Leader-following consensus problem with a varying-velocity leader and time-varying delays

In this paper, we study a leader-following consensus problem for a multi-agent system with a varying-velocity leader and time-varying delays. Here, the interaction graph among the followers is switching and balanced. At first, we propose a neighbor-based rule for every agent to track a leader whose states may not be measured. In addition, we consider the convergence analysis of this multi-agent system under two different conditions: the connection between the followers and the leader is time-invariant and time-varying. For the first case, a novel decomposition method is introduced to facilitate the convergence analysis. By utilizing a Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, we obtain sufficient conditions for uniformly ultimately boundedness of the tracking errors. Finally, two simulations are also presented to illustrate our theoretical results.     

Trajectory Control of Scale-Free Dynamical Networks with Exogenous Disturbances

In this paper, the trajectory control of multi-agent dynamical systems with exogenous disturbances is studied. Suppose multiple agents composing of a scale-free network topology, the performance of rejecting disturbances for the low degree node and high degree node is analyzed. Firstly, the consensus of multi-agent systems without disturbances is studied by designing a pinning control strategy on a part of agents, where this pinning control can bring multiple agents' states to an expected consensus track. Then, theinfluence of the disturbances is considered by developing disturbance observers, and 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 scale-free network topology. Finally, by analyzing examples of multi-agent systems with scale-free network topology and exogenous disturbances, the verities of the results are proved. Under the DOBC with the designed parameters, the trajectory convergence of multi-agent systems is researched by pinning two class of the nodes. We have found that it has more stronger robustness to exogenous disturbances for the high degree node pinned than that of the lowdegree node pinned.     

Consensus for second-order multi-agent systems with position sampled data

In this paper, the consensus problem with position sampled data for second-order multi-agent systems is investigated.The interaction topology among the agents is depicted by a directed graph. The full-order and reduced-order observers with position sampled data are proposed, by which two kinds of sampled data-based consensus protocols are constructed. With the provided sampled protocols, the consensus convergence analysis of a continuous-time multi-agent system is equivalently transformed into that of a discrete-time system. Then, by using matrix theory and a sampled control analysis method, some sufficient and necessary consensus conditions based on the coupling parameters, spectrum of the Laplacian matrix and sampling period are obtained. While the sampling period tends to zero, our established necessary and sufficient conditions are degenerated to the continuous-time protocol case, which are consistent with the existing result for the continuous-time case. Finally, the effectiveness of our established results is illustrated by a simple simulation example.     

一类异构多智能体系统固定和切换拓扑下的一致性分析

对包含一阶二阶智能体的异构系统有向图中的一致性问题进行研究.对该系统采用了一种线性分布式一致性协议,基于图论和矩阵分析的方法,分析了在固定和切换拓扑情况下系统获得一致性的充分条件,该条件与控制参数和通信拓扑有关.给出了固定拓扑中系统的一致平衡点,证明了仅通信拓扑中的根节点对平衡点起作用.数值仿真验证了理论分析的正确性.     

Consensus of heterogeneous multi-agent systems based on sampled data with a small sampling delay

In this paper, consensus problems of heterogeneous multi-agent systems based on sampled data with a small sampling delay are considered. First, a consensus protocol based on sampled data with a small sampling delay for heterogeneous multi-agent systems is proposed. Then, the algebra graph theory, the matrix method, the stability theory of linear systems, and some other techniques are employed to derive the necessary and sufficient conditions guaranteeing heterogeneous multi-agent systems to asymptotically achieve the stationary consensus. Finally, simulations are performed to demonstrate the correctness of the theoretical results.     

领导-跟随多智能体系统的滞后一致性

近年来,随着应用的需要和技术的发展,多智能体系统的一致性逐渐成为研究热点.在通信网络和工程应用中,由于信号传播的延迟效应,系统中智能体的状态可能表现为滞后一致.本文提出多智能体系统的滞后一致性概念,研究了有向网络环境下一阶领导-跟随多智能体系统的滞后一致性问题.通过设计合适的控制协议,利用矩阵理论和稳定性理论,获得该系统达到滞后一致的充分条件.数值模拟验证了理论结果的正确性.     

