Cooperative output regulation of multi-agent systems coupled by dynamic edges

This paper investigates a new class of linear multi-agent systems, in which nodes are coupled by dynamic edges in the sense that each edge has a dynamic system attached. The outputs of the edge dynamic systems combine to form the external input of the node dynamic system, which is called neighboring input; while the outputs of the node dynamic systems are inputs of the edge dynamic systems that therefore can not be directly controlled. Distributed controllers for nodes are presented to realize output synchronization and output cooperation. Output cooperation makes the outputs of nodes realize some cooperation that here is specified as making the neighboring input track a predefined trajectory. The controllers depending on local state and neighboring inputs are designed by combining the feedback passivity theory and the internal model principle. A simulation example on the cooperated current control of an electrical network illustrates the potential applications of the analytic results.