Distributed Optimization in Networked Systems

Numerous control and decision problems in networked systems can be posed as optimization problems. Examples include the framework of network utility maxi-mization for resource allocation in communication networks, multi-agent coordina-tion in robotics, and collaborative estimation in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In contrast to classical distributed optimization, which focuses on improving compu-tational efficiency and scalability, these new applications require simple mechanisms that can operate under limited communication. In this thesis, we develop several novel mechanisms for distributed optimization under communication constraints, and apply these to several challenging engineering problems