Successive lag cluster consensus on multi-agent systems via delay-dependent impulsive control

We introduce a new consensus pattern, named a successive lag cluster consensus(SLCC), which is a generalized pattern of successive lag consensus(SLC). By applying delay-dependent impulsive control, the SLCC of first-order and second-order multi-agent systems is discussed. Furthermore, based on graph theory and stability theory, some sufficient conditions for the stability of SLCC on multi-agent systems are obtained. Finally, several numerical examples are given to verify the correctness of our theoretical results.     

Fixed-Time Leader-Following Consensus Tracking Control for Nonliear Multi-Agent Systems under Jointly Connected Graph

This paper researches the fixed-time leader-following consensus problem for nonlinear multi-agent systems (MASs) affected by unknown disturbances under the jointly connected graph. In order to achieve control goal, this paper designs a fixed-time consensus protocol, which can offset the unknown disturbances and the nonlinear item under the jointly connected graph, simultaneously. In this paper, the states of multiple followers can converge to the state of the leader within a fixed time regardless of the initial conditions rather than just converging to a small neighborhood near the leader state. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the theoretical result.     

Impulsive synchronization of networked nonlinear dynamical systems

In this Letter, we investigate the problem of impulsive synchronization of networked multi-agent systems, where each agent can be modeled as an identical nonlinear dynamical system. Firstly, an impulsive control protocol is designed for network with fixed topology based on the local information of agents. Then sufficient conditions are given to guarantee the synchronization of the networked nonlinear dynamical system by using algebraic graph theory and impulsive control theory. Furthermore, how to select the discrete instants and impulsive constants is discussed. The case that the topologies of the networks are switching is also considered. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness of our theoretical results.     

Connectivity recovery of multi-agent systems based on connecting neighbor set

This paper investigates robust and fast consensus of multi-agent systems subject to external attacks. The strategy of connecting neighbor set is proposed to recover the connectivity of the resulting interconnected network, to improve the robustness against next external attacks, and to guarantee the fast consensus of the resulting multi-agent systems. Two strategies are provided to optimize the robustness against next external attacks and the convergence speed of achieving consensus, respectively. Meanwhile it turns out that there exists a trade-off between improving the robustness against next external attacks and enhancing the convergence speed of achieving consensus. Several simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

Consensus of compound-order multi-agent systems with communication delays

In complex environments, many distributed networked systems can only be illustrated with fractional-order dynamics. When multi-agent systems show individual diversity with difference agents, heterogeneous (integer-order and fractional-order) dynamics are used to illustrate the agent systems and compose integerfractional compounded-order systems. Applying Laplace transform and frequency domain theory of the fractional-order operator, the consensus of delayed multi-agent systems with directed weighted topologies is studied. Since an integer-order model is the special case of a fractional-order model, the results in this paper can be extended to systems with integer-order models. Finally, numerical examples are used to verify our results.     

Group consensus of multi-agent systems subjected to cyber-attacks

In this paper, we investigate the group consensus for leaderless multi-agent systems. The group consensus protocol based on the position information from neighboring agents is designed. The network may be subjected to frequent cyberattacks, which is close to an actual case. The cyber-attacks are assumed to be recoverable. By utilizing algebraic graph theory, linear matrix inequality(LMI) and Lyapunov stability theory, the multi-agent systems can achieve group consensus under the proposed control protocol. The sufficient conditions of the group consensus for the multi-agent networks subjected to cyber-attacks are given. Furthermore, the results are extended to the consensus issue of multiple subgroups with cyber-attacks. Numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

Cluster-Delay Mean Square Consensus of Stochastic Multi-Agent Systems with Impulse Time Windows

This paper investigates the cluster-delay mean square consensus problem of a class of first-order nonlinear stochastic multi-agent systems with impulse time windows. Specifically, on the one hand, we have applied a discrete control mechanism (i.e., impulsive control) into the system instead of a continuous one, which has the advantages of low control cost, high convergence speed; on the other hand, we considered the existence of impulse time windows when modeling the system, that is, a single impulse appears randomly within a time window rather than an ideal fixed position. In addition, this paper also considers the influence of stochastic disturbances caused by fluctuations in the external environment. Then, based on algebraic graph theory and Lyapunov stability theory, some sufficiency conditions that the system must meet to reach the consensus state are given. Finally, we designed a simulation example to verify the feasibility of the obtained results.     

