Reaction wheel fault‐tolerant finite‐time control for spacecraft attitude tracking without unwinding

This article proposes fault‐tolerant finite‐time attitude tracking control of a rigid spacecraft actuated by four reaction wheels without unwinding problem in the presence of external disturbances, uncertain inertia parameter, and actuator faults. First, a novel antiunwinding finite‐time attitude tracking control law is derived with a designed control signal which works within a known actuator‐magnitude constraint using a continuous nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode (NFTSM) concept. Second, a finite‐time disturbance observer (FTDO) is introduced to estimate a lumped disturbance due to external disturbances, uncertain inertia parameter, actuator faults, and input saturation. Third, a composite controller is developed which consists of a feedback control based on the continuous NFTSM method and compensation term based on the FTDO. The global finite‐time stability is proved using Lyapunov stability theory. Moreover, the singularity and unwinding phenomenon are avoided. Simulation results are conducted under actuator constraints in the presence of external disturbances, inertia uncertainty, and actuator faults and results are illustrated to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. In addition, to show the superiority of the proposed control method over the recently reported control methods, comparative analysis is also presented.     

Two‐Layer Terminal Sliding Mode Attitude Control of Satellites Equipped with Reaction Wheels

This paper addresses the global stability and robust attitude tracking problem of a near polar orbit satellite subject to unknown disturbances and uncertainties. It is assumed that the satellite is fully actuated by a set of reaction wheels (RW) as control actuators because of their relative simplicity, versatility and high accuracy. The terminal sliding mode control (TSMC) approach is utilized in a two‐level architecture to achieve control objectives. In the lower layer a detumbling‐like controller is designed which guarantees the finite‐time detumbling and tracking of the desired angular velocities and based on this result a robust attitude tracking controller is designed in the upper layer to achieve 3‐axis attitude tracking in the presence of unknown disturbances and bounded uncertainties. Robust stability and tracking properties of designed controllers are proved using the Lyapunov theory. Finally, a set of numerical simulation results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness and performance of the proposed control method.     

再入飞行器带有干扰观测器的有限时间控制

针对模型参数不确定及外界干扰影响下的再入飞行器的姿态控制问题,设计基于干扰观测器的有限时间控制策略.首先建立面向控制模型,并通过多时间尺度原理将面向控制模型分为内、外两环;其次,设计干扰观测器实时观测面向控制模型中的参数不确定及外界干扰,解决滑模控制因参数过大而导致的抖振问题,基于观测值,设计终端滑模控制器,在此基础上,基于Lyapunov理论对控制系统的稳定性进行分析;最后,基于六自由度再入模型,验证所设计的有限时间姿态控制策略的有效性.     

Finite‐time attitude control of multiple rigid spacecraft using terminal sliding mode

This paper investigates the control problem of finite‐time attitude synchronization and tracking for a group of rigid spacecraft in the presence of environmental disturbances. A new fast terminal sliding manifold is developed for multiple spacecraft formation flying under the undirected graph topology. On the basis of the finite‐time control and adaptive control strategies, two novel decentralized finite‐time control laws are proposed to force the spacecraft attitude error dynamics to converge to small regions in finite time, and adaptive control is applied to reject the disturbance. The finite‐time convergence and stability of the closed‐loop system can be guaranteed by Lyapunov theory. Simulation examples are provided to illustrate the feasibility of the control algorithm. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite‐Time Fault‐Tolerant Control for a Class of Non‐Affine Nonlinear System Using Sliding Mode Disturbance Observer

This study investigates a finite‐time fault‐tolerant control scheme for a class of non‐affine nonlinear system with actuator faults and unknown disturbances. A global approximation method is applied to non‐affine nonlinear system to convert it into an affine‐like expression with accuracy. An adaptive terminal sliding mode disturbance observer is proposed to estimate unknown compound disturbances in finite time, including external disturbances and system uncertainties, which enhances system robustness. Controllers based on finite‐time Lyapunov theory are designed to force tracking errors to zero in finite time. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed method.     

