Command-Filter-Based Region-Tracking Control for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles with Measurement Noise

This paper investigates the AUV region-tracking control problem with measurement noise and transient and steady-state constraints. To achieve the fluctuation of AUV tracking error within an expected region while satisfying the transient and steady-state performance constraints, this paper proposes an improved nonlinear tracking error transformation method. This method converts the tracking error into a new virtual error variable through nonlinear conversion, thus transforming the above performance requirements for the tracking error into boundedness requirements for the new virtual error variable. In addition, aiming at the problem of measurement noise causing strong fluctuation of the control signal, this paper proposes a finite-time AUV control method based on a two-stage command filter. This method utilizes a finite-time sliding mode differentiator to filter the virtual control signal during the derivation of the control law using the backstepping technique. In light of the signal loss incurred by two-stage filtering and its potential impact on system stability, a finite-time compensator is designed to compensate the signal loss and achieve finite-time stability of the closed-loop system. Finally, simulations conducted using ODIN AUV demonstrate that the proposed method exhibits smooth control signal and low energy consumption characteristics. Furthermore, the tracking error meets the requirements for both transient and steady-state performance, as well as regional tracking.