A Multiattribute Utility Approach to Target Assignment

This paper introduces the multiattribute utility theory to the control Lyapunov function design framework. As an illustration we focus on the problem of multi-target assignment. With this formulation, we use a global multiattribute utility function as a multivariate objective function that should be minimized for the agents to achieve their objectives. The objectives represent deviations of each agent from specified targets. We provide closed form feedback control laws, based on the multiattribute utility function, for general nonlinear multi-agent system models affine in control. Finally, we present simulation results and conduct sensitivity analysis for two different models that are affine in control; basic kinematic model and nonlinear nonholonomic unicycle model.