Network identification via node knock-out

• Published in: 49th IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) pp. 2239 - 2244
• Main Authors: Nabi-Abdolyousefi, M, Mesbahi, M
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.12.2010
• Subjects: Controllability; coordination algorithms; Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions; fault detection; generating functions; Grounding; Inverse problems; Laplace equations; node knock-out; Observability; Polynomials; Protocols; system identification
• ISBN: 142447745X; 9781424477456
• ISSN: 0191-2216
• DOI: 10.1109/CDC.2010.5718112

This paper examines the problem of identifying the interaction geometry among a known number of the agents, adopting a (weighted) consensus-type algorithm for their coordination. Inspired by how biologists utilize gene knock-outs for experimentally identifying genetic interaction networks in biological organisms, we propose a node-knockout procedure for the complete characterization of the interaction geometry in such consensus-type networks. In our context, the node knockout is essentially a grounding procedure-where the node broadcasts a zero state to its neighbors in the network without removing itself from it. The proposed identification process is also facilitated by introducing "ports" for stimulating a subset of network vertices via an appropriately defined interface and observing the network's response at another set of vertices. We then provide an example for the utility of such a network identification process in the context of fault detection for networked systems.