Higher order finite-time consensus protocol for heterogeneous multi-agent systems

Abstract

This paper studies the higher order finite-time consensus protocol for heterogeneous multi-agent systems (HMASs). By adding a power integrator method and using heterogeneous domination method, two kinds of consensus protocols are proposed with state feedback and output feedback, respectively. First, for the leaderless and leader-follower HMASs, the continuous finite-time consensus protocols are proposed. Then, by designing a finite-time observer, the output-feedback finite-time consensus protocol is developed. Finally, simulations are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Keywords:

• finite-time consensus
• heterogeneous multi-agent systems
• finite-time observer
• leaderless
• leader-follower

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their appreciation to the Associate Editor and the anonymous reviewers whose constructive comments and suggestions were very helpful in improving the quality of this paper to its current standard.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars [grant number 61125306]; Excellent Young Scholars [grant number 61322302]; the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 61104145], [grant number 91016004]; the PhD Program Foundation of Ministry of Education of China [grant number 20110092110020]; the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China [grant number BK2011581]; the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China [grant number 20110092120024]; the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China.