We present recent results that demonstrate the power of viewing the problem of V-formation in a flock of birds as one of Model Predictive Control (MPC). The V-formation-MPC marriage can be understood in terms of the problem of synthesizing an optimal plan for a continuous-space and continuous-time Markov decision process (MDP), where the goal is to reach a target state that minimizes a given cost function. First, we consider ARES, an approximation algorithm for generating optimal plans (action sequences) that take an initial state of an MDP to a state whose cost is below a specified (convergence) threshold. ARES uses Particle Swarm Optimization, with adaptive sizing for both the receding horizon and the particle swarm. Inspired by Importance Splitting, the length of the horizon and the number of particles are chosen such that at least one particle reaches a next-level state. ARES can alternatively be viewed as a model-predictive control (MPC) algorithm that utilizes an adaptive receding horizon, aka Adaptive MPC (AMPC). We next present Distributed AMPC (DAMPC), a distributed version of AMPC that works with local neighborhoods. We introduce adaptive neighborhood resizing, whereby the neighborhood size is determined by the cost-based Lyapunov function evaluated over a global system state. Our experiments show that DAMPC can perform almost as well as centralized AMPC, while using only local information and a form of distributed consensus in each time step. Finally, inspired by security attacks on cyber-physical systems, we introduce controller-attacker games (CAG), where two players, a controller and an attacker, have antagonistic objectives. We formulate a special case of CAG called V-formation games, where the attacker's goal is to prevent the controller from attaining V-formation. We demonstrate how adaptation in the design of the controller helps in overcoming certain attacks.
This paper investigates the combination of two model predictive control concepts, sequential model predictive control and long-horizon model predictive control for power electronics. To achieve sequential model predictive control, the optimization problem is split into two subproblems: The first one summarizes all control goals which linearly depend on the system inputs. Sequential model predictive control generally requires to obtain more than one solution for the first subproblem. Due to the mixed-integer nature of finite control set model predictive control power electronics a special spher…
Direct data-driven control has attracted substantial interest since it enables optimization-based control without the need for a parametric model. This paper presents a new Instrumental Variable~(IV) approach to Data-enabled Predictive Control (DeePC) that results in favorable noise mitigation properties, and demonstrates the direct equivalence between DeePC and Subspace Predictive Control (SPC). The methodology relies on the derivation of the characteristic equation in DeePC along the lines of subspace identification algorithms. A particular choice of IVs is presented that is uncorrelated wit…
This chapter provides a concise survey on different dissipativity conditions that have appeared in the literature on economic model predictive control and discusses their decisive role in this context.
Data-enabled predictive control (DeePC) is a recently proposed approach that combines system identification, estimation and control in a single optimization problem, for which only recorded input/output data of the examined system is required. The same premise holds for the subspace predictive control (SPC) method in which a multi-step prediction model is identified from the same data as required for DeePC. This model is then used to formulate a similar optimal control problem. In this work we investigate the relationship between DeePC and SPC. Our primary contribution is to show that SPC is e…
Satellite constellation missions, consisting of a large number of spacecraft, are increasingly being launched or planned. Such missions require novel control approaches, in particular for what concerns orbital phasing maneuvers. In this context, we consider the problem of reconfiguration of a satellite constellation in a circular formation. In our scenario, a formation of equally spaced spacecraft need to undergo an autonomous reconfiguration due to the deorbiting of a satellite in the formation. The remaining spacecraft have to reconfigure to form again an equidistant formation. To achieve th…
Combining efficient and safe control for safety-critical systems is challenging. Robust methods may be overly conservative, whereas probabilistic controllers require a trade-off between efficiency and safety. In this work, we propose a safety algorithm that is compatible with any stochastic Model Predictive Control method for linear systems with additive uncertainty and polytopic constraints. This safety algorithm allows to use the optimistic control inputs of stochastic Model Predictive Control as long as a safe backup planner can ensure safety with respect to satisfying hard constraints subj…
This paper presents a data-driven approach to the design of predictive controllers. The prediction matrices utilized in standard model predictive control (MPC) algorithms are typically constructed using knowledge of a system model such as, state-space or input-output models. Instead, we directly estimate the prediction matrices relating future outputs with current and future inputs from measured data, off-line. On-line, the developed data--driven predictive controller reduces to solving a quadratic program with a similar structure and complexity as linear MPC. Additionally, we develop a new pr…
On the wave of recent advances in data-driven predictive control, we present an explicit predictive controller that can be constructed from a batch of input/output data only. The proposed explicit law is build upon a regularized implicit data-driven predictive control problem, so as to guarantee the uniqueness of the explicit predictive controller. As a side benefit, the use of regularization is shown to improve the capability of the explicit law in coping with noise on the data. The effectiveness of the retrieved explicit law and the repercussions of regularization on noise handling are analy…
This tutorial shows an overview of Model Predictive Control with a linear discrete-time system and constrained states and inputs. The focus is on the implementation of the method under consideration of stability and recursive feasibility. The MATLAB code for the examples and plots is available online.
