Ensuring stability in networked systems with nonlinear MPC for continuous time systems

For networked systems, the control law is typically subject to network flaws such as delays and packet dropouts. Hence, the time in between updates of the control law varies unexpectedly. Here, we present a stability theorem for nonlinear model predictive control with varying control horizon in a continuous time setting without stabilizing terminal constraints or costs. It turns out that stability can be concluded under the same conditions as for a (short) fixed control horizon.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Multiple Loop Self-Triggered Model Predictive Control for Network Scheduling and Control

We present an algorithm for controlling and scheduling multiple linear time-invariant processes on a shared bandwidth limited communication network using adaptive sampling intervals. The controller is centralized and computes at every sampling instant not only the new control command for a process, but also decides the time interval to wait until taking the next sample. The approach relies on model predictive control ideas, where the cost function penalizes the state and control effort as well as the time interval until the next sample is taken. The latter is introduced in order to generate an adaptive sampling scheme for the overall system such that the sampling time increases as the norm of the system state goes to zero. The paper presents a method for synthesizing such a predictive controller and gives explicit sufficient conditions for when it is stabilizing. Further explicit conditions are given which guarantee conflict free transmissions on the network. It is shown that the optimization problem may be solved off-line and that the controller can be implemented as a lookup table of state feedback gains. Simulation studies which compare the proposed algorithm to periodic sampling illustrate potential performance gains.Comment: Accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technolog

Analysis of unconstrained nonlinear MPC schemes with time varying control horizon

For discrete time nonlinear systems satisfying an exponential or finite time controllability assumption, we present an analytical formula for a suboptimality estimate for model predictive control schemes without stabilizing terminal constraints. Based on our formula, we perform a detailed analysis of the impact of the optimization horizon and the possibly time varying control horizon on stability and performance of the closed loop

Robust model predictive control under redundant channel transmission with applications in networked DC motor systems

In networked systems, intermittent failures in data transmission are usually inevitable due to the limited bandwidth of the communication channel, and an effective countermeasure is to add redundance so as to improve the reliability of the communication service. This paper is concerned with the model predictive control (MPC) problem by using static output feedback for a class of polytopic uncertain systems with redundant channels under both input and output constraints. By utilizing the min-max control approach combined with stochastic analysis, sufficient conditions are established to guarantee the feasibility of the designed MPC scheme that ensures the robust stability of the closed-loop system. In terms of the solution to an auxiliary optimization problem, an easy-to-implement MPC algorithm is proposed to obtain the desired sub-optimal control sequence as well as the upper bound of the quadratic cost function. Finally, to illustrate its effectiveness, the proposed design method is applied to control a networked direct current motor system

Analysis of unconstrained nonlinear MPC schemes with time varying control horizon

For nonlinear discrete time systems satisfying a controllability condition, we present a stability condition for model predictive control without stabilizing terminal constraints or costs. The condition is given in terms of an analytical formula which can be employed in order to determine a prediction horizon length for which asymptotic stability or a performance guarantee is ensured. Based on this formula a sensitivity analysis with respect to the prediction and the possibly time varying control horizon is carried out.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Sparse Packetized Predictive Control for Networked Control over Erasure Channels

We study feedback control over erasure channels with packet-dropouts. To achieve robustness with respect to packet-dropouts, the controller transmits data packets containing plant input predictions, which minimize a finite horizon cost function. To reduce the data size of packets, we propose to adopt sparsity-promoting optimizations, namely, ell-1-ell-2 and ell-2-constrained ell-0 optimizations, for which efficient algorithms exist. We derive sufficient conditions on design parameters, which guarantee (practical) stability of the resulting feedback control systems when the number of consecutive packet-dropouts is bounded.Comment: IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Volume 59 (2014), Issue 7 (July) (to appear

Neural Networks: Training and Application to Nonlinear System Identification and Control

This dissertation investigates training neural networks for system identification and classification. The research contains two main contributions as follow:1. Reducing number of hidden layer nodes using a feedforward componentThis research reduces the number of hidden layer nodes and training time of neural networks to make them more suited to online identification and control applications by adding a parallel feedforward component. Implementing the feedforward component with a wavelet neural network and an echo state network provides good models for nonlinear systems.The wavelet neural network with feedforward component along with model predictive controller can reliably identify and control a seismically isolated structure during earthquake. The network model provides the predictions for model predictive control. Simulations of a 5-story seismically isolated structure with conventional lead-rubber bearings showed significant reductions of all response amplitudes for both near-field (pulse) and far-field ground motions, including reduced deformations along with corresponding reduction in acceleration response. The controller effectively regulated the apparent stiffness at the isolation level. The approach is also applied to the online identification and control of an unmanned vehicle. Lyapunov theory is used to prove the stability of the wavelet neural network and the model predictive controller. 2. Training neural networks using trajectory based optimization approachesTraining neural networks is a nonlinear non-convex optimization problem to determine the weights of the neural network. Traditional training algorithms can be inefficient and can get trapped in local minima. Two global optimization approaches are adapted to train neural networks and avoid the local minima problem. Lyapunov theory is used to prove the stability of the proposed methodology and its convergence in the presence of measurement errors. The first approach transforms the constraint satisfaction problem into unconstrained optimization. The constraints define a quotient gradient system (QGS) whose stable equilibrium points are local minima of the unconstrained optimization. The QGS is integrated to determine local minima and the local minimum with the best generalization performance is chosen as the optimal solution. The second approach uses the QGS together with a projected gradient system (PGS). The PGS is a nonlinear dynamical system, defined based on the optimization problem that searches the components of the feasible region for solutions. Lyapunov theory is used to prove the stability of PGS and QGS and their stability under presence of measurement noise