Design of Distributed Event-Triggered Average Tracking Algorithms for Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Multiagent Systems

This article addresses the design problem of distributed event-triggered average tracking (DETAT) algorithms for homogeneous and heterogeneous multiagent systems. The objective of the DETAT problem is to develop a group of distributed cooperative control algorithms with event-triggered strategies for agents to track the average of multiple time-varying reference signals. First, for homogeneous linear multiagent systems, based on sampling measurements and model-relied holding techniques, a class of static-gain DETAT algorithms is proposed with a couple of local event-triggered functions for estimators and controllers, respectively. Compared with the existing distributed average tracking (DAT) algorithms, the static-gain DETAT algorithms greatly reduce the cost over communication networks and the frequency of control protocol updates. Second, to reduce the chattering phenomenon caused by nonsmooth items in static-gain algorithms and requirements of the global information of networks, smooth dynamic-gain DETAT algorithms are introduced based on boundary layer approximation methods and self-adaptive principles. Third, for heterogeneous linear multiagent systems, a new algorithm is established by using the output regulation techniques for the heterogeneous DETAT problem. The outputs of heterogeneous agents can ultimately track the average of multiple time-varying reference signals. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to study the DETAT problem for heterogeneous multiagent systems. Finally, some examples are presented to show the validity of theoretical results.