Dynamic output feedback control of a flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicle via T–S fuzzy approach

By utilising Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy set approach, this paper addresses the robust H_∞ dynamic output feedback control for the non-linear longitudinal model of flexible air-breathing hypersonic vehicles (FAHVs). The flight control of FAHVs is highly challenging due to the unique dynamic characteristics, and the intricate couplings between the engine and fight dynamics and external disturbance. Because of the dynamics’ enormous complexity, currently, only the longitudinal dynamics models of FAHVs have been used for controller design. In this work, T–S fuzzy modelling technique is utilised to approach the non-linear dynamics of FAHVs, then a fuzzy model is developed for the output tracking problem of FAHVs. The fuzzy model contains parameter uncertainties and disturbance, which can approach the non-linear dynamics of FAHVs more exactly. The flexible models of FAHVs are difficult to measure because of the complex dynamics and the strong couplings, thus a full-order dynamic output feedback controller is designed for the fuzzy model. A robust H_∞ controller is designed for the obtained closed-loop system. By utilising the Lyapunov functional approach, sufficient solvability conditions for such controllers are established in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed T–S fuzzy dynamic output feedback control method is demonstrated by numerical simulations.     

Optimal entropy-constrained non-uniform scalar quantizer design for low bit-rate pixel domain DVC

In this paper, an optimal entropy-constrained non-uniform scalar quantizer is proposed for the pixel domain DVC. The uniform quantizer is efficient for the hybrid video coding since the residual signals conforming to a single-variance Laplacian distribution. However, the uniform quantizer is not optimal for pixel domain distributed video coding (DVC). This is because the uniform quantizer is not adaptive to the joint distribution of the source and the SI, especially for low level quantization. The signal distribution of pixel domain DVC conforms to the mixture model with multi-variance. The optimal non-uniform quantizer is designed according to the joint distribution, the error between the source and the SI can be decreased. As a result, the bit rate can be saved and the video quality won’t sacrifice too much. Accordingly, a better R-D trade-off can be achieved. First, the quantization level is fixed and the optimal RD trade-off is achieved by using a Lagrangian function J(Q). The rate and distortion components is designed based on P(Y|Q). The conditional probability density function of SI Y depend on quantization partitions Q, P(Y|Q), is approximated by a Guassian mixture model at encocder. Since the SI can not be accessed at encoder, an estimation of P(Y|Q) based on the distribution of the source is proposed. Next, J(Q) is optimized by an iterative Lloyd-Max algorithm with a novel quantization partition updating algorithm. To guarantee the convergence of J(Q), the monotonicity of the interval in which the endpoints of the quantizer lie must be satisfied. Then, a quantizer partition updating algorithm which considers the extreme points of the histogram of the source is proposed. Consequently, the entropy-constrained optimal non-uniform quantization partitions are derived and a better RD trade-off is achieved by applying them. Experiment results show that the proposed scheme can improve the performance by 0.5 dB averagely compared to the uniform scalar quantization.     

Dynamics modeling and analysis of a flexible-base space robot for capturing large flexible spacecraft

Space robots are in huge demand due to the rapid growth of their service targets, i.e., spacecraft. There are generally large flexible components on spacecraft, such as antenna reflectors and solar paddles. Due to the vibratility of their structure, it is challenging for a space robot with flexible appendages (the base is then called flexible-base) to capture and repair the large flexible spacecraft. After capturing, the two spacecraft with flexible appendages are connected by a space manipulator, and a compounded system is formed. In this paper, we developed a dynamic model and a closed-loop simulation system, to provide a means to verify path planning and control algorithms. Initially, the dynamic characteristics of different capturing stages (preimpact and post-impact) were analyzed. The topologies of a flexible-base space robot and the compounded system were described based on incidence and channel matrices. Secondly, the recursive dynamics was formulated and resolved by an effective numerical method. The modeling was verified by Adams’ model. Thirdly, we implemented a dynamics calculation block in Matlab/Simulink environment using the S-function package for the C program, and developed a closed-loop simulation system, which was composed of the Planning and Controller, the Multibody Dynamic, and the 3D Display modules. Finally, based on the simulation system, two typical missions—target berthing and on-orbital manipulation of the target along a circle, were simulated and evaluated. Dynamics analysis results presented some useful rules for the path planning and control to suppress the vibration of the flexible structure.     

Terrain‐inclination‐based Three‐dimensional Localization for Mobile Robots in Outdoor Environments

A new terrain‐inclination‐based localization technique is proposed in this paper to enable a robot to identify its three‐dimensional location relative to measurable terrain inclinations. Given a topographical map and a planned path, a robot‐terrain‐inclination model (RTI model) is extracted along the path on the terrain upon which the robot is operating. A particle filter is then used to fuse the measurement data with the robot motion based on the extracted RTI model for either a three‐wheeled or a four‐wheeled mobile robot. Experiments were carried out in four outdoor scenarios: one short path with different initial conditions and map resolution, another short path with different surface roughness and sensor accuracy, and two long paths with different types of rigid terrains and multiple loops. Experimental results show that the proposed method could achieve good localization performance on inclined outdoor terrains.     

Location-Dependent Lane-Changing Behavior for Arterial Road Traffic

Lane-changing behavior plays an important role in characterizing urban arterial road traffic dynamics. This paper investigates efficiency-driven and objective-driven motives for drivers to change lanes on arterial roads. The former motive is determined by the circumstances of the surrounding traffic flow, whereas the latter depends on position. A location-dependent lane changing model is then established by weighing the two motives for lane changing. Both continuous and discrete versions of the arterial traffic model are obtained using the LWR (Lighthill–Whitham–Richards) model with the two types of lane changing. Simulations show that the proposed model can reproduce macroscopic traffic phenomena such as spillover and a decrease in the concomitant departure flow, which is the reason for capacity loss. It is concluded that 1) there exists a critical condition under which there is no capacity loss and that 2) a different flow composition could result in a different capacity loss, which varies according to the flow direction. Hence, traffic management and control should take this loss into account.     

Sliding mode control design via piecewise smooth Lipschitz surfaces based on contingent cone criteria

In order to improve flexibility of sliding mode control (SMC) for a class of nonlinear systems, a new control design method is proposed in this paper. The sliding surface is extended to be a generic Lipschitz continuous surface instead of a smooth one, with which different characteristics of sliding motion may be realized. Due to the nonsmoothness of the sliding surface, the control design problem is discussed in the framework of Filippov’s differential inclusion, by analyzing the geometric properties of the nonsmooth surface. Discontinuous control laws are presented based on new contingent cone criteria, which steer all of the trajectories of the closed-loop system to reach the piecewise smooth sliding surface in finite time.     

基于Voronoi图的连续反向最近邻查询

为解决动态环境中移动点的连续反向最近邻查询问题,将连续反向最近邻查询分为单色和双色2种情况进行研究。利用移动点Voronoi图,分别给出单色连续反向最近邻查询算法、双色连续反向最近邻查询算法以及相关定理,对算法正确性和可终止性进行证明,分析算法时间复杂性。按照移动点Voronoi图的拓扑结构是否改变分为2种情况,分析每种情况下候选所在区域的变化,在变化区域内进行Voronoi图的重构,得到对应的解决方法。在多数情况下,该算法只需生成局部移动点的Voronoi图即可找到结果,减小了连续反向最近邻查询的代价。     

Stochastic stability of semi‐Markovian jump systems with mode‐dependent delays

Semi‐Markovian jump systems, due to the relaxed conditions on the stochastic process, and its transition rates are time varying, can be used to describe a larger class of dynamical systems than conventional full Markovian jump systems. In this paper, the problem of stochastic stability for a class of semi‐Markovian systems with mode‐dependent time‐variant delays is investigated. By Lyapunov function approach, together with a piecewise analysis method, a sufficient condition is proposed to guarantee the stochastic stability of the underlying systems. As more time‐delay information is used, our results are much less conservative than some existing ones in literature. Finally, two examples are given to show the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed techniques. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.