On distributed finite‐time observer design and finite‐time coordinated tracking of multiple double integrator systems via local interactions

This paper studies finite‐time coordinated tracking problem for multiple double integrator systems with a time‐varying leader's velocity and bounded external disturbances. We consider the dynamic feedback designs for two different cases. In the first case, the velocities of the followers and the leader are assumed to be unavailable, and the communication topology is assumed to be undirected and fixed. In the second case, the velocities of the followers and the leader are assumed to be available, and the communication topology is assumed to be directed and switching. Distributed finite‐time observers are designed, respectively, to obtain the velocity information in the first case and the relative state information in the second case. The states of these observers are then used to design control inputs that achieve finite time robust coordinated tracking of multiple double integrator systems in the presence of bounded disturbances for these two cases. Simulation results are provided to validate the effectiveness of these theoretical results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

四旋翼无人机不匹配扰动抗干扰控制

针对四旋翼无人机存在的不匹配干扰和执行器故障等现象,提出了一种基于有限时间观测器的飞行控制方案。从无人机的运动学模型出发,构建了受执行器故障和不匹配干扰影响的控制模型。将干扰观测器与非奇异终端滑模控制 (NTSMC) 方法相结合,以实现复合抗干扰和容错控制器设计。首先,设计了两个非线性有限时间扰动观测器来估计不匹配扰动和执行器故障,有限时间观测器使得估计误差在有限时间内收敛到零。其次,将观测器与NTSMC控制方法结合,以在有限的时间内实现跟踪,并有效地减少抖振。最后,从理论和仿真验证了控制方法的有效性和所期望的控制性能。     

Finite‐time tracking control for a class of nonlinear systems with multiple mismatched disturbances

This article investigates the finite‐time output tracking problem for a class of nonlinear systems with multiple mismatched disturbances. To efficiently estimate the disturbances and their derivatives, a continuous finite‐time disturbance observer (CFTDO) design method is developed. Based on the modified adding a power integrator method and CFTDO technique, a composite tracking controller is constructed such that the system output can track the desired reference signal in finite time. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control approach.     

Robust finite‐time consensus formation control for multiple nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots via output feedback

The finite‐time formation control for multiple nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots with a leader‐following structure is studied. Different from the existing results, the considered mobile robot has the following features: (i) a higher‐order dynamic model, (ii) the robot's velocities cannot be measured, and (iii) there are external disturbances. To solve the problem, a finite‐time consensus formation control algorithm via output feedback is explicitly given. At the first step, some finite‐time convergent observers are skillfully constructed to estimate both the unknown velocity information and the disturbance in finite time by imposing certain assumptions on the disturbances. Then, on the basis of the integral sliding‐mode control method, a disturbance observer‐based finite‐time output feedback controller is developed. Rigorous proof shows that the finite‐time formation can be achieved in finite time. An example is finally given to verify the efficiency of the proposed method.     

飞翼无人机复合连续非奇异终端滑模姿态跟踪容错控制

本文针对受多源干扰和舵面故障影响的飞翼无人机系统姿态跟踪控制问题进行研究, 提出了一种基于高阶滑模观测器的复合连续非奇异终端滑模主动抗干扰容错控制算法, 在实现姿态跟踪误差有限时间收敛的同时, 保证了控制量的连续. 并且针对控制力矩的具体实现问题, 结合飞翼无人机气动舵面冗余特性, 给出了基于加权伪逆算法的舵面分配方案, 该方案在满足舵面约束的情况下, 保证了舵面偏转角度的最优. 仿真结果表明, 所提控制方案显著提升了飞翼无人机姿态跟踪精度和跟踪误差的收敛速度, 并且保证了所有舵面满足偏角约束.     

Time‐varying input delay compensation for nonlinear systems with additive disturbance: An output feedback approach

This paper addresses the output feedback tracking control of a class of multiple‐input and multiple‐output nonlinear systems subject to time‐varying input delay and additive bounded disturbances. Based on the backstepping design approach, an output feedback robust controller is proposed by integrating an extended state observer and a novel robust controller, which uses a desired trajectory‐based feedforward term to achieve an improved model compensation and a robust delay compensation feedback term based on the finite integral of the past control values to compensate for the time‐varying input delay. The extended state observer can simultaneously estimate the unmeasurable system states and the additive disturbances only with the output measurement and delayed control input. The proposed controller theoretically guarantees prescribed transient performance and steady‐state tracking accuracy in spite of the presence of time‐varying input delay and additive bounded disturbances based on Lyapunov stability analysis by using a Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional. A specific study on a 2‐link robot manipulator is performed; based on the system model and the proposed design procedure, a suitable controller is developed, and comparative simulation results are obtained to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed control scheme.     

FTESO‐Based Finite Time Control for Underactuated System Within a Bounded Input

Finite time control problem is investigated for a class of underactuated systems with uncertainties and external disturbances. For the sake of expanding control region furthest within a bound input, finite time extended state observer (FTESO) and a novel adaptive terminal sliding mode (ATSM) controller are applied to improve the stability performance of system. Compared to the general extended state observer (ESO), FTESO makes use of fractional powers to reduce the estimation errors to zero in finite time. The coordinate transformation is made for more degrees of design freedom. Rigorous analysis of finite time convergence results has been performed through Lyapunov theory and sufficient conditions are provided for the observer/controller‐design. Finally, simulation results on the Rotating Inverted Pendulum are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller and observer.     

Fast terminal sliding‐mode finite‐time tracking control with differential evolution optimization algorithm using integral chain differentiator in uncertain nonlinear systems

This paper presents a fast terminal sliding‐mode tracking control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with unknown parameters and system states combined with time‐varying disturbances. Fast terminal sliding‐mode finite‐time tracking systems based on differential evolution algorithms incorporate an integral chain differentiator (ICD) to feedback systems for the estimation of the unknown system states. The differential evolution optimization algorithm using ICD is also applied to a tracking controller, which provides unknown parametric estimation in the limitation of unknown system states for trajectory tracking. The ICD in the tracking systems strengthens the tracking controller robustness for the disturbances by filtering noises. As a powerful finite‐time control effort, the fast terminal sliding‐mode tracking control guarantees that all tracking errors rapidly converge to the origin. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified via simulations, and the results exhibit high‐precision output tracking performance in uncertain nonlinear systems.     

Continuous Finite‐Time Sliding Mode Control for Uncertain Nonlinear Systems with Applications to DC‐DC Buck Converters

This paper investigates the continuous finite‐time control problem of high‐order uncertain nonlinear systems with mismatched disturbances through the terminal sliding mode control method. By constructing a novel dynamic terminal sliding manifold based on the disturbance estimations of high‐order sliding mode observers, a continuous finite‐time terminal sliding mode control method is developed to counteract mismatched disturbances. To avoid discontinuous control action, the switching terms of a dynamic terminal sliding manifold are designed to appear only in the derivative term of the control variable. To validate its effectiveness, the proposed control method is applied to a DC‐DC buck converter system. The experimental results show the proposed method exhibits better control performance than a chattering free controller, such as mismatched disturbances rejection and smaller steady‐state fluctuations.     

Robust Adaptive Fractional‐Order Terminal Sliding Mode Control for Lower‐Limb Exoskeleton

This paper introduces a robust adaptive fractional‐order non‐singular fast terminal sliding mode control (RFO‐TSM) for a lower‐limb exoskeleton system subject to unknown external disturbances and uncertainties. The referred RFO‐TSM is developed in consideration of the advantages of fractional‐order and non‐singular fast terminal sliding mode control (FONTSM): fractional‐order is used to obtain good tracking performance, while the non‐singular fast TSM is employed to achieve fast finite‐time convergence, non‐singularity and reducing chattering phenomenon in control input. In particular, an adaptive scheme is formulated with FONTSM to deal with uncertain dynamics of exoskeleton under unknown external disturbances, which makes the system robust. Moreover, an asymptotical stability analysis of the closed‐loop system is validated by Lyapunov proposition, which guarantees the sliding condition. Lastly, the efficacy of the proposed method is verified through numerical simulations in comparison with advanced and classical methods.     

