On Synchronization of Dynamical Systems Over Directed Switching Topologies: An Algebraic and Geometric Perspective

In this article, we aim to investigate the synchronization problem of dynamical systems, which can be of generic linear or Lipschitz nonlinear type, communicating over directed switching network topologies. A mild connectivity assumption on the switching topologies is imposed, which allows them to be directed and jointly connected. We propose a novel analysis framework from both algebraic and geometric perspectives to justify the attractiveness of the synchronization manifold. Specifically, it is proven that the complementary space of the synchronization manifold can be spanned by certain subspaces constructed from the network structure. This allows to project the states of the dynamical systems onto these subspaces and transform the synchronization problem under consideration equivalently into a convergence one of the projected states in each subspace. Then, assuming the joint connectivity condition on the communication topologies, we are able to work out a unified convergence analysis for both types of dynamical systems. More specifically, for partial-state coupled generic linear systems, it is proven that synchronization can be reached if an extra condition, which is easy to verify in several cases, on the system dynamics is satisfied. For Lipschitz nonlinear systems with positive-definite inner coupling matrix, synchronization is realized if the coupling strength is strong enough to stabilize the evolution of the projected states in each subspace under certain conditions. The above claims generalize the existing results concerning both types of dynamical systems to so far the most general framework. Some illustrative examples are provided to verify our theoretical findings.