Consensus tracking in sensor networks with periodic sensing and switching connected topologies

This paper studies the consensus tracking of general linear dynamical target in periodically sensing networks with switching and connected sensing topologies. Allowable upper bounds of sensing period are investigated for both time-invariant sensing and time-varying sensing networks. For tracking system with constant sensing period, discretization approach is applied and the tracking problem under switching connected topologies is converted to the robust stability problem of a discrete-time uncertain system. Then an allowable upper bound of sensing period is given by solving optimal H∞H∞ control problem, and an explicit bound, which is composed of the eigenvalues of target’s dynamic matrix and topology matrix, is further provided. For tracking system with time-varying sensing period, input-delay approach is applied and a bound is given by using Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional analysis and solving the feasibility of three LMIs. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the results.