Improving Stability and Performance in IoT-Driven Networked Control Systems

With the widespread adoption and benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT), this technology has expanded its reach into the realm of automation and control, giving rise to a branch known as industrial networks. The use of IoT technology is on the rise due to its daily increasing advantages and ease of use. However, it has also introduced new challenges in control systems, prompting researchers to conduct numerous studies to address these challenges and propose innovative solutions. One of these challenges, for example, is the limited bandwidth of the network, which leads to challenging issues such as variable random time delays and packet loss. In light of these challenges, using networked control systems instead of many traditional control methods can significantly improve the performance and stability of closed-loop systems. In this context, this paper aims to enhance system tolerance and reliability, along with permanent state error correction, by presenting methods for designing networked controllers that are influenced by random delays. To achieve this goal, we first propose a predictive control model with reduced prediction horizons, assuming constant delays in the input. This controller not only ensures stability but also tracks the reference input. Simulation results demonstrate that this controller can tolerate some variations in delay despite being designed for constant delays. However, it is not robust against significant variations in delay inherent to network environments. Therefore, in the second approach, a controller based on the Lyapunov function and linear matrix inequalities is designed for a system with time-varying input delays. This controller, in addition to stabilizing the system, tracks the reference input by minimizing the state error.