Global consensus in homogeneous networks of discrete-time agents subject to actuator saturation

In this paper, we give necessary conditions for achieving global consensus in homogeneous networks of discrete-time linear time-invariant agents with input saturation constraints under fixed undirected topologies. For two special cases, where the agent model is either neutrally stable or a double integrator, these necessary conditions together with a gain condition are also sufficient. We show this by designing a linear protocol based on the combination of state differences between the agent and its neighbors. In particular, for the neutrally stable case, we show that any linear protocol of a particular form which solves the consensus problem for the case without input saturation constraints also solves the global consensus problem for the case with input saturation constraints. For the double integrator case, we show that a subset of linear protocols which solve the consensus problem for the case without saturation constraints also solve the global consensus problem in the presence of input saturation. The results are illustrated by numerical simulations.