Learning-enhanced differential evolution for numerical optimization

Differential evolution (DE) is a simple and powerful population-based search algorithm, successfully used in various scientific and engineering fields. However, DE is not free from the problems of stagnation and premature convergence. Hence, designing more effective search strategies to enhance the performance of DE is one of the most salient and active topics. This paper proposes a new method, called learning-enhanced DE (LeDE) that promotes individuals to exchange information systematically. Distinct from the existing DE variants, LeDE adopts a novel learning strategy, namely clustering-based learning strategy (CLS). In CLS, there are two levels of learning strategies, intra-cluster learning strategy and inter-cluster learning strategy. They are adopted for exchanging information within the same cluster and between different clusters, respectively. Experimental studies over 23 benchmark functions show that LeDE significantly outperforms the conventional DE. Compared with other clustering-based DE algorithms, LeDE can obtain better solutions. In addition, LeDE is also shown to be significantly better than or at least comparable to several state-of-art DE variants as well as some other evolutionary algorithms.     

Dependence tree structure estimation via copula

We propose an approach for dependence tree structure learning via copula. A nonparametric algorithm for copula estimation is presented. Then a Chow-Liu like method based on dependence measure via copula is proposed to estimate maximum spanning bivariate copula associated with bivariate dependence relations. The main advantage of the approach is that learning with empirical copula focuses on dependence relations among random variables, without the need to know the properties of individual variables as well as without the requirement to specify parametric family of entire underlying distribution for individual variables. Experiments on two real-application data sets show the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Optimal Performance in Tracking Stochastic Signal Under Disturbance Rejection

The analysis method of optimal tracking performance is proposed for multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) linear time‐invariant (LTI) systems under disturbance rejection. An H₂ criterion of the error signal between the output of the plant and the reference signal is used as a measure for the tracking performance. Spectral factorization is applied to obtain the optimal solution of the system tracking error. The explicit expressions are derived for this minimal tracking error with respect to random reference signals under disturbance rejection. It is shown that the nonminimum phase zeros, the zero direction, the unstable poles, the pole direction of a given plant, statistical characteristics of the reference input signal, and disturbance signal have a negative effect on a feedback system's ability to reduce the system error with disturbance rejection. The results show that the optimal tracking performance will further be damaged because of disturbance rejection. Some typical examples are given to illustrate the theoretical results.     

An Intelligent Robust Tracking Control for a Class of Electrically Driven Mobile Robots

This paper addresses the problem of designing robust tracking control for a class of uncertain wheeled mobile robots actuated by brushed direct current motors. This class of electrically‐driven mechanical systems consists of the robot kinematics, the robot dynamics, and the wheel actuator dynamics. Via the backstepping technique, an intelligent robust tracking control scheme that integrates a kinematic controller and an adaptive neural network‐based (or fuzzy‐based) controller is developed such that all of the states and signals of the closed‐loop system are bounded and the tracking error can be made as small as possible. Two adaptive approximation systems are constructed to learn the behaviors of unknown mechanical and electrical dynamics. The effects of both the approximation errors and the unmodeled time‐varying perturbations in the input and virtual‐input weighting matrices are counteracted by suitably tuning the control gains. Consequently, the robust control scheme developed here can be employed to handle a broader class of electrically‐driven wheeled mobile robots in the presence of high‐degree time‐varying uncertainties. Finally, a simulation example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed control scheme.     

Input‐to‐state stability of min‐max MPC scheme for nonlinear time‐varying delay systems

This paper studies the robustness problem of the min–max model predictive control (MPC) scheme for constrained nonlinear time‐varying delay systems subject to bounded disturbances. The notion of the input‐to‐state stability (ISS) of nonlinear time‐delay systems is introduced. Then by using the Lyapunov–Krasovskii method, a delay‐dependent sufficient condition is derived to guarantee input‐to‐state practical stability (ISpS) of the closed‐loop system by way of nonlinear matrix inequalities (NLMI). In order to lessen the online computational demand, the non‐convex min‐max optimization problem is then converted to a minimization problem with linear matrix inequality (LMI) constraints and a suboptimal MPC algorithm is provided. Finally, an example of a truck‐trailer is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed results. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society     

