On Distributed Internal Model Principle for Output Regulation over Time-Varying Networks of Linear Heterogeneous Agents

Abstract: We study a multi-agent output regulation problem, where not all agents have access to the exosystem's dynamics. We propose a distributed controller that solves the problem for linear, heterogeneous, and uncertain agent dynamics as well as time-varying directed networks. The distributed controller consists of two parts: (1) an exosystem generator that creates a local copy of the exosystem dynamics by using consensus protocols, and (2) a dynamic compensator that uses (again) consensus to approach the internal model of the exosystem and thereby achieves perfect output regulation. Our approach leverages methods from internal model based controller synthesis, multi-agent consensus over directed networks, and stability of time-varying linear systems; the derived result is an adaptation of the (centralized) internal model principle to the distributed, networked setting.