Quantized Iterative Learning Consensus Tracking of Digital Networks With Limited Information Communication

Neural-Network-Based Constrained Output-Feedback Control for MEMS Gyroscopes Considering Scarce Transmission Bandwidth

In this article, a neural-network-based constrained output-feedback control is considered for microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopes subject to scarce transmission bandwidth and lumped disturbances resulting from model uncertainties, dynamic coupling, and environmental disturbances. First, a hybrid quantizer capable of achieving an adjustable communication rate and quantization density is proposed to convert continuous control signals into discrete values, allowing for reduced chattering behavior even when control actions vary within large regions and enhanced tracking accuracy can be ensured. Subsequently, by applying two types of nonlinear mapping, all state variables of MEMS gyroscopes are restrained within the predefined time-varying asymmetric functions without imposing stringent feasibility conditions on virtual control laws. Furthermore, an echo-state network-based minimal learning parameter neural observer is developed to simultaneously recover the unmeasurable velocity-state variables, matched as well as unmatched disturbances in constrained MEMS gyroscopes dynamics, enabling an output-feedback control solution with a decreased online learning complexity. It is shown via the Lyapunov stability and nonsmooth analysis that all signals in the closed-loop system remain ultimately uniformly bounded even with discontinuous control actions. Comparison simulations are produced to certify the effectiveness of the presented controller.

Observer-Based Adaptive Synchronization Control of Unknown Discrete-Time Nonlinear Heterogeneous Systems

This article is concerned with the optimal synchronization problem for discrete-time nonlinear heterogeneous multiagent systems (MASs) with an active leader. To overcome the difficulty in the derivation of the optimal control protocols for these systems, we develop an observer-based adaptive synchronization control approach, including the designs of a distributed observer and a distributed model reference adaptive controller with no prior knowledge of all agents' dynamics. To begin with, for the purpose of estimating the state of a nonlinear active leader for each follower, an adaptive neural network distributed observer is designed. Such an observer serves as a reference model in the distributed model reference adaptive control (MRAC). Then, a reinforcement learning-based distributed MRAC algorithm is presented to make every follower track its corresponding reference model on behavior in real time. In this algorithm, a distributed actor-critic network is employed to approximate the optimal distributed control protocols and the cost function. Through convergence analysis, the overall observer estimation error, the model reference tracking error, and the weight estimation errors are proved to be uniformly ultimately bounded. The developed approach further achieves the synchronization by means of synthesizing these results. The effectiveness of the developed approach is verified through a numerical example.

Learning Tracking Over Unknown Fading Channels Based on Iterative Estimation

With fast developments in communication technologies, a large number of practical systems adopt the networked control structure. For this structure, the fading problem is an emerging issue among other network problems. It has not been extensively investigated how to guarantee superior control performance in the presence of unknown fading channels. This article presents a learning strategy for gradually improving the tracking performance. To this end, an iterative estimation mechanism is first introduced to provide necessary statistical information such that the biased signals after transmission can be corrected before being utilized. Then, learning control algorithms incorporating with a decreasing step-size sequence are designed for both output and input fading cases. The convergence in both mean-square and almost-sure senses of the proposed schemes is strictly proved under mild conditions. Illustrative simulations verify the effectiveness of the entire learning framework.

Convergence Analysis of Robust Iterative Learning Control Against Nonrepetitive Uncertainties: System Equivalence Transformation

This article is concerned with the robust convergence analysis of iterative learning control (ILC) against nonrepetitive uncertainties, where the contradiction between convergence conditions for the output tracking error and the input signal (or error) is addressed. A system equivalence transformation (SET) is proposed for robust ILC such that given any desired reference trajectories, the output tracking problems for general nonsquare multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) systems can be equivalently transformed into those for the specific class of square MIMO systems with the same input and output numbers. As a benefit of SET, a unified condition is only needed to guarantee both the uniform boundedness of all system signals and the robust convergence of the output tracking error, which avoids causing the condition contradiction problem in implementing the double-dynamics analysis approach to ILC. Simulation examples are included to demonstrate the validity of our established robust ILC results.

