Data Transmission Over Networks for Estimation and Control

We consider the problem of controlling a linear time invariant process when the controller is located at a location remote from where the sensor measurements are being generated. The communication from the sensor to the controller is supported by a communication network with arbitrary topology composed of analog erasure channels. Using a separation principle, we prove that the optimal linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) controller consists of an LQ optimal regulator along with an estimator that estimates the state of the process across the communication network. We then determine the optimal information processing strategy that should be followed by each node in the network so that the estimator is able to compute the best possible estimate in the minimum mean squared error sense. The algorithm is optimal for any packet-dropping process and at every time step, even though it is recursive and hence requires a constant amount of memory, processing and transmission at every node in the network per time step. For the case when the packet drop processes are memoryless and independent across links, we analyze the stability properties and the performance of the closed loop system. The algorithm is an attempt to escape the viewpoint of treating a network of communication links as a single end-to-end link with the probability of successful transmission determined by some measure of the reliability of the network

Global synchronization control of general delayed discrete-time networks with stochastic coupling and disturbances

Copyright [2008] IEEE. This material is posted here with permission of the IEEE. Such permission of the IEEE does not in any way imply IEEE endorsement of any of Brunel University's products or services. Internal or personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution must be obtained from the IEEE by writing to [email protected]. By choosing to view this document, you agree to all provisions of the copyright laws protecting it.In this paper, the synchronization control problem is considered for two coupled discrete-time complex networks with time delays. The network under investigation is quite general to reflect the reality, where the state delays are allowed to be time varying with given lower and upper bounds, and the stochastic disturbances are assumed to be Brownian motions that affect not only the network coupling but also the overall networks. By utilizing the Lyapunov functional method combined with linear matrix inequality (LMI) techniques, we obtain several sufficient delay-dependent conditions that ensure the coupled networks to be globally exponentially synchronized in the mean square. A control law is designed to synchronize the addressed coupled complex networks in terms of certain LMIs that can be readily solved using the Matlab LMI toolbox. Two numerical examples are presented to show the validity of our theoretical analysis results.This work was supported by the Royal Society Sino-British Fellowship Trust Award of the U.K

Synchronization in complex networks

Synchronization processes in populations of locally interacting elements are in the focus of intense research in physical, biological, chemical, technological and social systems. The many efforts devoted to understand synchronization phenomena in natural systems take now advantage of the recent theory of complex networks. In this review, we report the advances in the comprehension of synchronization phenomena when oscillating elements are constrained to interact in a complex network topology. We also overview the new emergent features coming out from the interplay between the structure and the function of the underlying pattern of connections. Extensive numerical work as well as analytical approaches to the problem are presented. Finally, we review several applications of synchronization in complex networks to different disciplines: biological systems and neuroscience, engineering and computer science, and economy and social sciences.Comment: Final version published in Physics Reports. More information available at http://synchronets.googlepages.com

Global synchronization for discrete-time stochastic complex networks with randomly occurred nonlinearities and mixed time delays

Copyright [2010] IEEE. This material is posted here with permission of the IEEE. Such permission of the IEEE does not in any way imply IEEE endorsement of any of Brunel University's products or services. Internal or personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution must be obtained from the IEEE by writing to [email protected]. By choosing to view this document, you agree to all provisions of the copyright laws protecting it.In this paper, the problem of stochastic synchronization analysis is investigated for a new array of coupled discrete-time stochastic complex networks with randomly occurred nonlinearities (RONs) and time delays. The discrete-time complex networks under consideration are subject to: (1) stochastic nonlinearities that occur according to the Bernoulli distributed white noise sequences; (2) stochastic disturbances that enter the coupling term, the delayed coupling term as well as the overall network; and (3) time delays that include both the discrete and distributed ones. Note that the newly introduced RONs and the multiple stochastic disturbances can better reflect the dynamical behaviors of coupled complex networks whose information transmission process is affected by a noisy environment (e.g., Internet-based control systems). By constructing a novel Lyapunov-like matrix functional, the idea of delay fractioning is applied to deal with the addressed synchronization analysis problem. By employing a combination of the linear matrix inequality (LMI) techniques, the free-weighting matrix method and stochastic analysis theories, several delay-dependent sufficient conditions are obtained which ensure the asymptotic synchronization in the mean square sense for the discrete-time stochastic complex networks with time delays. The criteria derived are characterized in terms of LMIs whose solution can be solved by utilizing the standard numerical software. A simulation example is presented to show the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed results