Internal model-based synthesis for networks of multiple multivariable systems

The authors consider a cooperative output regulation problem (for short, CORP) for linear multi-agent uncertain multivariable systems by distributed output-feedback control. Specifically, based a specific coordinate transformation to establish a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) output-feedback norm form, we are able to develop a novel class of internal model-based protocols for the problem. Compared with existing designs in the recent literature, the proposed result is strictly extended and applicable to multivariable dynamical networks with unknown parameters or undergoing large parametric uncertainties. The result is also illustrated by a benchmark mass-spring system.