Distributed finite‐time output consensus tracking for a class of high‐order nonlinear multiagent systems with the powers of positive odd rational numbers and output constraints

Abstract

This article considers the distributed finite-time output consensus tracking problem for a class of high-order nonlinear multiagent systems with the powers of positive odd rational numbers and output constraints. First, since the finite-time tracking design method for a single system with the powers of positive odd rational numbers cannot be extended to the finite-time consensus tracking for multiagent systems, an especial configuration method of the powers is constructed. Second, a new exponential brake function (EBF) that purely depends on the outputs is proposed to address the asymmetric output constraints directly. By adjusting a related parameter, the large converted value can be avoided when the output approaches the constrained boundaries, which may reduce the control input over a large output scale. Third, given some reasonable assumptions, a distributed finite-time output consensus tracking controller is proposed to guarantee that the tracking error converges to an adjustable small region around the origin in a finite time and that the output constraints of all subsystems are not violated. The result with output constraints can also be extended to the case without output constraints. Finally, simulation verifications also confirm the benefits and effectiveness of the proposed control methods.

A novel bipartite consensus tracking scheme for unknown nonlinear multi-agent systems: Theoretical analysis and applications

“…It is noted that most approaches 1–15 are dependent on the structure, dynamics, and assumptions imposed on the system model. Hence, these methods are called model-based control (MBC) approaches.…”

“…The proposed DDDBCT scheme for MASs only uses the I/O data without requiring any information of the controlled plant’ dynamics, which are required by most existing methods. 1–10…”

“…The consensus aims to guarantee that all agents reach a certain target, such as the same position, velocity, and angle. To address this problem, many effective methods have been proposed recently, such as finitetime consensus methods, 4,5 fixed-time consensus methods, 6,7 event-trigger-based consensus methods, 8 and also some novel methods. 9,10 However, the above methods presume that the interaction among agents is collaborative.…”

“…For the BC problems of MASs, several investigations have been consistently conducted from miscellaneous perspectives in the past few years. The fixed-time BC problem of heterogeneous linear MASs is investigated by Zhang et al 12 The finite-time BC problem is considered for MASs with directed signed networks by Wang et al 13 The prescribed performance issue of MASs with input uncertainties is studied by Yu et al 14 The quantized-data issue for robotic systems to perform BC tasks is discussed by Ding et al 15 It is noted that most approaches [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] are dependent on the structure, dynamics, and assumptions imposed on the system model. Hence, these methods are called model-based control (MBC) approaches.…”