Stabilization of Dynamic Vehicle Formation Configurations using Graph Laplacians

Authors:	Gonzalez Carlos, University of Washington, United States Morgansen Kristi, University of Washington, United States
Topic:	7.5 Intelligent Autonomous Vehicles
Session:	Multiple Vehicles II
Keywords:	graph theory, communication networks, control system analysis

Abstract

In this paper, stability of a formation of vehicles coupled through a communication pattern which changes over time is examined. This analysis uses the graph theoretic techniques developed by Fax and Murray in their analysis of vehicle formations with static communication patterns. The graph Laplacian stability properties defined by Fax and Murray are extended to include dynamic sensing and communication graphs. This method is applied to a periodic communication pattern and stability is evaluated. Finally, these ideas are considered relative to optimal communication schemes, adding robustness to these schemes, and evaluating general periodic formation patterns.