Distributed Event‐Triggered Practical Consensus Control for Leader‐Following Switched Affine Multi‐Agent Systems

ABSTRACT This paper proposes a unified distributed control framework to achieve leader‐following practical consensus for switched affine multi‐agent systems. A fundamental challenge in such networks is that agent‐specific affine terms induce inconsistent, spatially distributed equilibrium offsets. This inherent heterogeneity precludes standard asymptotic consensus, particularly when continuous communication is restricted. To systematically compensate for these affine‐induced disparities, a novel co‐design methodology is introduced. First, a distributed event‐triggered scheme is developed to alleviate communication burdens by relying solely on discrete neighborhood information. This scheme is analytically proven to enforce a strictly positive minimum inter‐event interval, fundamentally excluding Zeno behavior despite the presence of nonvanishing affine disturbances. Concurrently, a distributed min‐switching rule is formulated to coordinate network‐wide subsystem selection. By dynamically integrating interactive neighborhood information rather than relying solely on isolated agent states, this rule enables direct consensus achievement without requiring global knowledge. The synergistic co‐design of these components effectively resolves the complex interplay between heterogeneous affine dynamics, switching logics, and resource‐aware communication constraints. Finally, numerical simulations validate the theoretical results, verifying the achievement of practical consensus and the reduction in communication frequency.