Fixed-time scaled consensus of multi-agent systems with input delay

The design of fixed-time scaled consensus protocol for multi-agent systems with input delay is developed in this article. First, by virtue of Artstein model reduction method, the time-delay system is converted into a delay-free one. Then, two novel controllers are designed such that the fixed-time scaled consensus of multi-agent systems can be realized for the undirected and directed topology, respectively. Sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee that all agents converge to the assigned ratios instead of the same value under any bounded input delay. Besides, an explicit estimate can be given for the uniform convergence time independent of the initial conditions. Moreover, it is proved that the convergence value of the system is not affected by the initial states of agents any more, but only related to initial states of the virtual agents set in advance. Finally, numerical simulations are given to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed algorithms.     

Integral sliding-mode fixed-time consensus tracking for second-order non-linear and time delay multi-agent systems

In this paper, fixed-time consensus tracking problems under directed interaction topologies for second-order non-linear multi-agent systems with disturbance and second-order multi-agent systems with input delay are investigated. Two continuous integral terminal sliding modes are designed, which can effectively eliminate the singularity and chattering. Correspondingly, two fixed-time distributed control protocols are proposed based on the designed continuous ITSM to ensure that the consensus tracking are achieved in fixed-time. It is shown that the upper bounds of settling time are regardless of initial conditions. The rigorous proofs are given by employing Lyapunov stability theory and fixed-time stability theory. Simulations are provided to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

Disturbance observer-based fixed-time leader-following consensus control for multiple Euler–Lagrange systems: A non-singular terminal sliding mode scheme

This paper focuses on the fixed-time leader-following consensus problem for multiple Euler–Lagrange (EL) systems via non-singular terminal sliding mode control under a directed graph. Firstly, for each EL system, a local fixed-time disturbance observer is introduced to estimate the compound disturbance (including uncertain parameters and external disturbances) within a fixed time under the assumption that the disturbance is bounded. Next, a distributed fixed-time observer is designed to estimate the leader’s position and velocity, and the consensus problem is transformed into a local tracking problem by introducing such an observer. On the basis of the two types of observers designed, a novel non-singular terminal sliding surface is proposed to guarantee that the tracking errors on the sliding surface converge to zero within a fixed time. Furthermore, the presented control algorithm also ensures the fixed-time reachability of the sliding surface, while avoiding the singularity problem. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed observers and control protocol is further verified by a numerical simulation.     

Fixed-time bipartite consensus of nonlinear multi-agent systems under directed signed graphs with disturbances

This paper considers the fixed-time bipartite consensus of nonlinear multi-agent systems (MASs) subjected to external disturbances. Under the directed signed networks, several sufficient conditions are proposed to guarantee the fixed-time bipartite consensus of MASs with or without leaders, respectively. Some discontinuous control protocols are developed to realize fixed-time tracking bipartite consensus of MASs with a leader. Moreover, the fixed-time leaderless bipartite consensus under directed signed graph are discussed as well. Two numerical examples are given to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical results.     

Robust fault tolerant control of robot manipulators with global fixed-time convergence

In this paper, a robust fault tolerant control, which provides a global fixed-time stability, is proposed for robot manipulators. This approach is constructed based on an integration between a fixed-time second-order sliding mode observer (FxTSOSMO) and a fixed-time sliding mode control (FxTSMC) design strategy. First, the FxTSOSMO is developed to estimate the lumped disturbance with a fixed-time convergence. Then, based on the obtained disturbance estimation, the FxTSMC is developed based on a fixed-time sliding surface and a fixed-time reaching strategy to form a global fixed-time convergence of the system. The proposed approach is then applied for fault tolerant control of a PUMA560 robot and compared with other state-of-the-art controllers. The simulation results verify the outstanding fault estimation and fault accommodation capability of the proposed fault diagnosis observer and fault tolerant strategy, respectively.     