In this paper, we propose a framework for the longitudinal control of connected and automated vehicles traveling in mixed traffic consisting of connected and non-connected human-driven vehicles. Reactive and predictive controllers are proposed. Reactive controllers are given by explicit feedback control laws. In predictive controllers, the control input is optimized in a receding-horizon fashion, which depends on the predictions of motions of preceding vehicles. Beyond-line-of-sight information is obtained via vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, and is utilized in the proposed reactive and…
We consider the problem of data-driven predictive control for an unknown discrete-time linear time-periodic (LTP) system of known period. Our proposed strategy generalizes both Data-enabled Predictive Control (DeePC) and Subspace Predictive Control (SPC), which are established data-driven control techniques for linear time-invariant (LTI) systems. The approach is supported by an extensive theoretical development of behavioral systems theory for LTP systems, culminating in a generalization of the fundamental lemma. Our algorithm produces results identical to standard Model Predictive Control (M…
This paper considers a cooperative cruise control problem from a predictive control perspective. Online decision-making is used to be executed during the driving process based on the information obtained from the network. We formalize a synchronization problem approach from a predictive control theory using bargaining games to find an operating agreement between the vehicles. Finally, we test these results in an emulation environment in a hardware-in-the-loop system.
While learning-based control techniques often outperform classical controller designs, safety requirements limit the acceptance of such methods in many applications. Recent developments address this issue through so-called predictive safety filters, which assess if a proposed learning-based control input can lead to constraint violations and modifies it if necessary to ensure safety for all future time steps. The theoretical guarantees of such predictive safety filters rely on the model assumptions and minor deviations can lead to failure of the filter putting the system at risk. This paper in…
In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a current controller for a reluctance synchronous machine based on continuous set nonlinear model predictive control. A computationally efficient grey box model of the flux linkage map is employed in a tracking formulation which is implemented using the high-performance framework for nonlinear model predictive control acados. The resulting controller is validated in simulation and deployed on a dSPACE real-time system connected to a physical reluctance synchronous machine. Experimental results are presented where the proposed implement…
This paper considers the control of uncertain systems that are operated under limited resource factors, such as battery life or hardware longevity. We consider here resource-aware self-triggered control techniques that schedule system operation non-uniformly in time in order to balance performance against resource consumption. When running in an uncertain environment, unknown disturbances may deteriorate system performance by acting adversarially against the planned event triggering schedule. In this work, we propose a resource-aware stochastic predictive control scheme to tackle this challeng…
We present a delay-compensating control method that transforms exponentially stabilizing controllers for an undelayed system into a sample-based predictive controller with numerical integration. Our method handles both first-order and transport delays in actuators and trades-off numerical accuracy with computation delay to guaranteed stability under hardware limitations. Through hybrid stability analysis and numerical simulation, we demonstrate the efficacy of our method from both theoretical and simulation perspectives.
The Unscented Transform which is the basis of the Unscented Kalman Filter, UKF, is used here to develop a novel predictive controller for non-linear plants, called the Unscented Transform Controller, UTC. The UTC can be seen as the dual of the UKF, the same way as the LQG regulator and the Kalman Filter are related. The UTC is demonstrated on the control of complex maneuvers in free fall of a virtual skydiver the model of which was verified in wind tunnel and free fall experiments.
In this brief, the current robust numerical solution to the inverse kinematics based on Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) method is reanalyzed through control theory instead of numerical method. Compared to current works, the robustness of computation and convergence performance of computational error are analyzed much more clearly by analyzing the control performance of the corrected model free adaptive control (MFAC). Then mainly motivated by minimizing the predictive tracking error, this study suggests a new method of model free adaptive predictive control (MFAPC) to solve the inverse kinematics pro…
Accounting for more than 40% of global energy consumption, residential and commercial buildings will be key players in any future green energy systems. To fully exploit their potential while ensuring occupant comfort, a robust control scheme is required to handle various uncertainties, such as external weather and occupant behaviour. However, prominent patterns, especially periodicity, are widely seen in most sources of uncertainty. This paper incorporates this correlated structure into the learning model predictive control framework, in order to learn a global optimal robust control scheme fo…
Controlling large-scale systems sometimes requires decentralized computation. Communication among agents is crucial to achieving consensus and optimal global behavior. These negotiation mechanisms are sensitive to attacks on those exchanges. This paper proposes an algorithm based on Expectation Maximization to mitigate the effects of attacks in a resource allocation based distributed model predictive control. The performance is assessed through an academic example of the temperature control of multiple rooms under input power constraints.
In this paper, a neural network predictive controller (NNPC) is proposed to control a buck converter. Conventional controllers such as proportional integral (PI) or proportional integral derivative (PID) are designed based on the linearized small signal model near the operating point. Therefore, the performance of the controller in the start up, load change, or reference change is not optimal since the system model changes by changing the operating point. The neural network predictive controller optimally controls the buck converter by following the concept of the traditional model predictive …
We present a novel tube-based data-driven predictive control method for linear systems affected by a bounded addictive disturbance. Our method leverages recent results in the reachability analysis of unknown linear systems to formulate and solve a robust tube-based predictive control problem. More precisely, our approach consists in deriving, from the collected data, a zonotope that includes the true state error set. We show how to guarantee the stability of the resulting error zonotope, which can be exploited to increase the computational efficiency of existing zonotopic data-driven MPC formu…
In this work, we have developed a framework for synthesizing data driven controllers for a class of uncertain switched systems arising in an application to physical activity interventions. In particular, we present an application of probabilistic model predictive control to design an efficient, tractable, and adaptive intervention using behavioral data sets i.e. physical activity behavior. The models of physical activity for each individual are provided for the design of controllers that maximize the probability of achieving a desired physical activity goal subject to intervention specificatio…
Due to the fluctuating nature of the wind and the increasing use of wind energy as a power source, wind power will have an increasing negative influence on the stability of the power grid. In this paper, a model predictive control strategy is introduced that not only stabilizes the power produced by wind farms, but also creates the possibility to perform power reference tracking with wind farms. With power reference tracking, it is possible for grid operators to adapt the power production to a change in the power demand and to counteract fluctuations that are introduced by other power generato…
The wide adoption of wireless devices in the Internet of Things requires controllers that are able to operate with limited resources, such as battery life. Operating these devices robustly in an uncertain environment, while managing available resources, increases the difficultly of controller design. This paper proposes a robust self-triggered model predictive control approach to optimize a control objective while managing resource consumption. In particular, a novel zero-order-hold aperiodic discrete-time feedback control law is developed to ensure robust constraint satisfaction for continuou…
This paper presents a novel set-based model predictive control for tracking, which provides the largest domain of attraction, even with the minimal predictive/control horizon. The formulation - which consists of a single optimization problem - shows a dual behavior: one operating inside the maximal controllable set to the feasible equilibrium set, and the other operating at the N-controllable set to the same equilibrium set. Based on some finite-time convergence results, asymptotic stability of the resulting closed-loop is proved, while recursive feasibility is ensured for any change of the se…
We propose a tube-based guaranteed cost model predictive controller considering a homothetic formulation for constrained linear systems subject to multiplicative structured norm-bounded uncertainties. It provides an upper bound to the general min-max model predictive control. The invariance property of the proposed tube holds for any arbitrary scaling. It yields a second-order cone programming problem which is less computationally expensive than standard semi-definite programming problems. We also present a numerical example with a comparative study among the proposed approach, an open-loop gu…
The paper deals with the design of an improved model predictive control scheme for achieving station-keeping in a quasi Halo orbit around the $L_2$ point in the Earth-Moon system. The improvement is obtained thanks to a multi-rate sampled-data trajectory planner that allows for simplifying the optimization problem of the model predictive controller while guaranteeing feasibility and convergence to the desired orbit. The multi-rate planner is designed based on a simplified model of the dynamics under a preliminary nonlinear regulation feedback. The proposed control scheme is shown to outperform…
Selective laser melting is a promising additive manufacturing technology enabling the fabrication of highly customizable products. A major challenge in selective laser melting is ensuring the quality of produced parts, which is influenced greatly by the thermal history of printed layers. We propose a Batch-Model Predictive Control technique based on the combination of model predictive control and iterative learning control. This approach succeeds in rejecting both repetitive and non-repetitive disturbances and thus achieves improved tracking performance and process quality. In a simulation stu…
We introduce the notion of importance sampling under embedded barrier state control, titled Safety Controlled Model Predictive Path Integral Control (SC-MPPI). For robotic systems operating in an environment with multiple constraints, hard constraints are often encoded utilizing penalty functions when performing optimization. Alternative schemes utilizing optimization-based techniques, such as Control Barrier Functions, can be used as a safety filter to ensure the system does not violate the given hard constraints. In contrast, this work leverages the principle of a safety filter but applies i…
Willems' fundamental lemma and system level synthesis both characterize a linear dynamic system by its input/output sequences. In this work, we extend the application of the fundamental lemma from deterministic to uncertain LTI systems and then further prove this extension to be equivalent to system level synthesis. Based on this uncertain extension, a robust closed-loop data-enabled predictive control scheme is proposed, where a causal feedback control law is further derived. Two numerical experiments, including the temperature control of a single-zone building, are carried out to validate th…