Combining state estimator and disturbance observer in discrete‐time sliding mode controller design

In response to a multiple input/multiple output discrete‐time linear system with mismatched disturbances, an algorithm capable of performing estimated system states and unknown disturbances is proposed first, and then followed with the design of the controller. Attributed to the fact that both system states and disturbances can be estimated simultaneously with our proposed method, the estimation error is constrained at less than O(T) as the disturbance between the two sampling points is insignificant. In addition, the estimated system states and disturbances are then to be used in the controller when implementing our algorithm in a non‐minimum phase system (with respect to the relation between the output and the disturbance). The tracking error is constrained in a small bounded region and the system stability is guaranteed. Finally, a numerical example is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed control scheme. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society     

Robust Tracking Control Of The Variable Stiffness Actuator Based On The Lever Mechanism

This paper is concerned with the design of a robust adaptive tracking control scheme for a class of variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) based on the lever mechanisms. For these VSAs based on the lever mechanisms, the AwAS‐II developed at Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) is chosen as the study object, and it is an enhanced version of the original realization AwAS (actuator with adjustable stiffness). Firstly, for the dynamic model of the AwAS‐II system in the presence of parametric uncertainties, unknown bounded friction torques, unknown bounded external disturbance and input saturation constraints, by using the coordinate transformations and the static state feedback linearization, the state space model of the AwAS‐II system with composite disturbances and input saturation constraints is transformed into an uncertain multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) linear system with lumped disturbances and input saturation constraints. Subsequently, a combination of the feedback linearization, disturbance observer, sliding mode control and adaptive input saturation compensation law is adopted for the design of the robust tracking controller that simultaneously regulates the position and stiffness of the AwAS‐II system. Under the proposed controller, the semi‐global uniformly ultimately bounded stability of the closed‐loop system has been proved via Lyapunov stability analysis. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness and the robustness of the proposed robust adaptive tracking control scheme.     

Robust adaptive finite‐time parameter estimation and control for robotic systems

This paper studies adaptive parameter estimation and control for nonlinear robotic systems based on parameter estimation errors. A framework to obtain an expression of the parameter estimation error is proposed first by introducing a set of auxiliary filtered variables. Then three novel adaptive laws driven by the estimation error are presented, where exponential error convergence is proved under the conventional persistent excitation (PE) condition; the direct measurement of the time derivatives of the system states are avoided. The adaptive laws are modified via a sliding mode technique to achieve finite‐time convergence, and an online verification of the alternative PE condition is introduced. Leakage terms, functions of the estimation error, are incorporated into the adaptation laws to avoid windup of the adaptation algorithms. The adaptive algorithm applied to robotic systems permits that tracking control and exact parameter estimation are achieved simultaneously in finite time using a terminal sliding mode (TSM) control law. In this case, the PE condition can be replaced with a sufficient richness requirement of the command signals and thus is verifiable a priori. The potential singularity problem encountered in TSM controls is remedied by introducing a two‐phase control procedure. The robustness of the proposed methods against disturbances is investigated. Simulations based on the ‘Bristol‐Elumotion‐Robotic‐Torso II’ (BERT II) are provided to validate the efficacy of the introduced methods. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite‐time attitude stabilization for rigid spacecraft

This paper investigates the finite‐time attitude stabilization problem for rigid spacecraft in the presence of inertia uncertainties and external disturbances. Three nonsingular terminal sliding mode (NTSM) controllers are designed to make the spacecraft system converge to its equilibrium point or a region around its equilibrium point in finite time. In addition, these novel controllers are singularity‐free, and the presented adaptive NTSM control (ANTSMC) laws are chattering‐free. A rigorous proof of finite‐time convergence is developed. The proposed ANTSMC algorithms combine NTSM, adaptation and a constant plus power rate reaching law. Because the algorithms require no information about inertia uncertainties and external disturbances, they can be used in practical systems, where such knowledge is typically unavailable. Simulation results support the theoretical analysis.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fixed-time Sliding Mode Formation Control of AUVs Based on a Disturbance Observer

In this paper,we investigate formation tracking control of autonomous underwater vehicles(AUVs)with model parameter uncertainties and external disturbances.The external disturbances due to the wind,waves,and ocean currents are combined with the model parameter uncertainties as a compound disturbance.Then a disturbance observer(DO)is introduced to estimate the compound disturbance,which can be achieved within a finite time independent of the initial estimation error.Based on a DO,a novel fixed-time sliding control scheme is developed,by which the follower vehicle can track the leader vehicle with all the states globally stabilized within a given settling time.The effectiveness and performance of the method are demonstrated by numerical simulations.