Design of Networked Control Systems With Explicit Compensation for Time-Delay Variations

In this paper, the effects of network delay among interconnecting elements of a distributed computer network control system are analyzed. Experimental tests have been accomplished to show the influence of the combined effects of the network delay (between sensor/controller and controller/actuator) on the overall performance of a feedback control system. For this purpose, a proportional-plus-integral (PI) controller has been used. This controller has been designed, using the well-known direct synthesis method and implemented in a didactic networked control system platform. Corresponding (
z
-transform) difference equations have been used, assuming time-triggered (regular) samplings. The augmented PI controller (with compensation of the control signal and estimation of missing measurements) is developed. Stability analysis is performed to verify the validity of this scheme. The results presented in the paper show that the dynamic behavior of the closed-loop system can be improved using the proposed technique.