Observability-Blocking Control using Sparser and Regional Feedback for Network Synchronization Processes

• Main Authors: Maruf, Abdullah Al, Roy, Sandip
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 15.03.2021
• Subjects: Computer Science - Systems and Control
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2103.08740

The design of feedback control systems to block observability in a network synchronization model, i.e. to make the dynamics unobservable from measurements at a subset of the network's nodes, is studied. First, a general design algorithm is presented for blocking observability at any specified group of$m$nodes, by applying state feedback controls at$m+2$specified actuation nodes. The algorithm is based on a method for eigenstructure assignment, which allows surgical modification of particular eigenvectors to block observability while preserving the remaining open-loop eigenstructure. Next, the topological structure of the network is exploited to reduce the number of controllers required for blocking observability; the result is based on blocking observability on the nodes associated with a vertex-cutset separating the actuation and measurement locations. Also, the design is modified to encompass regional feedback controls, which only use data from a subset of accessible nodes. The regional feedback design does not maintain the open-loop eigenstructure, but can be guaranteed to preserve stability via a time-scale argument. The results are illustrated with numerical examples.