Synchronised output regulation of nonlinear multi-agent systems

Abstract

This paper considers a synchronised output regulation (SOR) problem of nonlinear multi-agent systems with switching graph. The SOR means that all agents have their outputs synchronised but also ultimately evolve on a manifold determined by a predefined exosystem. Each agent constructs its local copy of the predefined exosystem and exchanges the state information of the local exosystem to realise the synchronisation of local exosystem. A controller based on the nonlinear output regulation theory is then presented to force the agent's output track the output of local exosystem. It is shown that the SOR is solvable under the assumptions same as that for nonlinear output regulation of a single agent, if the switching graph satisfies the bounded interconnectivity times condition. Both state feedback and output feedback are addressed. A numerical simulation is made to show the efficacy of the analytic results.

Keywords:

• synchronised output regulation (SOR)
• nonlinear system
• multi-agent
• switching graph

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by grants from the National 863 Program of China [grant number 2011AA050204]; the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 61104149], [grant number 61374174]; the Zhejiang Province Natural Science Fund [grant number LY13F030001], [grant number LY14F030003]; the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University [grant number NCET-11-0459].