Decentralized Control Barrier Functions for Coupled Multi-Agent Systems under Signal Temporal Logic Tasks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a decentralized control approach using time-varying control barrier functions to efficiently and robustly satisfy signal temporal logic tasks in multi-agent systems, reducing computational complexity.

Contribution

It presents a novel decentralized control law based on control barrier functions, enabling scalable and robust multi-agent control under complex temporal logic specifications.

Findings

Control law guarantees formal satisfaction of tasks

Method reduces computational complexity compared to existing approaches

Simulations demonstrate effectiveness and robustness

Abstract

We study the problem of controlling multi-agent systems under a set of signal temporal logic tasks. Signal temporal logic is a formalism that is used to express time and space constraints for dynamical systems. Recent methods to solve the control synthesis problem for single-agent systems under signal temporal logic tasks are, however, subject to a high computational complexity. Methods for multi-agent systems scale at least linearly with the number of agents and induce even higher computational burdens. We propose a computationally-efficient control strategy to solve the multi-agent control synthesis problem that results in a robust satisfaction of a set of signal temporal logic tasks. In particular, a decentralized feedback control law is proposed that is based on time-varying control barrier functions. The obtained control law is discontinuous and formal guarantees are provided by nonsmooth analysis. Simulations show the efficacy of the presented method.