{"title":"Control Synthesis in Partially Observable Environments for Complex Perception-Related Objectives","authors":"Zetong Xuan;Yu Wang","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3585819","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3585819","url":null,"abstract":"Perception-related tasks often arise in autonomous systems operating under partial observability. This letter studies the problem of synthesizing optimal policies for complex perception-related objectives in environments modeled by partially observable Markov decision processes. To formally specify such objectives, we introduce co-safe linear inequality temporal logic (sc-iLTL), which can define complex tasks that are formed by the logical concatenation of atomic propositions as linear inequalities on the belief space of the POMDPs. Our solution to the control synthesis problem is to transform the sc-iLTL objectives into reachability objectives by constructing the product of the belief MDP and a deterministic finite automaton built from the sc-iLTL objective. To overcome the scalability challenge due to the product, we introduce a Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) method that converges in probability to the optimal policy. Finally, a drone-probing case study demonstrates the applicability of our method.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1724-1729"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Data-Driven Optimization-Based Cost and Optimal Control Inference","authors":"Jiacheng Wu;Wenqian Xue;Frank L. Lewis;Bosen Lian","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584907","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584907","url":null,"abstract":"This letter develops a novel optimization-based inverse reinforcement learning (RL) control algorithm that infers the minimal cost from observed demonstrations via optimization-based policy evaluation and update. The core idea is the simultaneous evaluation of the value function matrix and cost weight during policy evaluation under a given control policy, which simplifies the algorithmic structure and reduces the iterations required for convergence. Based on this idea, we first develop a model-based algorithm with detailed implementation steps, and analyze the monotonicity and convergence properties of the cost weight. Then, based on Willems’ lemma, we develop a data-driven algorithm to learn an equivalent weight matrix from persistently excited (PE) data. We also prove the convergence of the data-driven algorithm and show that the converged results learned from PE data are unbiased. Finally, simulations on a power system are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed inverse RL algorithm.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1700-1705"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144646447","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On the Equivalence Between Functionally Affine LPV State-Space Representations and LFT Models","authors":"Mihály Petreczky;Ziad Alkhoury;Guillaume Mercère","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584839","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584839","url":null,"abstract":"We propose a transformation algorithm for a class of Linear Parameter-Varying (LPV) systems with functional affine dependence on parameters, where the system matrices depend affinely on nonlinear functions of the scheduling variable, into Linear Fractional Transformation (LFT) systems. The transformation preserves input-output behavior and minimality, and the uncertainity block of the resulting LFT system is linear in the scheduling variables.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1874-1879"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144712041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Communication-Computation Trade-Off and Optimal Control Selection in LQG Control","authors":"Xiyu Gu;Luca Schenato;Subhrakanti Dey;Matthias Pezzutto","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584086","url":null,"abstract":"In wireless networked control systems, a common challenge arises in deciding between a remote controller, with higher computational power but delayed information due to wireless communication, and a local onboard controller, with limited computing resources but timely feedback. This letter investigates such a trade-off in the context of the Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control, focusing on the interplay between computational power and communication delay. We compare two typical controllers: a local controller operating at a coarse control rate and a remote controller utilizing a finer control rate but experiencing network delay. A formal analytical framework is proposed to quantify the impact of network delay on the LQG cost and computation resources. We show that there exists a critical communication delay above which the more powerful remote controller is no more convenient with respect to the simpler local controller, providing a guideline for controller selection in varying network conditions with fixed computing resource configurations. Our approach provides a lightweight, interpretable selection rule based on the communication-computation trade-off. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of our theoretical insights.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1303-1308"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144606363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Controller Design for Bilinear Neural Feedback Loops","authors":"Dhruv Shah;Jorge Cortés","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584089","url":null,"abstract":"This letter considers a class of bilinear systems with a neural network in the loop. These arise naturally when employing machine learning techniques to approximate general, non-affine in the input, control systems. We propose a controller design framework that combines linear fractional representations and tools from linear parameter varying control to guarantee local exponential stability of a desired equilibrium. The controller is obtained from the solution of linear matrix inequalities, which can be solved offline, making the approach suitable for online applications. The proposed methodology offers tools for stability and robustness analysis of deep neural networks interconnected with dynamical systems.