Data-Driven Iterative Learning Control for Nonlinear Discrete-Time MIMO Systems

This article considers the tracking control of unknown nonlinear nonaffine repetitive discrete-time multi-input multi-output systems. Two data-driven iterative learning control (ILC) schemes are designed based on two equivalent dynamic linearization data models of an unknown ideal learning controller, which exists theoretically in the iteration domain. The two control schemes provide ways of selecting learning controllers based on the complexity of the controlled nonlinear systems. The learning control gain matrixes of the two learning controllers are optimized through the steepest descent method using only the measured input-output data of the nonlinear systems. The proposed ILC approaches are pure data-driven since no model information of the controlled systems is involved. The stability and convergence of the proposed ILC approaches are rigorously analyzed under reasonable conditions. Numerical simulation and an experiment based on a Gantry-type linear motor drive system are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed data-driven ILC approaches.

Convergence Analysis of Saturated Iterative Learning Control Systems With Locally Lipschitz Nonlinearities

In this article, the robust trajectory tracking problem of iterative learning control (ILC) for uncertain nonlinear systems is considered, and the effects from locally Lipschitz nonlinearities, input saturations, and nonzero system relative degrees are treated. A saturated ILC algorithm is given, with the convergence analysis exploited using a composite energy function-based approach. It is shown that the tracking error can be guaranteed to converge both pointwisely and uniformly. Furthermore, the input updating signal can be ensured to eventually satisfy the input saturation requirements with increasing iterations. Two examples are given to demonstrate the validity of saturated ILC for systems with the relative degree of one, input saturation, and locally Lipschitz nonlinearity.

Delayed Impulsive Control for Consensus of Multiagent Systems With Switching Communication Graphs

Delayed impulsive controllers are proposed in this paper to enable the agents in a class of second-order multiagent systems (MASs) to achieve state consensus, based, respectively, on the relative full-state and partial-state sampled-data measurements among neighboring agents. It is a challenging task to analyze the consensus behaviors of the considered MASs as the dynamics of such MASs will be subjected to joint effects from delay-dependent impulses, aperiodic sampling, and switchings among different communication graphs. A novel analytical approach, based upon the discretization method, state augmentation, and linear state transformation, is developed to establish the sufficient consensus criteria on the range of the impulsive intervals and the control parameters. Remarkably, it is found that consensus in the closed-loop MASs can be always ensured by skillfully selecting the control parameters as long as the nonuniform delays and the impulsive intervals are bounded. A numerical example is finally performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed delayed impulsive controllers.

Performance Enhancement of Learning Tracking Systems Over Fading Channels With Multiplicative and Additive Randomness

This paper applies learning control to repetitive systems over fading channels at both output and input sides to improve tracking performance without applying restrictive fading conditions. Both multiplicative and additive randomness of the fading channel are addressed, and the effects of fading communication on the data are carefully analyzed. A decreasing gain sequence and a moving-average operator are introduced to modify the generic learning control algorithm to reduce the fading effect and improve control system performance. Results reveal that the tracking error converges to zero in the mean-square sense as the iteration number increases. Illustrative simulations are presented to verify the theoretical results.

Fault Tolerant Nonrepetitive Trajectory Tracking for MIMO Output Constrained Nonlinear Systems Using Iterative Learning Control

Most works on iterative learning control (ILC) assume identical reference trajectories for the system state over the iteration domain. This fundamental assumption may not always hold in practice, where the desired trajectories or control objectives may be iteration dependent. In this paper, we relax this fundamental assumption, by introducing a new way of modifying the reference trajectories. The concept of modifier functions has been introduced for the first time in the ILC literature. This proposed approach is also a unified framework that can handle other common types of initial conditions in ILC. Multi-input multi-output nonlinear systems are considered, which can be subject to the actuator faults. Time and iteration dependent constraint requirements on the system output can be effectively handled. Backstepping design and composite energy function approach are used in the analysis. We show that in the closed loop analysis, the proposed control scheme can guarantee uniform convergence on the full state tracking error over the iteration domain, beyond a small initial time interval in each iteration, while the constraint requirements on the system output are never violated. In the end two simulation examples are shown to illustrate the efficacy of the proposed ILC algorithm.

Convergence Conditions for Solving Robust Iterative Learning Control Problems Under Nonrepetitive Model Uncertainties

Learning from saved measurement and control data to refine the performance of output tracking is the core feature of iterative learning control (ILC). Even though this implementation process of ILC does not need any model knowledge, ILC typically requires the strict repetitiveness of the control systems, especially on the plant models of them. The questions of interest in this paper are: 1) whether and how can robust ILC problems be solved with respect to the nonrepetitive (or iteration-dependent) model uncertainties and 2) can convergence conditions be developed with the effective contraction mapping (CM)-based approach to ILC? The answers to these questions are affirmative, and the CM-based approach is applicable to robust ILC that accommodates certain nonrepetitive uncertainties, especially in the plant models. In particular, an H_∞ -norm condition is proposed to ensure the robust ILC convergence, which can be solved to determine learning gain matrices. Simulation tests are performed to illustrate the validity of our presented H_∞ -based analysis results.

Adaptive Learning Control for Nonlinear Systems With Randomly Varying Iteration Lengths

This paper proposes adaptive iterative learning control (ILC) schemes for continuous-time parametric nonlinear systems with iteration lengths that randomly vary. As opposed to the existing ILC works that feature nonuniform trial lengths, this paper is applicable to nonlinear systems that do not satisfy the globally Lipschitz continuous condition. In addition, this paper introduces a novel composite energy function based on newly defined virtual tracking error information for proving the asymptotical convergence. Both an original update algorithm and a projection-based update algorithm for estimating the unknown parameters are proposed. Extensions to cases with unknown input gains, iteration-varying tracking references, nonparametric uncertainty, high-order nonlinear systems, and multi-input-multi-output systems are all elaborated upon. Illustrative simulations are provided to verify the theoretical results.

General Square-Pattern Discretization Formulas via Second-Order Derivative Elimination for Zeroing Neural Network Illustrated by Future Optimization

Previous works provide a few effective discretization formulas for zeroing neural network (ZNN), of which the precision is a square pattern. However, those formulas are separately developed via many relatively blind attempts. In this paper, general square-pattern discretization (SPD) formulas are proposed for ZNN via the idea of the second-order derivative elimination. All existing SPD formulas in previous works are included in the framework of the general SPD formulas. The connections and differences of various general formulas are also discussed. Furthermore, the general SPD formulas are used to solve future optimization under linear equality constraints, and the corresponding general discrete ZNN models are proposed. General discrete ZNN models have at least one parameter to adjust, thereby determining their zero stability. Thus, the parameter domains are obtained by restricting zero stability. Finally, numerous comparative numerical experiments, including the motion control of a PUMA560 robot manipulator, are provided to substantiate theoretical results and their superiority to conventional Euler formula.

Deterministic Convergence for Learning Control Systems Over Iteration-Dependent Tracking Intervals

This brief addresses the iterative learning control (ILC) problems for discrete-time systems subject to iteration-dependent tracking time intervals. A modified class of P-type ILC algorithms is proposed by properly defining an available modified output, for which robust convergence analysis is performed with an inductive approach. It is shown that if a persistent full-learning property is ensured, then a necessary and sufficient convergence condition of ILC can be derived to reach the perfect output tracking objective though the tracking time interval is iteration-dependent. That is, the tracking of ILC for iteration-dependent time intervals can be guaranteed in the same deterministic (not stochastic) convergence way as that of traditional ILC over a fixed time interval. Furthermore, the developed tracking results can be extended to admit iteration-dependent uncertainties in initial state and external disturbances. Simulation tests are also included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the modified P-type ILC.

Event-Based Consensus for Linear Multiagent Systems Without Continuous Communication

In this paper, we propose a new distributed event-trigger consensus protocol for linear multiagent systems with external disturbances. Two consensus problems are considered: one is a leader-follower case and the other is a nonleader case. Different from the existing results, our proposed scheme enables each agent to decide when to transmit its state signals to its neighbors such that continuous communication between neighboring agents is avoided. Clearly, this can largely decrease the communication burden of the whole communication network. Besides, since the control signal for each agent is discontinuous because of the event-triggering mechanism, the existence of a solution for the closed-loop system in the classical sense may not be guaranteed. To solve this problem, we employ a nonsmooth analysis technique including differential inclusion and Filippov solution. Through nonsmooth Lyapunov analysis, it is shown that uniformly bounded consensus results are derived and the bound of the consensus error is adjustable by choosing suitable design parameters.