Containment Problem for Sampled-Data Agent Networks Subject to Information Delays and Switching Topologies

In this paper, a containment problem is investigated for sampled-data agent networks subject to switching topologies and information delays. A nonlinear algorithm is introduced to ensure that the agents move into a convex area formed by some static leaders. The analytical approaches include the model transformation, the convexity analysis, and the Lyapunov approach. It proves that the containment problem can be achieved for sampled-data agent networks with bounded information delays and switching topologies if the union of the communication graphs has spanning trees. A numerical example is employed to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical results.