Observer-based consensus control for heterogeneous multi-agent systems with intermittent communications

In this article, the output consensus tracking problem for a class of heterogeneous multiagent systems (HMASs) with intermittent communications is studied. We first design a local observer for each agent to estimate unmeasurable state information of followers', and an adaptive distributed estimator is constructed for each follower to estimate the leader's state. Then a type of switched and distributed tracking controllers for HMASs are established under the intermittent communications, and relative parameters of the novel controllers are designed via the constructed regulation equation. Furthermore, by using the switching system theory and LMI technology, both the sufficient conditions for HMASs to achieve output consensus tracking and the threshold of communication rate are obtained, and simultaneously the controller gain and observer gain matrices are constructed. Finally, a simulation example is provided for general HMASs to verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Automated summary

This article addresses the output consensus tracking problem for a class of heterogeneous multiagent systems (HMASs) with intermittent communications. It introduces local observers and adaptive distributed estimators, establishes switched and distributed tracking controllers, and derives sufficient conditions for achieving output consensus tracking using switching system theory and LMI technology. A simulation example is provided to demonstrate the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method.