Accelerating average consensus by using the information of second-order neighbours with communication delays

This article investigates the problem of accelerating average consensus in undirected and connected networks. The protocol using the information of second-order neighbours with communication delays is proposed and the delay effects on stability and the convergence speed are analysed, respectively, under an assumption about the network topologies. It is proved that, for appropriate communication delays, networks reach average consensus faster under the proposed protocol than the standard protocol using only the information of first-order neighbours. Finally, a simulation example is presented to illustrate the proposed results.     

Event‐Triggered Control for Multi‐Agent Systems with General Directed Topology and Time Delays

Recent years have witnessed a growing interest in event‐triggered strategies for coordination and cooperative control of multi‐agent systems. However, the most previous works and developments focus on the interactive network that has no communication delays. This paper deals with the consensus problem of an agent system with event‐triggered control strategy under communication time delays. We first propose a time delays system model, then present a novel event triggering function that not only avoids continuous communication but also excludes the Zeno behavior. Furthermore, we provide the consensus analysis using an inequality technique instead of the traditional linear matrix inequality method, and we demonstrate that the inter‐event times for each agent are strictly positive, which implies that the Zeno behavior can be excluded. Finally, simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach and illustrate the correctness of the theoretical results.     

Consensus problem of heterogeneous multi-agent systems with time delay under fixed and switching topologies

Consensus problem is investigated for heterogeneous multi-agent systems composed of first-order agents and second-order agents in this paper. Leader-following consensus protocol is adopted to solve consensus problem of heterogeneous multi-agent systems with time-varying communication and input delays. By constructing Lyapunov-Krasovkii functional, sufficient consensus conditions in linear matrix inequality(LMI) form are obtained for the system under fixed interconnection topology. Moreover, consensus conditions are also obtained for the heterogeneous systems under switching topologies with time delays. Simulation examples are given to illustrate effectiveness of the results.     

Consensus Analysis for High-order Heterogeneous Networks with Communication Delays and Dynamically Changing Digraphs

This paper studies consensus problems of high-order heterogeneous continuous-time networks with bounded communication delays and dynamically changing digraphs. The heterogeneous continuous-time networks consist of different order agents from first-order to lth-order agents, where different order networks correspond to different linear consensus protocols. In order to use the properties of Metzler matrix with zero row sums, we make model transformations of system matrix. Giving some restrictive conditions, we obtain the sufficient condition for consensus problems of heterogeneous networks with varying bounded communication delays. Although each communication graph may have no spanning trees, all agents of high-order heterogeneous networks can reach stationary consensus with varying bounded communication delays and dynamically changing digraphs. Finally, we give an example to validate the correctness of our obtained results.     

Average consensus in networks of dynamic agents with switching topologies and multiple time-varying delays

In this paper, we discuss average consensus problem in undirected networks of dynamic agents with fixed and switching topologies as well as multiple time-varying communication delays. By employing a linear matrix inequality method, we prove that all the nodes in the network achieve average consensus asymptotically for appropriate communication delays if the network topology is connected. Particularly, several feasible linear matrix inequalities are established to determine the maximal allowable upper bound of time-varying communication delays. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and the sharpness of the theoretical results.     

Consensus for multi‐agent systems under double integrator dynamics with time‐varying communication delays

In this paper, the consensus control problems for multi‐agent systems under double integrator dynamics with time‐varying communication delays are investigated. We assume that the interaction graphs among agents are directed. Two kinds of protocols are considered. One is an absolute damping protocol, and the other is a relative damping protocol. For the first protocol, Lyapunov–Razumikhin functional techniques are used. We derive sufficient conditions that guarantee that all agents asymptotically reach consensus under fixed topology and switching topology, respectively. Moreover, the allowable upper bound for communication delays is given. For the second protocol, Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional techniques are used. Linear matrix inequality (LMI)‐form sufficient conditions are obtained to guarantee the consensus problems to be solved under fixed topology and switching topology, respectively. The allowable upper bound for communication delays is given as well. The feasibilities of the demanded LMIs are also discussed. Finally, numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of our theoretical results. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Robust <Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis><Subscript>∞</Subscript> consensus control of uncertain multi-agent systems with time delays

This paper is devoted to the robust H _∞ consensus control of multi-agent systems with model parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. In particular, switching networks of multiple agents with general linear dynamics are considered, and uncertain communication delays are also taken into account. It shows that a sufficient condition in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) is derived for the robust consensus performance with a given H _∞ disturbance attenuation level, and meanwhile the unknown feedback matrix of the proposed distributed state feedback protocol is also determined. A numerical example is included to validate the theoretical results.     