Fixed-time pinning synchronization for delayed complex networks under completely intermittent control

The present study investigates the fixed-time synchronization issue for delayed complex networks under intermittent pinning control. Different from some existing semi-intermittent controllers for finite/fixed-time synchronization, our pinning controller is designed in a complete intermittent way. In order to address the encountered theoretical analysis difficulties, a new differential inequality lemma is developed, which is suitable for the fixed-time synchronization studies under periodic or aperiodic complete intermittent control. Then, by using Lyapunov theory and pinning control approach, sufficient conditions are proposed which can guarantee the aperiodically completely intermittent-controlled delayed complex networks realizing fixed-time pinning synchronization. Moreover, the settling time is explicitly estimated, which is irrelevant to the initial values of our network systems. Additionally, as a special case, the scenario of periodic complete intermittent control is also discussed. At last, some simulation examples are utilized to confirm our theoretical outcomes.     

Global consensus of multiple integrator agents via saturated controls

This paper investigates the problem of global leader-following consensus of multiple integrator agents subject to control input saturation. A weighted and saturated consensus algorithm is proposed to solve this problem. Both the case of an undirected communication topology and the case of a directed communication topology are considered. It is shown that global consensus of the multiple integrator agents can be reached under a general undirected graph or a detailed balanced directed graph provided that its generated graph contains a directed spanning tree. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the theoretical results.     

Projective synchronization in fixed time for complex dynamical networks with nonidentical nodes via second-order sliding mode control strategy

This paper is concerned with the global projective synchronization in fixed time for complex dynamical networks (CDNs) with nonidentical nodes in the presence of disturbances. Firstly, in order to realize the fixed-time projective synchronization of CDNs with matched disturbances, the second-order sliding mode is established, and the global fixed-time reachability of sliding manifolds is analyzed. The fixed-time stability of the sliding mode dynamics is also proved analytically based on Lyapunov stability theory. Moreover, the fixed convergence time of both reaching and sliding mode phases can be adjusted to any desired values in advance by the choice of the designable parameters. Secondly, in order to realize the fixed-time projective synchronization of CDNs with mismatched disturbances, a super-twisting-like (STL) controller, which does not require the information of the derivative of the sliding variable, is designed, and the synchronization condition is addressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). By the proposed controllers, continuous control signals can be provided to reduce the chattering effect and improve the control accuracy. Finally, two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical results and the the feasibility of the proposed approaches.     

A new class of fixed-time bipartite consensus protocols for multi-agent systems with antagonistic interactions

In this paper, we study the fixed-time consensus problem for multi-agent systems with structurally balanced signed graph. A new class of fixed-time nonlinear consensus protocols is designed by employing the neighbor’s information. By using Lyapunov stability method, states of all agents can be guaranteed to reach agreement in a fixed time under our presented protocols, and the consensus values are the same in modulus but different in sign. Moreover, it is shown that the settling time is not dependent on the initial conditions, and it makes a good convenience to estimate the convergence time by just knowing the graph topology and the information flow of the multi-agent systems. Finally, two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed consensus protocols.     

Fast fixed-time vertical plane motion control of autonomous underwater gliders in shallow water

In this paper, a fast fixed-time vertical plane motion controller is proposed for autonomous underwater gliders (AUGs) gliding in shallow water. The influence of speed-sensorless conditions, model uncertainties, unknown time-varying external disturbances, input saturations, and state delay are taken into account. To improve control performance, a fast fixed-time stable system is first presented. Based on the system, an adaptive extended state observer (ESO) is developed for estimating speed, model uncertainties, and external disturbances. A fast fixed-time controller is designed for improving the gliding efficiency and reducing the risk of hitting the ocean floor. Moreover, an input saturation auxiliary system and an advance compensation method are presented to cope with input saturations and state delay. According to Lyapunov theory, it is proved that the AUG states can converge into a small neighborhood within a fixed time. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the rapidity and effectiveness of the designed control method.     

Fixed-time consensus for stochastic multi-agent systems with discontinuous dynamics via quantized control

In this study, the fixed-time consensus (FDTC) for stochastic multi-agent systems (MASs) with discontinuous inherent dynamics is investigated via quantized control. Firstly, an improved lemma for fixed-time (FDT) stability is derived and several more precise estimations for settling time (SLT) are gained by using certain special functions. Secondly, a more general MAS containing discontinuous inherent dynamics and stochastic perturbations is considered, which is closer to practical life. Thirdly, to overcome the limitation of communication, two kinds of quantized control protocols are designed. Besides, in the light of the graph theory, non-smooth analysis, fixed-time (FDT) stability and stochastic analysis theory, some sufficient conditions are put forward to achieve FDTC of MASs. Finally, the validity of the derived theoretical results is testified by two numerical examples.     

