Synchronization of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles without velocity measurements

In this paper, we investigate the synchronization control of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), considering both state feedback and output feedback cases. Treating multiple AUVs as a graph, we define the tracking error of each AUV with both its own tracking error and the relative position errors with respect to its neighbors taken into account. Lyapunov analysis is used to derive the control law for each AUV. For the output feedback case, a passive filter is used to compensate for the unknown relative velocity errors among AUVs, and an observer is employed to estimate the velocity of the AUV itself. Rigid mathematical proof is provided for the proposed algorithms for both state feedback and output feedback cases. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. It is shown that, the synchronization error is smaller in the case of considering the relative errors between AUVs than in the case of considering the tracking error of the single AUV only.

[1]  Zhijun Li,et al.  Adaptive robust coordinated control of multiple mobile manipulators interacting with rigid environments , 2010, Autom..

[2]  Shuzhi Sam Ge,et al.  Robust Adaptive Control of Cooperating Mobile Manipulators With Relative Motion , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part B (Cybernetics).

[3]  Roger Skjetne,et al.  Nonlinear formation control of marine craft , 2002, Proceedings of the 41st IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 2002..

[4]  Shuzhi Sam Ge,et al.  Robust Adaptive Neural Network Control for a Class of Uncertain MIMO Nonlinear Systems With Input Nonlinearities , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks.

[5]  Shuzhi Sam Ge,et al.  Queues and artificial potential trenches for multirobot formations , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[6]  Bo Yu,et al.  Robust mixed H2/H∞ control of networked control systems with random time delays in both forward and backward communication links , 2011, Autom..

[7]  John T. Wen,et al.  Attitude control without angular velocity measurement: a passivity approach , 1995, Proceedings of 1995 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[8]  Reza Olfati-Saber,et al.  Flocking for multi-agent dynamic systems: algorithms and theory , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control.

[9]  Zhijun Li,et al.  Adaptive Fuzzy Control for Synchronization of Nonlinear Teleoperators With Stochastic Time-Varying Communication Delays , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems.

[10]  Daniel J. Stilwell,et al.  Platoons of underwater vehicles , 2000 .

[11]  Wei Ren,et al.  Distributed leaderless consensus algorithms for networked Euler–Lagrange systems , 2009, Int. J. Control.

[12]  Wei Ren,et al.  Multi-vehicle consensus with a time-varying reference state , 2007, Syst. Control. Lett..

[13]  Hong-Bin Ma.  Decentralized adaptive synchronization of a stochastic discrete-time multiagent dynamic model , 2009, Proceedings of the 48h IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) held jointly with 2009 28th Chinese Control Conference.

[14]  Nan Wang,et al.  Formation control for networked spacecraft in deep space: with or without communication delays and with switching topology , 2011, Science China Information Sciences.

[15]  Yoo Sang Choo,et al.  Leader-follower formation control of underactuated autonomous underwater vehicles , 2010 .

[16]  D.L. Odell,et al.  A leader-follower algorithm for multiple AUV formations , 2004, 2004 IEEE/OES Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37578).

[17]  Yi Guo,et al.  Global time-varying stabilization of underactuated surface vessel , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control.

[18]  Shuzhi Sam Ge,et al.  Adaptive tracking control of uncertain MIMO nonlinear systems with input constraints , 2011, Autom..

[19]  Shuzhi Sam Ge,et al.  Output Feedback NN Control for Two Classes of Discrete-Time Systems With Unknown Control Directions in a Unified Approach , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks.

[20]  Shuzhi Sam Ge,et al.  Output feedback adaptive control of a class of nonlinear discrete-time systems with unknown control directions , 2009, Autom..

[21]  David M. Fratantoni,et al.  Multi-AUV Control and Adaptive Sampling in Monterey Bay , 2006, IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering.

[22]  Beibei Ren,et al.  Synchronized altitude tracking control of multiple unmanned helicopters , 2010, Proceedings of the 2010 American Control Conference.

[23]  Henk Nijmeijer,et al.  Mutual synchronization of robots via estimated state feedback: a cooperative approach , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology.

[24]  Huazhen Fang,et al.  Kalman filter‐based adaptive control for networked systems with unknown parameters and randomly missing outputs , 2009 .

[25]  Jian Wu,et al.  Consensus in multi-agent systems with random delays governed by a Markov chain , 2011, Syst. Control. Lett..

[26]  Thor I. Fossen,et al.  Guidance and control of ocean vehicles , 1994 .

[27]  Bo Gao,et al.  Pareto-optimal coordination of multiple robots with safety guarantees , 2011, Autonomous Robots.

[28]  A. P. Aguiar,et al.  Dynamic positioning and way-point tracking of underactuated AUVs in the presence of ocean currents , 2002, Proceedings of the 41st IEEE Conference on Decision and Control, 2002..

[29]  T.I. Fossen,et al.  Formation Control of Marine Surface Craft: A Lagrangian Approach , 2006, IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering.