# Decentralized Real-Time Iterations for Distributed NMPC

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.14898 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.14898/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 26 Jan 2024.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Communication Reduction via Semantic-Based Encoding in DMPC Using LSTMs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.17592/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

This article presents a Real-Time Iteration (RTI) scheme for distributed Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC). The scheme transfers the well-known RTI approach, a key enabler for many industrial real-time NMPC implementations, to the setting of cooperative distributed control. At each sampling instant, one outer iteration of a bi-level decentralized Sequential Quadratic Programming (dSQP) method is applied to a centralized optimal control problem. This ensures that real-time requirements are met and it facilitates cooperation between subsystems. Combining novel dSQP convergence results with RTI stability guarantees, we prove local exponential stability under standard assumptions on the MPC design with and without terminal constraints. The proposed scheme only requires neighbor-to-neighbor communication and avoids a central coordinator. A numerical example with coupled inverted pendulums demonstrates the efficacy of the approach.