Reinforcement Learning-Based Predefined-Performance Control for Nonlinear Switched Interconnected Systems

This study develops a reinforcement learning (RL)-based control framework with guaranteed predefined performance for nonlinear switched interconnected systems. This approach effectively addresses challenges arising from unmeasurable states and group average dwell time switching mechanisms, allowing both convergence time and accuracy to be preset via parameter configuration. First, the system equations are reconstructed to target nonlinear and interconnected terms, which are then approximated using neural networks (NNs). Additionally, an NNs-based switching state observer is designed to estimate the unmeasurable states. Second, within the backstepping synthesis framework, a distributed optimal controller is designed by integrating a performance transformation function into the cost function, with the resulting control law approximated via an identifier-actor-critic architecture. Furthermore, the group average dwell time-based stability analysis is generalized to address the optimal control challenges inherent in nonlinear switched interconnected systems. Compared with existing studies, this approach demonstrates enhanced extensibility and practicality for real-world applications. Finally, two simulation examples verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method over state-of-the-art alternatives.