Lazy-Learning-Based Data-Driven Model-Free Adaptive Predictive Control for a Class of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems

Robust Model Free Adaptive Predictive Control for Wastewater Treatment Process With Packet Dropouts

External disturbances and packet dropouts will lead to poor control performance for the wastewater treatment process (WWTP). To address this issue, a robust model-free adaptive predictive control (RMFAPC) strategy with a packet dropout compensation mechanism (PDCM) is proposed for WWTP. First, a dynamic linearization approach (DLA), relying only on perturbed process data, is employed to approximate the system dynamics. Second, a predictive control strategy is introduced to avoid a short-sighted control decision, and an extended state observer (ESO) is used to attenuate the disturbance effectively. Furthermore, a PDCM strategy is designed to handle the packet dropout problem, and the stability of RMFAPC is rigorously analyzed. Finally, the correctness and effectiveness of RMFAPC are verified through extensive simulations. The simulation results indicate that RMFAPC can significantly reduce IAE by 0.0223 and 0.1976 in two scenarios, regardless of whether the expected value remains constant or varies. This comparison to MFAPC demonstrates the superior robustness of RMFAPC against disturbances. The ablation experiment on PDCM further confirms its capability in handling the packet dropout problem.

Event-Triggered Model-Free Adaptive Control for Nonlinear Multiagent Systems Under Jamming Attacks

This article addresses the security problem of tracking control for nonlinear multiagent systems against jamming attacks. It is assumed that the communication networks among agents are unreliable due to the existence of jamming attacks, and a Stackelberg game is introduced to depict the interaction process between multiagent systems and malicious jammer. First, the dynamic linearization model of the system is established by applying a pseudo-partial derivative method. Then, a novel model-free security adaptive control strategy is proposed, so that the multiagent systems can achieve bounded tracking control in the mathematical expectation sense in spite of jamming attacks. Furthermore, a fixed threshold event-triggered scheme is utilized to reduce communication cost. It is worth noting that the proposed methods only require the input and output information of the agents. Finally, the validity of the proposed methods is illustrated through two simulation examples.

Under-Actuated Motion Control of Haidou-1 ARV Using Data-Driven, Model-Free Adaptive Sliding Mode Control Method

We propose a data-driven, model-free adaptive sliding mode control (MFASMC) approach to address the Haidou-1 ARV under-actuated motion control problem with uncertainties, including external disturbances and parameter perturbations. Firstly, we analyzed the two main difficulties in the motion control of Haidou-1 ARV. Secondly, in order to address these problems, a MFASMC control method was introduced. It is combined by a model-free adaptive control (MFAC) method and a sliding mode control (SMC) method. The main advantage of the MFAC method is that it relies only on the real-time measurement data of an ARV instead of any mathematical modeling information, and the SMC method guarantees the MFAC method's fast convergence and low overshooting. The proposed MFASMC control method can maneuver Haidou-1 ARV cruising at the desired forward speed, heading, and depth, even when the dynamic parameters of the ARV vary widely and external disturbances exist. It also addresses the problem of under-actuated motion control for the Haidou-1 ARV. Finally, the simulation results, including comparisons with a PID method and the MFAC method, demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method.

Event-Triggered Guarantee Cost Control for Partially Unknown Stochastic Systems via Explorized Integral Reinforcement Learning Strategy

In this article, an integral reinforcement learning (IRL)-based event-triggered guarantee cost control (GCC) approach is proposed for stochastic systems which are modulated by randomly time-varying parameters. First, with the aid of the RL algorithm, the optimal GCC (OGCC) problem is converted into an optimal zero-sum game by solving a modified Hamilton-Jacobin-Isaac (HJI) equation of the auxiliary system. Moreover, in order to address the stochastic zero-sum game, we propose an on-policy IRL-based control approach involved by the multivariate probabilistic collocation method (MPCM), which can accurately predict the mean value of uncertain functions with randomly time-varying parameters. Furthermore, a novel GCC method, which combines the explorized IRL algorithm and MPCM, is designed to relax the restriction of knowing the system dynamics for the class of stochastic systems. On this foundation, for the purpose of reducing computation cost and avoiding the waste of resources, we propose an event-triggered GCC approach involved with explorized IRL and MPCM by utilizing critic-actor-disturbance neural networks (NNs). Meanwhile, the weight vectors of three NNs are updated simultaneously and aperiodically according to the designed triggering condition. The ultimate boundedness (UB) properties of the controlled systems have been proved by means of the Lyapunov theorem. Finally, the effectiveness of the developed GCC algorithms is illustrated via two simulation examples.

