An internal model approach for synchronization of linear multi-agent systems using relative outputs

This paper investigates the synchronization problem of identical linear multi-agent systems where nodes have only the relative outputs of their neighboring nodes. A dynamical controller is constructed by virtue of the internal model principle. A simple sufficient condition for synchronization under the proposed controller is presented, which is related to the maximal eigenratiovariant of the underlying diagraph and the dynamics of agent itself. The maximal eigenratiovariant reduces to the eigenratio of Laplacian matrix if all eigenvalues of Laplacian matrix are real. Moreover, this sufficient condition is always feasible if the system matrix has no open right half-plane eigenvalues. The efficacy of proposed controller is illustrated by a simulation example.