Distributed δ-consensus in directed delayed networks of multi-agent systems

In this article, we propose a distributed δ-consensus protocol in directed networks of dynamic agents having communication delays. The δ-consensus protocol is an average consensus protocol where agents exchange the information with their neighbours at some discontinuous moments. We provide convergence analysis for such consensus algorithm under stochastic switching communication graphs, and then present some generic criteria for solving the average consensus problem. We also show that directed delayed networks of dynamic agents can achieve average consensus even when each agent in the networks intermittently exchanges the information with its neighbours only at some discrete moments. Subsequently, a typical numerical example illustrates and visualises the effectiveness and feasibility of the theoretical results.     

带有时变时滞和不确定性拓扑的双积分系统的一致性

研究带有不确定性拓扑的双积分系统在有时滞的情况下的一致性问题,通过线性矩阵不等式的方法,得到一致性的充分条件。本文最大的贡献是考虑双积分系统,在有不确定性信息和时变时滞的情况下,找出控制协议使其一致。最大合适的时变时滞和不确定性可以由线性矩阵不等式得到。最后给出仿真,证明定理的有效性。     

Solving a modified consensus problem of linear multi-agent systems

A distributed protocol is proposed for a modified consensus problem of a network of agents that have the same continuous-time linear dynamics. Each agent estimates its own state using its output information and then sends the estimated state to its neighbor agents for the purpose of reaching a consensus. The modified consensus problem requires the group decision value to be a linear function of initial states and initial estimated states of all agents in the network, and the transformation matrix associated with this linear function not to be a zero matrix. It is proved that under the proposed control protocol, the modified consensus problem can be solved if and only if the system matrices of the agent’s dynamics are stabilizable and detectable, the input matrix is not a zero matrix, and the communication topology graph has a spanning tree. The proposed protocol can also be extended to multi-agent systems where agents are described by discrete-time linear dynamics. The corresponding necessary and sufficient conditions are provided as well.     

Predictive Consensus for Networked Multi‐Agent Systems with Switching Topology and Variable Delay

This paper investigates consensus problems of networked linear time invariant (LTI) multi‐agent systems, subject to variable network delays and switching topology. A new protocol is proposed for such systems with matrix B that has full row rank, based on stochastic, indecomposable, aperiodic (SIA) matrix and the predictive control scheme. With the predictive scheme the network delay is compensated. Consensus analysis based on the seminorm is provided. The conditions are obtained for such systems with periodic switching topology to reach consensus. The proposed protocol can deal with time‐varying delays, switching topology, and an unstable mode. The numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

Stochastic consensus seeking with communication delays

This paper investigates the consensus problem of dynamical networks of multi-agents where each agent can only obtain noisy and delayed measurements of the states of its neighbors due to environmental uncertainties and communication delays. We consider general networks with fixed topology and with switching (dynamically changing) topology, propose consensus protocols that take into account both the noisy measurements and the communication time-delays, and study mean square average-consensus for multi-agent systems networked in an uncertain environment and with uniform communication time-varying delays. Using tools from differential equations and stochastic calculus, together with results from matrix theory and algebraic graph theory, we establish sufficient conditions under which the proposed consensus protocols lead to mean square average-consensus. Simulations are also provided to demonstrate the theoretical results.     

H∞ Consensus of Directed Lur'e Networks with Incremental Nonlinearities

This paper considers robust consensus problem for Lur'e networks with incrementally nonlinearity and unknown disturbance, under a given directed communication topology. Both incrementally sector bounded nonlinearities and incrementally passive nonlinearities are investigated. A distributed protocol is proposed to achieve global consensus. In the design of consensus protocol, H_∞ technique is used to attenuate the effect of disturbance. Moreover, the design conditions for robust H_∞ consensus are formulated into linear matrix inequalities. Finally, numerical simulations are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method.     

具有时延和切换拓扑的高阶离散时间多智能体系统鲁棒保性能一致性

研究存在参数不确定性的高阶离散时间多智能体系统在时延和联合连通切换通信拓扑条件下的鲁棒保性能一致性问题,给出一种线性一致性协议的设计方法.1）引入高阶离散时间不确定多智能体系统的鲁棒保性能一致性问题,定义基于智能体邻居状态误差和控制输入的保性能函数;2）通过构造合适的Lyapunov函数并利用离散时间系统稳定性理论,推导出一个使高阶离散时间不确定多智能体系统在该条件下获得保性能一致性的线性矩阵不等式（Linear matrix inequality,LMI）充分条件,并给出相应的保性能上界;3）以一致性序列的形式给出参数不确定条件下的高阶离散时间多智能体系统的一致性收敛结果;4）数值仿真验证了本文理论的正确性和有效性.     

