Intelligent adaptive learning and control for discrete-time nonlinear uncertain systems in multiple environments

Abstract This paper focuses on an adaptive learning and control problem for a class of discrete-time nonlinear uncertain systems operating under multiple environments. A novel intelligent learning control framework is proposed by using a combination of offline and online learning methods. Specifically, in the offline learning mode, a deterministic learning (DL) based adaptive dynamics learning approach is first proposed to achieve locally-accurate identification of associated nonlinear uncertain system dynamics under each anticipated individual environment, and the learned knowledge is obtained and stored in a set of constant radial basis function neural network models. Then, with the learned knowledge, an online adaptive learning control scheme is further developed, which consists of: (i) an online adaptive learning control mechanism composed of multiple experience-based controllers and a DL-based adaptive learning controller, aiming to provide desired control performance for the plant operating under each individual environment; and (ii) a learning-based recognition mechanism composed of multiple recognition estimators and a DL-based identifier, aiming to recognize the active environment and schedule appropriate control strategies in real time. To guarantee the system stability during environment transition, a robust quasi-sliding-mode controller is further developed and embedded in the overall controller architecture. With this new intelligent adaptive learning control framework, the overall system is capable of adapting not only to any anticipated (pre-defined) environment by re-utilizing the knowledge obtained from both offline and online learning, but also to unanticipated (new) environments by actively acquiring new knowledge online. Simulation studies are conducted to verify the effectiveness and advantages of this new framework.