An improved compact-form antisaturation model-free adaptive control algorithm for a class of nonlinear systems with time delays

To solve the time-delay problem and actuator saturation problem of nonlinear plants in industrial processes, an improved compact-form antisaturation model-free adaptive control (ICF-AS-MFAC) method is proposed in this work. The ICF-AS-MFAC scheme is based on the concept of the pseudo partial derivative (PPD) and adopts equivalent dynamic linearization technology. Then, a tracking differentiator is used to predict the future output of a time-delay system to effectively control the system. Additionally, the concept of the saturation parameter is proposed, and the ICF-AS-MFAC controller is designed to ensure that the control system will not exhibit actuator saturation. The proposed algorithm is more flexible, has faster output responses for time-delay systems, and solves the problem of actuator saturation. The convergence and stability of the proposed method are rigorously proven mathematically. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by numerical simulations, and the applicability of the proposed method is verified by a series of experimental results based on double tanks.

Active disturbance rejection control for non-minimum phase systems under plant reconstruction

Active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) for non-minimum phase (NMP) systems is a challenging problem due to the conflict between stability and feedback tuning. The key point on this issue is to avoid heavy feedback tuning for robustness enhancement. We perform plant reconstruction to obtain an explicit expression of internal disturbance, such that it can be reduced by cascade compensation. Then, a new ADRC scheme is developed based on plant reconstruction and the internal stability criterion for ADRC system is derived. The stability conditions provide guidelines on the design of the cascade compensator and disturbance observer. It also indicates that the cascade compensation contributes to the robust stability of NMP systems. Simulation results of two typical NMP systems are provided to show the efficacy of the proposed ADRC scheme. Physical realizability is also demonstrated through experiments on a motion NMP system.

Output feedback full-order sliding mode control for a three-tank system

A robust output feedback nonlinear control method is proposed for output tracking of an uncertain three-tank system by using only the level sensor of the target tank. By using a coordinate transformation, we first transform the system model into a canonical form with uncertainties. The canonical system's state variables are estimated by a higher-order sliding mode differentiator based on the measurement of the target tank's liquid level. Then based on the estimated state variables, a continuous full-order sliding mode controller is constructed which can eliminate the effects of both the additive and multiplicative uncertainties. Rigorous analysis is carried out to clarify the control performance. And the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by experimental studies on the Inteco Multi-tank system.

Distributed Group Coordination of Multiagent Systems in Cloud Computing Systems Using a Model-Free Adaptive Predictive Control Strategy

This article studies the group coordinated control problem for distributed nonlinear multiagent systems (MASs) with unknown dynamics. Cloud computing systems are employed to divide agents into groups and establish networked distributed multigroup-agent systems (ND-MGASs). To achieve the coordination of all agents and actively compensate for communication network delays, a novel networked model-free adaptive predictive control (NMFAPC) strategy combining networked predictive control theory with model-free adaptive control method is proposed. In the NMFAPC strategy, each nonlinear agent is described as a time-varying data model, which only relies on the system measurement data for adaptive learning. To analyze the system performance, a simultaneous analysis method for stability and consensus of ND-MGASs is presented. Finally, the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed NMFAPC strategy are verified by numerical simulations and experimental examples. The achievement also provides a solution for the coordination of large-scale nonlinear MASs.

