Distributed Consensus Protocols for Time-Varying Multi-Agent Networks with Improved Convergence Properties

In this paper, different distributed consensus control strategies are introduced for a multi-agent network with a leader-follower structure. The proposed strategies are based on the nearest neighbor rule, and are shown to reach consensus faster than conventional methods. The results are then extended to the case of a time-varying network with switching topology. The convergence performance under the proposed strategies in the case of a time-invariant network with fixed topology is evaluated based on the location of the dominant eigenvalue of the closed-loop system. For the case of a time-varying network with switching topology, on the other hand, the state transition matrix of the system is investigated to analyze the stability of the proposed strategies. A number of numerical examples are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control schemes.