Consensus of networked multi-agent systems with communication delays based on the networked predictive control scheme

The consensus problem of discrete-time networked multi-agent systems (NMASs) with a communication delay is investigated in this article, where the dynamics of agents described by discrete-time linear time-invariant systems can be either uniform or non-uniform. For the NMASs with a directed topology and constant delay, a novel protocol based on the networked predictive control scheme is proposed to compensate for communication delay actively. Using algebraic graph theories and matrix theories, necessary and/or sufficient conditions of achieving consensus are obtained, which indicates that, under the proposed protocol, the consensus is independent of the network delay and only dominated by agents' dynamics and communication topology. Meanwhile, the protocol design and consensus analysis are also presented in the case of no network delay. Simulation results are further presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of theoretical results.     

Robust L 2 − L ∞ consensus control for uncertain high-order multi-agent systems with time-delay

This article studies that the robust consensus problem for high-order multi-agent systems with time-delay, which are subjected to external disturbances and communication uncertainties. An approach based on the weighting matrix is introduced to meet the requirement that the peak value of controlled output is often required into a certain range. Then, a dynamic model of high-order multi-agent systems is established. Using a feedback controller and interactions from the neighbours including uncertainties, a linear control protocol is proposed for the systems with networks under fixed or switching topologies. Sufficient conditions in terms of linear matrix inequalities are derived to make all the agents reach robust consensus with the prescribed L ₂???L _∞ performance. A numerical simulation is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.     

Group consensus of multi-agent systems in directed networks with noises and time delays

In this paper, group consensus problems in fixed directed networks of dynamic agents are investigated. Group consensus means that the agents in each group share a consistent value while there is no agreement between any two groups. Based on algebraic graph theory, sufficient conditions guaranteeing group consensus under the proposed control protocol in the presence of random noises and communication delays are derived. The analysis uses a stability result of Mao for stochastic differential delay equations, which ensures the consensus can be achieved almost surely and exponentially fast. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the availability of the obtained results as well as the effect of time delay/noise intensity.     

On system state equipartitioning and semistability in network dynamical systems with arbitrary time-delays

In many applications involving multiagent systems, groups of agents are required to agree on certain quantities of interest. In particular, it is important to develop consensus protocols for networks of dynamic agents with directed information flow, switching network topologies, and possible system time-delays. In this paper, we use compartmental dynamical system models to characterize dynamic algorithms for linear and nonlinear networks of dynamic agents in the presence of inter-agent communication delays that possess a continuum of semistable equilibria, that is, protocol algorithms that guarantee convergence to Lyapunov stable equilibria. In addition, we show that the steady-state distribution of the dynamic network is uniform, leading to system state equipartitioning or consensus. These results extend the results in the literature on consensus protocols for linear balanced networks to linear and nonlinear unbalanced networks with time-delays.     

基于分布式PID控制的时变时延多智能体系统的一致性

研究普通阶多智能体系统存在时变时延条件下的一致性问题.首先,针对系统存在时变时延的情况,结合状态反馈与PID控制提出一种一致性协议;然后,将系统状态空间分解为一致子空间和一致补子空间,采用状态空间分解法将一致性问题转化为渐近稳定问题,给出系统实现一致的充分必要条件;并确定系统的一致性函数的显示表达式;最后,构造Lyapunov-Krasovskii泛函,基于线性矩阵不等式(LMI)给出控制参数的计算方法,采用可扩充性方法降低线性矩阵不等式的计算数量.仿真结果表明,系统的结构拓扑图存在全局可达节点时,系统在所提出的协议作用下通过计算合适的PID参数和控制参数可实现一致性,通过与纯比例控制的结果对比表明,所提出的协议能够消除系统稳态误差,使系统趋于一致.     

Sampled-data consensus in multi-agent systems with asynchronous hybrid event-time driven interactions

This paper investigates sampled-data consensus in an undirected network of multiple integrators and characterizes the effectiveness of a hybrid event-time driven consensus protocol in different asynchronous scheduling schemes of event detection in terms of interaction topology, asynchronous matrix, and time delays. The proposed hybrid driven protocol has the benefit of guaranteed performance at reduced communication and computation costs and has robustness against interaction/event-detection time delays. Furthermore, the obtained results are still valid in many other practical situations, such as sampled-data consensus with measurement errors and quantized consensus.