A new anti‐windup strategy for PID controllers with derivative filters

This paper presents a new strategy for suppressing the windup effect caused by actuator saturation in proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controlled systems. In the proposed approach, the windup effect is modeled as an external disturbance imported to the PID controller and an observer‐based auxiliary controller is designed to minimize the difference between the controller output signal and the system input signal in accordance with an H‐infinite optimization criterion. It is shown that the proposed anti‐windup (AW) scheme renders the performance of the controlled system more robust toward the effects of windup than conventional PID AW schemes and provides a better noise rejection capability. In addition, the proposed PID AW scheme is system independent and is an explicit function of the parameters of the original PID controller. As a result, the controller is easily implemented using either digital or analog circuits and facilitates a rapid, on‐line tuning of the controller parameters as required in order to prevent the windup effect. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society     

Intelligent control of doubly‐fed induction generator systems using PIDNNs

An intelligent control for a stand‐alone doubly‐fed induction generator (DFIG) system using a proportional‐integral‐derivative neural network (PIDNN) is proposed in this study. This system can be applied as a stand‐alone power supply system or as the emergency power system when the electricity grid fails for all sub‐synchronous, synchronous, and super‐synchronous conditions. The rotor side converter is controlled using field‐oriented control to produce 3‐phase stator voltages with constant magnitude and frequency at different rotor speeds. Moreover, the grid side converter, which is also controlled using field‐oriented control, is primarily implemented to maintain the magnitude of the DC‐link voltage. Furthermore, the intelligent PIDNN controller is proposed for both the rotor and grid side converters to improve the transient and steady‐state responses of the DFIG system for different operating conditions. Both the network structure and online learning algorithm are introduced in detail. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed control scheme is verified through experimentation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society     

Hysteresis Compensation and Adaptive Controller Design for a Piezoceramic Actuator System in Atomic Force Microscopy

This paper presents an indirect adaptive controller combined with hysteresis compensation to achieve high accuracy positioning control of piezoceramic actuators and illustrates the results with an atomic force microscope (AFM) application. A dynamic model of a piezoceramic actuator system in AFM is derived and analyzed. A feedforward controller based on the Preisach model is proposed to compensate for the nonlinear hysteresis effects. Then an indirect adaptive controller is designed to achieve desired tracking performance as well as deal with the uncompensated nonlinearity from hysteresis and the system parameter variation due to creep. Experimental results indicate that the proposed controller can significantly improve the positioning control accuracy of the piezoceramic actuator as well as achieve high image quality of the AFM system. The maximum scanning error was reduced from 2µm to 0.3µm in comparison with a proportional‐integral‐derivative (PID) controller. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society     

Supply chain trust diagnosis (SCTD) using inductive case-based reasoning ensemble (ICBRE): The case of general competence trust diagnosis

General competence trust among supply chain partners, referring to the trust that a partner holds the general ability of fulfilling contracts, is a critical factor to ensure effective cooperation in a supply chain, especially in the current financial crisis. The method of supply chain trust diagnosis (SCTD) is to evaluate whether or not a partner holds such competence. This research devotes to an early investigation on diagnosing competence trust of supply chain with the method of inductive case-based reasoning ensemble (ICBRE). The so-called supply chain trust diagnosis with inductive case-based reasoning ensemble consists of five levels, that is, information level, the level of ratios of general competence states, the level of inductive case-based reasoning, ensemble level, and diagnosis result level. Knowledge for diagnosing competence trust, which composes of a case base, is hidden in data represented by ratios of general competence states. Inductive approach is combined with randomness to construct diverse and good member methods of inductive case-based reasoning. Finally, simple voting is used to integrate outputs of member inductive case-based reasoning methods in order to produce the final diagnosis on whether or not a partner holds the general ability of fulfilling contracts. We statistically validated results of the method of supply chain trust diagnosis with inductive case-based reasoning ensemble by comparing them with those of multivariate discriminant analysis, logistic regression, single Euclidean case-based reasoning, and single inductive case-based reasoning. The results indicate that the method of supply chain trust diagnosis with inductive case-based reasoning ensemble significantly improves predictive capability of case-based reasoning in this problem and outperforms all the comparative models by group decision of several decision-making agents and non-strict assumptions like statistical methods.