Finite-time consensus of second-order leader-following multi-agent systems without velocity measurements

This Letter investigates the finite-time consensus problems of second-order multi-agent systems in the presence of one and multiple leaders under a directed graph. Specifically, we propose two bounded control laws, which are independent of velocity information, to deal with the finite-time consensus tracking problem with one leader and the finite-time containment control problem with multiple leaders, respectively. With the aid of homogeneous theory, some sufficient conditions are established for the achievement of the finite-time tracking control problem of second-order multi-agent systems. Numerical examples are finally provided to illustrate the theoretical results.     

Leader-following consensus of discrete-time fractional-order multi-agent systems

Leader-following consensus of fractional order multi-agent systems is investigated. The agents are considered as discrete-time fractional order integrators or fractional order double-integrators. Moreover, the interaction between the agents is described with an undirected communication graph with a fixed topology. It is shown that the leader-following consensus problem for the considered agents could be converted to the asymptotic stability analysis of a discrete-time fractional order system. Based on this idea, sufficient conditions to reach the leader-following consensus in terms of the controller parameters are extracted. This leads to an appropriate region in the controller parameters space. Numerical simulations are provided to show the performance of the proposed leader-following consensus approach.     

Cluster consensus of second-order multi-agent systems via pinning control

This paper investigates the cluster consensus problem for second-order multi-agent systems by applying the pinning control method to a small collection of the agents.Consensus is attained independently for different agent clusters according to the community structure generated by the group partition of the underlying graph and sufficient conditions for both cluster and general consensus are obtained by using results from algebraic graph theory and the LaSalle Invariance Principle.Finally,some simple simulations are presented to illustrate the technique.     

Robust Consensus of Multi-Agent Systems with Uncertain Exogenous Disturbances

The objective of this paper is to investigate the consensus of the multi-agent systems with nonlinear coupling function and external disturbances. The disturbance includes two parts, one part is supposed to be generated by an exogenous system, which is not required to be neutrally stable as in the output
regulation theory, the other part is the modeling uncertainty in the exogenous disturbance system. A novel composite disturbance observer based control (DOBC) and H_∝ control scheme is presented so that the disturbance with the exogenous system can be estimated and compensated and the consensus of the multi-agent systems with fixed and switching graph can be reached by using H_∝ control law. Simulations demonstrate the advantages of the proposed DOBC and H_∝ control scheme.     

Consensus protocol for heterogeneous multi-agent systems: A Markov chain approach

This paper deals with the consensus problem for heterogeneous multi-agent systems. Different from most existing consensus protocols, we consider the consensus seeking of two types of agents, namely, active agents and passive agents. The objective is to directly control the active agents such that the states of all the agents would achieve consensus. In order to obtain a computational approach, we subtly introduce an appropriate Markov chain to cast the heterogeneous systems into a unified framework. Such a framework is helpful for tackling the constraints from passive agents. Furthermore, a sufficient and necessary condition is established to guarantee the consensus in heterogeneous multi-agent systems. Finally, simulation results are provided to verify the theoretical analysis and the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.     

Agreement coordination for second-order multi-agent systems with disturbances

This paper is devoted to the study of consensus problems for the second-order multi-agent systems with external disturbances, switching topology and communication time-delay. Firstly, we perform a model transformation and separate the agreement states from the disagreement states. Secondly, according to this system, we derive a sufficient condition for consensus problem without disturbances by using the Lyapunov-based approach. Furthermore, we give a design criterion in terms of bilinear matrix inequality for the control protocol in the presence of disturbances. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness of our strategies.     

Consensus problems in multi-agent systems with double integrator model

In this paper, we consider multi-agent consensus problems in a decentralised fashion. The interconnection topology graph among the agents is switching and undirected. The agent dynamics is expressed in the form of a double integrator model. Two different cases are considered in this study. One is the leader-following case and the other is leaderless case. Based on graph theory and common Lyapunov function method, some sufficient conditions are obtained for the consensus stability of the considered systems with the neighbour-based feedback laws in both leader-following case and leaderless case respectively. Finally, two numerical examples are given to illustrate the obtained results.