Distributed Asynchronous Constrained Output Formation Optimal Tracking for Multiagent Systems With Intermittent Communications

Distributed output formation optimal tracking problems for multiagent systems over time-varying topologies with asynchronous and intermittent communications are investigated. Each agent collaboratively computes and tracks the optimal output formation reference that minimizes a global objective function formed by summing local objective functions. Simultaneously, this reference satisfies global constraints composed of local nonlinear inequality constraints and local closed convex set constraints. An asynchronous distributed estimator-based tracking control protocol is designed utilizing the constrained stochastic subgradient random projection method and the Lyapunov stability theory. Sufficient conditions for asymptotic convergence are given. It is revealed that the states of agents with constraints under asynchronous and intermittent communications converge asymptotically to the optimal reference signal using only neighboring information within the predefined formation. Finally, a numerical example is provided to validate the theoretical results.