Introducing a Novel Model-Free Multivariable Adaptive Neural Network Controller for Square MIMO Systems

In this study, a novel Multivariable Adaptive Neural Network Controller (MANNC) is developed for coupled model-free n-input n-output systems. The learning algorithm of the proposed controller does not rely on the model of a system and uses only the history of the system inputs and outputs. The system is considered as a 'black box' with no pre-knowledge of its internal structure. By online monitoring and possessing the system inputs and outputs, the parameters of the controller are adjusted. Using the accumulated gradient of the system error along with the Lyapunov stability analysis, the weights' adjustment convergence of the controller can be observed, and an optimal training number of the controller can be selected. The Lyapunov stability of the system is checked during the entire weight training process to enable the controller to handle any possible nonlinearities of the system. The effectiveness of the MANNC in controlling nonlinear square multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems is demonstrated via three simulation studies covering the cases of a time-invariant nonlinear MIMO system, a time-variant nonlinear MIMO system, and a hybrid MIMO system, respectively. In each case, the performance of the MANNC is compared with that of a properly selected existing counterpart. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed MANNC is capable of controlling various types of square MIMO systems with much improved performance over its existing counterpart. The unique properties of the MANNC will make it a suitable candidate for many industrial applications.

Data-driven trajectory tracking control for autonomous underwater vehicle based on iterative extended state observer

In this study, we explore the precise trajectory tracking control problem of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) under the disturbance of the underwater environment. First, a model-free adaptive control (MFAC) is designed based on data-driven ideology and a full-form dynamic linearization (FFDL) method is utilized to online estimate time-varying parameter pseudo gradient (PG) to establish an equivalent data model of AUV motion. Second, the iterative extended state observer (IESO) scheme is designed to combine with FFDL-MFAC. Because the proposed novel controller is able to learn from repeated iterations, the proposed novel controller can estimate and compensate the model approximation error produced by external environmental unknown disturbance. Third, three-dimensional motion is decoupled into horizontal and vertical and a multi closed-loop control structure is designed that exhibits faster convergence rate and reduces sensitivity to parameter jumps than single closed-loop system. Finally, two simulation scenarios are designed featuring non external disturbance and Gaussian noise of signal-to-noise ratio of 90 dB. The simulation results reveal the superiority of FFDL. Furthermore, we adpot the technical parameters data of T-SEA I AUV to conduct numerical simulation, aunderwater trajectory as the tracking scenario and set waves to 0.5 m and current to 0.2 m/s to simulate Lv.2 ocean conditions of "International Ocean State Standard". The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed tracking control algorithm.

Disturbance-Improved Model-Free Adaptive Prediction Control for Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems with Time Delay

This study proposes a Disturbance-improved Model-free Adaptive Prediction Control (DMFAPC) algorithm for a discrete-time nonlinear system with time delay and disturbance. The algorithm is shown to have good robustness. On the one hand, the Smith predictor is used to predict the output at a future time to eliminate the time delay in the system; on the other hand, an attenuation factor is introduced at the input to effectively eliminate the measurement disturbance. The proposed algorithm is a data-driven control algorithm that does not require the model information of the controlled system; it only requires the input and output data. The convergence of the DMFAPC is analyzed. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of this algorithm.

Pattern-Moving-Based Partial Form Dynamic Linearization Model Free Adaptive Control for a Class of Nonlinear Systems

This work addresses a pattern-moving-based partial form dynamic linearization model free adaptive control (P-PFDL-MFAC) scheme and illustrates the bounded convergence of its tracking error for a class of unknown nonaffine nonlinear discrete-time systems. The concept of pattern moving is to take the pattern class of the system output condition as a dynamic operation variable, and the control purpose is to ensure that the system outputs belong to a certain pattern class or some desired pattern classes. The P-PFDL-MFAC scheme mainly includes a modified tracking control law, a deviation estimation algorithm and a pseudo-gradient (PG) vector estimation algorithm. The classification-metric deviation is considered as an external disturbance, which is caused by the process of establishing the pattern-moving-based system dynamics description, and an improved cost function is proposed from the perspective of a two-player zero-sum game (TP-ZSG). The bounded convergence of the tracking error is rigorously proven by the contraction mapping principle, and the validity of the theoretical results is verified by simulation examples.

