A review of convex approaches for control, observation and safety of linear parameter varying and Takagi-Sugeno systems

This paper provides a review about the concept of convex systems based on Takagi-Sugeno, linear parameter varying (LPV) and quasi-LPV modeling. These paradigms are capable of hiding the nonlinearities by means of an equivalent description which uses a set of linear models interpolated by appropriately defined weighing functions. Convex systems have become very popular since they allow applying extended linear techniques based on linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) to complex nonlinear systems. This survey aims at providing the reader with a significant overview of the existing LMI-based techniques for convex systems in the fields of control, observation and safety. Firstly, a detailed review of stability, feedback, tracking and model predictive control (MPC) convex controllers is considered. Secondly, the problem of state estimation is addressed through the design of proportional, proportional-integral, unknown input and descriptor observers. Finally, safety of convex systems is discussed by describing popular techniques for fault diagnosis and fault tolerant control (FTC).Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Gain-scheduled H∞ control via parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions

Synthesising a gain-scheduled output feedback H∞ controller via parameter-dependent Lyapunov functions for linear parameter-varying (LPV) plant models involves solving an infinite number of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). In practice, for affine LPV models, a finite number of LMIs can be achieved using convexifying techniques. This paper proposes an alternative approach to achieve a finite number of LMIs. By simple manipulations on the bounded real lemma inequality, a symmetric matrix polytope inequality can be formed. Hence, the LMIs need only to be evaluated at all vertices of such a symmetric matrix polytope. In addition, a construction technique of the intermediate controller variables is also proposed as an affine matrix-valued function in the polytopic coordinates of the scheduled parameters. Computational results on a numerical example using the approach were compared with those from a multi-convexity approach in order to demonstrate the impacts of the approach on parameter-dependent Lyapunov-based stability and performance analysis. Furthermore, numerical simulation results show the effectiveness of these proposed techniques

Design of parameter-scheduled state-feedback controllers using shifting specifications

In this paper,the problem of designing aparameter-scheduled state-feedback controller is investigated. The paper presents an extension of the classical regional pole placement, H2 control and H1 control problems, so as to satisfy new specifications, that will be referred to as shifting pole placement control, shifting H2 control and shifting H1 control, respectively. By introducing some parameters, or using the existing ones, the controller can be designed in such away that different values of the separameters imply different regions where the closed-loop poles are situated, or different performances in the H2 or H1 sense. The proposed approach is derived within the so-called Lyapunov Shaping Paradigm, where a single quadratic Lyapunov function is used for ensuring stability and desired performances in spite of arbitrary parameter time variation. The problem is analyzed in the continuous-time LPV case, oventhough the developed theory could be applied to LTI systems in cases when it is desired to vary the control system performances online. Results obtained in simulation demonstrate the effectiveness and the relevant features of the proposed approach.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Safe Multi-Agent Interaction through Robust Control Barrier Functions with Learned Uncertainties

Robots operating in real world settings must navigate and maintain safety while interacting with many heterogeneous agents and obstacles. Multi-Agent Control Barrier Functions (CBF) have emerged as a computationally efficient tool to guarantee safety in multi-agent environments, but they assume perfect knowledge of both the robot dynamics and other agents' dynamics. While knowledge of the robot's dynamics might be reasonably well known, the heterogeneity of agents in real-world environments means there will always be considerable uncertainty in our prediction of other agents' dynamics. This work aims to learn high-confidence bounds for these dynamic uncertainties using Matrix-Variate Gaussian Process models, and incorporates them into a robust multi-agent CBF framework. We transform the resulting min-max robust CBF into a quadratic program, which can be efficiently solved in real time. We verify via simulation results that the nominal multi-agent CBF is often violated during agent interactions, whereas our robust formulation maintains safety with a much higher probability and adapts to learned uncertainties