Disturbance-observer-based control for synchronization of complex dynamical networks

Using the disturbance observer method, an elegant synchronization control law is proposed for complex dynamical networks with constant coupling delay and multiple disturbances. To be more specific, the network is affected by two types of disturbances: (i) unknown and produced by exogenous systems, and (ii) norm-bounded. The goal is to estimate the unknown disturbance by designing a disturbance observer that combines with the proposed feedback controller to ensure network synchronization. Sufficient conditions for the desired synchronization are then derived and expressed as linear matrix inequalities using the augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and Wirtinger’s integral inequality. A simulation example based on the F-18 aircraft model is presented to validate the correctness of the developed theoretical results.