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.

A Novel Dual Successive Projection-Based Model-Free Adaptive Control Method and Application to an Autonomous Car

In this paper, a novel model-free adaptive control (MFAC) algorithm based on a dual successive projection (DuSP)-MFAC method is proposed, and it is analyzed using the introduced DuSP method and the symmetrically similar structures of the controller and its parameter estimator of MFAC. Then, the proposed DuSP-MFAC scheme is successfully implemented in an autonomous car "Ruilong" for the lateral tracking control problem via converting the trajectory tracking problem into a stabilization problem by using the proposed preview-deviation-yaw angle. This MFAC-based lateral tracking control method was tested and demonstrated satisfactory performance on real roads in Fengtai, Beijing, China, and through successful participation in the Chinese Smart Car Future Challenge Competition held in 2015 and 2016.

Model-free adaptive integral terminal sliding mode predictive control for a class of discrete-time nonlinear systems

In this paper, a new model-free adaptive digital integral terminal sliding mode predictive control scheme is proposed for a class of nonlinear discrete-time systems with disturbances. The characteristic of the proposed control approach is easy to be implemented because it merely adopts the input and output data model of the system based on compact form dynamic linearization (CFDL) data-driven technique, while the technique of perturbation estimation is applied to estimate the disturbance term of the system. Moreover, by means of combining model predictive control and CFDL digital integral terminal sliding mode control (CFDL-DITSMC), the CFDL digital integral terminal sliding mode predictive control (CFDL-DITSMPC) method is proposed, which can further improve the tracking accuracy and disturbance rejection performance in comparison with the CFDL model-free adaptive control, neural network quasi-sliding mode control and the CFDL-DITSMC scheme. Meanwhile, the stability of the proposed approach is guaranteed by theoretical analysis, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is also illustrated by numerical simulations and the experiment on the two-tank water level control system.

Data-Driven Model-Free Adaptive Control Based on Error Minimized Regularized Online Sequential Extreme Learning Machine

Model-free adaptive control (MFAC) builds a virtual equivalent dynamic linearized model by using a dynamic linearization technique. The virtual equivalent dynamic linearized model contains some time-varying parameters, time-varying parameters usually include high nonlinearity implicitly, and the performance will degrade if the nonlinearity of these time-varying parameters is high. In this paper, first, a novel learning algorithm named error minimized regularized online sequential extreme learning machine (EMREOS-ELM) is investigated. Second, EMREOS-ELM is used to estimate those time-varying parameters, a model-free adaptive control method based on EMREOS-ELM is introduced for single-input single-output unknown discrete-time nonlinear systems, and the stability of the proposed algorithm is guaranteed by theoretical analysis. Finally, the proposed algorithm is compared with five other control algorithms for an unknown discrete-time nonlinear system, and simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can improve the performance of control systems.

Potential of Model-Free Control for Demand-Side Management Considering Real-Time Pricing

This paper presents a detailed description of data predictive control (DPC) applied to a demand-side energy management system. Different from traditional model-based predictive control (MPC) algorithms, this approach introduces two model-free algorithms of artificial neural network (ANN) and random forest (RF) to make control strategy predictions on system operation, while avoiding the huge cost and effort associated with learning a grey/white box model of the physical system. The operating characteristics of electrical appliances, system energy consumption, and users’ comfort zones are also considered in the selected energy management system based on a real-time electricity pricing system. Case studies consisting of two scenarios (0% and 15% electricity price fluctuation) are delivered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Simulation results demonstrate that the DPC controller based on ANN pays only 0.18% additional bill cost to maintain users’ comfort zones and system economy standardization while using only 0.096% optimization time cost compared with the MPC controller.

