Discrete-time output feedback algorithm for state consensus of multi-agent systems

This paper presents a discrete-time output feedback consensus algorithm for Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). Under the assumption that an agent is aware of the relative state information about its neighbors, a state feedback consensus algorithm is designed based on Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) method. In general, however, it is possible to obtain its relative output information rather than the relative state information. To reconcile this problem, an Unknown Input Observer (UIO) is employed in this paper. To this end, first it is shown that the relative state information can be estimated using the UIO and the measured relative output information. Then a certainty-equivalence type output feedback consensus algorithm is proposed by combining the LMI-based state feedback consensus algorithm with the UIO. Finally, simulation results are given to illustrate that the proposed method successfully achieves the state consensus.