adapt to the situation that the upper bounds of the disturbances are unknown, and assure that the tracking errors converge to an adjustable neighborhood of zero within prescribed time. Finally, simulations are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategies.     

Consensus in multi-agent systems with nonlinear uncertainties under a fixed undirected graph

This paper presents consensus algorithms by integrating cooperative control and adaptive control laws for multi-agent systems with unknown nonlinear uncertainties. An ideal multi-agent system without uncertainties is introduced first. The cooperative control law, based on an artificial potential function, is designed to make the ideal multi-agent system achieve consensus under a fixed and connected undirected graph. The presence of uncertainties will degenerate the performance, or even destabilize the whole multi-agent system. The L ₁ adaptive control law is therefore introduced to handle unknown nonlinear uncertainties. Two different consensus cases are considered: 1) normal consensus—where all agents reach an agreement on an initially undetermined position and velocity, and 2) consensus with a virtual leader—where all agents’ states converge to the virtual leader’s states. Under a fixed and connected undirected graph, the presented consensus algorithms enable the real multi-agent system to stay close to the ideal multi-agent system which achieves consensus with or without a virtual leader. Simulation results of 2-D consensus with nonlinear uncertainties are provided to demonstrate the presented algorithms.     

Finite-time consensus algorithm for multi-agent systems with double-integrator dynamics

In this paper, we discuss the finite-time consensus problem for leaderless and leader–follower multi-agent systems with external disturbances. Based on the finite-time control technique, continuous distributed control algorithms are designed for these agents described by double integrators. Firstly, for the leaderless multi-agent systems, it is shown that the states of all agents can reach a consensus in finite time in the absence of disturbances. In the presence of disturbances, the steady-state errors of any two agents can reach a region in finite time. Secondly, for the leader–follower multi-agent systems, finite-time consensus algorithms are also designed based on distributed finite-time observers. Rigorous proof is given by using Lyapunov theory and graph theory. Finally, one example is employed to verify the efficiency of the proposed method.     

风浪流干扰及参数不确定欠驱动船舶航迹跟踪的滑模鲁棒控制

针对欠驱动船舶的模型参数不确定和外界风浪流干扰问题,为实现水平面的航迹跟踪控制,提出了一种基于上下界的滑模控制方法.首先利用反步法将控制器的设计分解为运动学回路和动力学回路.其次,在运动学回路中为实现位置跟踪误差的收敛,根据期望航迹与当前位置信息,设计船舶的纵向与侧移参考速度,并视为镇定位置误差的虚拟控制律;在动力学回路中,将虚拟控制律作为新的跟踪目标,利用滑模方法设计实际控制律实现对参考速度的跟踪控制,最终实现了欠驱动船舶的跟踪控制.最后对有无干扰下的欠驱动船模分别进行了仿真实验,仿真结果证明了控制律的有效性.     

Leader–follower fixed-time consensus of multi-agent systems with high-order integrator dynamics

The leader–follower fixed-time consensus of high-order multi-agent systems with external disturbances is investigated in this paper. A novel sliding manifold is designed to ensure that the tracking errors converge to zero in a fixed-time during the sliding motion. Then, a distributed control law is designed based on Lyapunov technique to drive the system states to the sliding manifold in finite-time independent of initial conditions. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed method is illustrated by numerical simulations.     

Robust integral of sign of error-based distributed flocking control of double-integrator multi-agent systems with a varying virtual leader

This article investigates the flocking control problem of double-integrator multi-agent systems with a virtual leader subject to unknown external disturbances. A robust integral of sign of error (RISE) based control method is leveraged to design a distributed flocking controller with advantages of zero initial input value and continuous control input. By means of a new second-order differential virtual potential field function, and the navigational feedback from a virtual leader, the proposed flocking controller assures agents of velocity consensus with the virtual leader and a quasi -lattice formation within a circular neighborhood centered on the virtual leader. Moreover, this algorithm guarantees collision avoidance and connectivity preservation of a proximity-induced communication topology. Numerical simulations of the algorithm are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed flocking algorithm.     

Fully distributed event-triggered asymptotic attitude coordination of multiple spacecraft systems with disturbances

This article studies the leader-following attitude coordination problem of a group of rigid spacecraft subject to communication constraint, disturbances and uncertain control coefficient matrices. A fully distributed adaptive anti-disturbance attitude coordinated control scheme with event-triggering mechanism is developed. First, the event-triggered adaptive distributed observer is designed for each follower to estimate the leader's information without continuous communication requirement. Based on the estimated information, the adaptive anti-disturbance attitude tracking controller is designed such that asymptotic coordinated tracking can be achieved under additive disturbances and actuators' partial loss of efficiency. The proposed control scheme ensures that all the closed-loop signals are bounded and the positive lower bound of inter-event times exists in each subsystem. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness and flexibility of the proposed control scheme.