Learning Output Reference Model Tracking for Higher-Order Nonlinear Systems with Unknown Dynamics

This work suggests a solution for the output reference model (ORM) tracking control problem, based on approximate dynamic programming. General nonlinear systems are included in a control system (CS) and subjected to state feedback. By linear ORM selection, indirect CS feedback linearization is obtained, leading to favorable linear behavior of the CS. The Value Iteration (VI) algorithm ensures model-free nonlinear state feedback controller learning, without relying on the process dynamics. From linear to nonlinear parameterizations, a reliable approximate VI implementation in continuous state-action spaces depends on several key parameters such as problem dimension, exploration of the state-action space, the state-transitions dataset size, and a suitable selection of the function approximators. Herein, we find that, given a transition sample dataset and a general linear parameterization of the Q-function, the ORM tracking performance obtained with an approximate VI scheme can reach the performance level of a more general implementation using neural networks (NNs). Although the NN-based implementation takes more time to learn due to its higher complexity (more parameters), it is less sensitive to exploration settings, number of transition samples, and to the selected hyper-parameters, hence it is recommending as the de facto practical implementation. Contributions of this work include the following: VI convergence is guaranteed under general function approximators; a case study for a low-order linear system in order to generalize the more complex ORM tracking validation on a real-world nonlinear multivariable aerodynamic process; comparisons with an offline deep deterministic policy gradient solution; implementation details and further discussions on the obtained results.

Multi-Agent-Based Data-Driven Distributed Adaptive Cooperative Control in Urban Traffic Signal Timing

Data-driven intelligent transportation systems (D2ITSs) have drawn significant attention lately. This work investigates a novel multi-agent-based data-driven distributed adaptive cooperative control (MA-DD-DACC) method for multi-direction queuing strength balance with changeable cycle in urban traffic signal timing. Compared with the conventional signal control strategies, the proposed MA-DD-DACC method combined with an online parameter learning law can be applied for traffic signal control in a distributed manner by merely utilizing the collected I/O traffic queueing length data and network topology of multi-direction signal controllers at a single intersection. A Lyapunov-based stability analysis shows that the proposed approach guarantees uniform ultimate boundedness of the distributed consensus coordinated errors of queuing strength. The numerical and experimental comparison simulations are performed on a VISSIM-VB-MATLAB joint simulation platform to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Data driven control for a class of nonlinear systems with output saturation

This paper considers the problem of data driven control (DDC) for a class of non-affine nonlinear systems with output saturation. A time varying linear data model for such nonlinear system is first established by using the dynamic linearization technique, then a DDC algorithm is constructed only depending on the control input data and the saturated output data. The convergence of the proposed algorithm is strictly proved and the effect of output saturation on system performance is also analyzed. It is shown that output saturation does not change the convergence property of DDC systems, thus it causes the convergence rate to slow down. Meanwhile, the ultimate tracking error is determined by the change of desired trajectory. If the desired trajectory is a constant, then the tracking error converges to zero. Two examples are exploited to verify the theoretical results.

Model-free adaptive optimal controller design for aeroelastic system with input constraints

In this thesis, an innovative model-free adaptive control strategy based on a multi-observer technique that takes advantage of input/output measurement data is proposed for the aeroelastic system of the two degree of freedom pitch-plunge wing, and this unknown complicated nonlinear system is a general multi-input multi-output plant with input constraints. In this algorithm, the multi-observer technique is applied to estimate the value of the pseudopartial derivative parameter matrix in the approach of the compact form dynamic linearization designed to linearize the model of the two-dimensional wing-flap system with input constraints. At the same time, this model-free adaptive control method consists of the approximate internal model and the optimal controller. Moreover, this control scheme is based on the linear matrix inequalities, which is a kind of real-time computation. In the design process for controlling this two-dimensional wing-flap system in the condition that the control inputs are subjected to amplitude and change rate limits, the problem of the dynamic control is transformed into the optimization problem, which can minimize the performance index. Finally, simulation results for the two-dimensional wing-flap system with input constraints can demonstrate the availability and potential of the presented multi-observer-based model-free optimal control strategy for unknown nonlinear multi-input multi-output system with input saturation.