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1712-1717"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dissatisfaction Dynamics in Directed Bipartite Networks of Captive User Communities","authors":"Alain Y. Kibangou;Retsepile C. Kalaoane","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584301","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584301","url":null,"abstract":"Socio-technical systems providing essential services, like water, energy, and transportation, often create captive user segments due to limited alternatives. This can lead to user dissatisfaction and complex social dynamics. Building on a recent dynamic model, this letter extends the analysis of captive user dissatisfaction to networks of interconnected communities, using a directed bipartite leader–follower structure. We investigate the steady-state properties of the model and analyze how leader communities can mitigate or amplify dissatisfaction among their followers. A key insight is that consensus in dissatisfaction levels does not stem from network topology but from the alignment of a Dissatisfaction Index, a new metric introduced in this letter that reflects each community’s perception of service quality.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1766-1771"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Learning Safe Data-Driven Control Barrier Functions for Unknown Continuous Systems","authors":"Feiya Zhu;Tarun Pati;Sze Zheng Yong","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584079","url":null,"abstract":"This letter presents a semi-parametric approach for learning safe data-driven control barrier functions (SDD-CBFs) for unknown continuous systems from noisy data. By leveraging optimization theory, interval and mixed-monotone bounding, and probably approximately correct (PAC) learning, we learn at design time both parametric control barrier functions (CBFs) and their non-parametric CBF conditions from noisy data with a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) to ensure robust safety despite generalization errors with a high probability. Moreover, we propose an online safety filter for minimally modifying any nominal controller for safety that reduces to computationally efficient quadratic programming.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1736-1741"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144663711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Antonios Georgantas;Stelios Timotheou;Christos G. Panayiotou
{"title":"A Successive Convexification-Based Approach for Efficient School Scheduling in Multi-Region Urban Networks","authors":"Antonios Georgantas;Stelios Timotheou;Christos G. Panayiotou","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584303","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3584303","url":null,"abstract":"In urban traffic networks, morning commuters exhibit diverse travel patterns, with some needing to make intermediate stops, such as dropping off children at school, before reaching their destination. When schools have synchronized start times, this induces high peak demand, exacerbating congestion. To address this challenge, we consider the problem of regulating the start times of schools in a multi-region urban network characterized by well-defined Macroscopic Fundamental Diagrams in different regions. We formulate the problem as a bi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear program aiming to jointly minimize (i) the total time spent by all vehicles, and (ii) the overall deviation from current school start times. The problem is challenging due to its large-scale and combinatorial nature, as well as the nonconvexity present in the traffic dynamics across multiple interconnected urban regions. To address these challenges, we introduce a successive convexification algorithm that iteratively tightens traffic density bounds and convexifies constraints, enabling the acquisition of feasible and efficient solutions concerning the optimization problem. Numerical experiments demonstrate that our approach yields near-optimal results, significantly mitigating congestion and improving overall traffic efficiency.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1550-1555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144634679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Synchronization of Multi-Agent Hybrid Systems With Synchronous State-Dependent Jumps","authors":"Alexandre Cellier-Devaux;Luca Zaccarian;Daniele Astolfi;Vincent Andrieu","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3583739","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3583739","url":null,"abstract":"In this letter, we investigate the problem of synchronization of multi-agent systems described by hybrid non-linear input affine dynamics. We consider networks described by undirected connected graphs without leader. We present a set of sufficient conditions based on an LMI approach in order to design a state-feedback distributed control law. Then, by exploiting the properties of the graph incidence matrix we provide an optimization of the tuning parameters. The incidence matrix properties also allow us to construct a Lyapunov function to establish synchronization of the hybrid network.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1586-1591"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144634710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Practical Synchronization for Switched Multi-Agent Systems Under Nonvanishing Impulses","authors":"Yuchao Xiong;Mengqi Xue;Kaile Chen;Yue Song","doi":"10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3583746","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1109/LCSYS.2025.3583746","url":null,"abstract":"The practical synchronization problem for switched multi-agent systems (MASs) under nonvanishing impulses is studied, where switchings both take place in network topology and agent self-dynamics. In order to deal with the problem of asynchrony between the switching of network topologies and the switching of agent self-dynamics as well as always disconnected network topologies, a dynamic controller embedded with a virtual reference system is proposed. In consideration of nonvanishing impulses for switched MASs, a sufficient piecewise average dwell time (ADT) condition for global uniform practical stability is established which ensures the ultimate bounded synchronization. Finally, a simulation example is provided to illustrate the theoretical results.","PeriodicalId":37235,"journal":{"name":"IEEE Control Systems Letters","volume":"9 ","pages":"1484-1489"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144606320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}