Finite/fixed-time synchronization control of coupled memristive neural networks

Finite-time and fixed-time synchronization (FAFS) of coupled memristive neural networks (CMNNs) with discontinuous feedback functions are explored in this paper. Firstly, a more comprehensive stability theory is systematically established. Secondly, by designing adaptive feedback controller and discontinuous feedback controller, both finite-time and fixed-time synchronization can be realized through regulating the main control parameter. Thirdly, 1-norm and quadratic-norm Lyapunov functions are considered simultaneously in this article, while in estimating the settling time, the former one is more accurate than the latter one under the same synchronization criteria. Finally, in numerical simulation, the analysis and comparison of the proposed controllers are given to show the effectiveness of the corresponding results.     

Continuous fixed-time convergent regulator for dynamic systems with unbounded disturbances

This paper presents a novel continuous fixed-time convergent control law for dynamic systems in the presence of unbounded disturbances. A continuous fixed-time convergent control is designed to drive all states of a multi-dimensional integrator chain at the origin for a finite pre-established (fixed) time, using a scalar input. The fixed-time convergence is established and the uniform upper bound of the settling time is computed. The designed control algorithm is applied to fixed-time stabilization of two mechatronic systems, a cart inverted pendulum and a single machine infinite bus turbo generator with main steam valve control.     

Leader-following fixed-time quantized consensus of multi-agent systems via impulsive control

In this paper, we mainly tend to consider distributed leader-following fixed-time quantized consensus problem of nonlinear multi-agent systems via impulsive control. An appropriate quantized criterion and some novel control protocols are proposed in order to solve the problem. The protocols proposed integrates the two control strategies from the point of view of reducing communication costs and constraints, which are quantized control and impulsive control. The fixed-time quantized consensus of multi-agent is analyzed in terms of algebraic graph theory, Lyapunov theory and comparison system theory, average impulsive interval. The results show that if some sufficient conditions are met, the fixed-time consensus of multi-agent systems can be guaranteed under impulsive control with quantized relative state measurements. In addition, compared with finite-time consensus, the settling-time of fixed-time quantized consensus does not depend on the initial conditions of each agent but on the parameters of the protocol. Finally, numerical simulations are exploited to illustrate the effectiveness and performance to support our theoretical analysis.     

Distributed fixed-Time secondary control for islanded microgrids: Tackling abnormal data

This paper deals with the distributed secondary control problem for multiple distributed generators in an islanded microgrid. A distributed fixed-time secondary controller is designed for each generator using only its neighbors’ information, where saturation functions are introduced to the designed controllers to constrain the adverse influence of abnormal data from neighbors. Several indicator variables are introduced to reformulate the saturation function to reduce conservatism. The objective of this paper is to realize the recovery of the frequency and voltage as well as the active power-sharing within a fixed time. The fixed-time convergence of the proposed distributed control algorithm is analyzed through rigorous analysis. Also, the upper bound of the settling time is derived, which does not depend on the system’s initial state. Finally, a simulation example is utilized to verify the effectiveness of the proposed distributed control scheme by using the MATLAB/SimPowerSystems toolbox.     

Fixed-time stabilization of general linear systems with input delay

In this paper, the fixed-time stabilization control problem for general linear systems with input delay is addressed. In addition to the Artstein–Kwon–Pearson reduction transformation, a pre-compensation control structure is established first to convert the original system into a single input delay-free linear system. Then, we show that the origin of the transformed system is fixed-time stabilizable by an additional homogeneous control design if the original system is controllable. Finally, an example is used to validate the proposed method via simulation results.     

Fixed-time stabilization of periodic linear systems and its application to the elliptical spacecraft rendezvous

A smooth periodic delayed feedback (SPDF) control scheme is proposed for the fixed-time stabilization problem of linear periodic systems subject to input delay. By investigating the monodromy matrix of the periodic system, it is proved that the SPDF controller can achieve the fixed-time stabilization of linear periodic systems with arbitrarily long yet bounded input delays under the condition that the original system is uniformly completely controllable. The proposed controller is continuously differentiable and smooth. The SPDF control scheme is then applied to the elliptical spacecraft rendezvous problem. The effectiveness of the established method is verified on numerical simulations.     

Fixed-time nonlinear homogeneous sliding mode approach for robust tracking control of multirotor aircraft: Experimental validation

This paper presents a robust scheme for fixed-time tracking control of a multirotor system. The aircraft is subjected to matched lumped disturbances, i.e., unmodeled dynamics, parameters uncertainties, and external perturbations besides measurement noise. Firstly, a novel Nonlinear Homogeneous Continuous Terminal Sliding Manifold (NHCTSM) based on the weighted homogeneity theory is presented. The sliding manifold is designed with prescribed dynamics featuring Global Asymptotic Stability (GAS) and fixed-time convergence. Then, a novel Fixed-time Non-switching Homogeneous Nonsingular Terminal Sliding Mode Control (FNHNTSMC) is proposed for the position and attitude loops by employing the developed NHCTSM and an appropriate reaching law. Moreover, the control framework incorporates a disturbance observer to feedforward and compensate for the disturbances. The designed control scheme can drive the states of the system to the desired references in fixed-time irrespective of the values of the Initial Conditions (ICs). Since the existing works on homogeneous controllers rely on the bi-limit homogeneity concept in the convergence proofs, the estimate of the settling-time or its upper-bound cannot be given explicitly. In contrast, this study employs Lyapunov Quadratic Function (LQF) and Algebraic Lyapunov Equation (ALE) in the stability analysis of both controller and observer. Following this method, an expression of the upper-bound of the settling-time is explicitly derived. Furthermore, to assure the Uniform Ultimate Boundedness (UUB) of all signals in the feedback system, the dynamics of the observer and controller are jointly analyzed. Simulations and experiments are conducted to quantify the control performance. The proposed approach achieves superior performance compared with recent literature on fixed-time/finite-time control and a commercially available PID controller. The comparative results witness that the developed control scheme improves the convergence-time, accuracy, and robustness while overcoming the singularity issue and mitigating the chattering effect of conventional SMC.     

Fixed-time anti-saturation grouped cooperative guidance law with state estimations of multiple maneuvering targets

The problem of a grouped multiple missiles cooperative attack on multiple high maneuvering targets with a limited driving force is achieved by an anti-saturation fixed-time grouped cooperative guidance (FxTCG) law based on a sliding mode fixed-time disturbance observer (SM-FxTDO) in this study. First, the state estimation of each high maneuvering target within a fixed time is achieved by designing a sliding mode fixed-time disturbance observer. Second, the group cooperative guidance law is designed by using fixed-time theory, which can ensure the group consensus of multiple missiles strike times within a fixed time under the condition of input saturation. Then, the fixed time stability of the multi-missiles system is proven by using the bi-limit homogeneous theory and the Lyapunov function. Finally, the simulation results show the superiority of the designed observer and cooperative guidance law. The proposed observer can more effectively and accurately estimate the state of the high maneuvering target than the ESO. The proposed cooperative guidance law expands the number of attack targets and makes each group of multiple missiles attack the corresponding high maneuvering target under the conditions of an input saturation within a fixed time compared to the single-target cooperative law.     

一类具有动态领导者和时滞的多主体系统的一致性

研究了一类具有动态领导者并且存在时变耦合时滞的多主体系统的一致性问题．在所考虑的模型中,领导者的速度不能被精确量测．为了跟踪这样一个领导者主体,将对每个跟随者主体构造分散式状态估计器以及设计基于邻居的控制器;同时,由于耦合时滞的存在,基于邻居的控制器和状态估计器均包含了时变时滞的作用．当多主体系统的耦合拓扑是固定的或切换的有向图时,跟随者与领导者之间的跟踪误差得到了估计．特别地,可以证明,当动态领导者的速度可以被精确量测时,每一个跟随者都能够跟踪上领导者．