Abstract-This paper aims to study on feedback control for a networked system with both uncertain delays, packet dropouts and disturbances. Here, a so-called robust predictive control (RPC) approach is designed as follows: 1-delays and packet dropouts are accurately detected online by a network problem detector (NPD); 2-a so-called PI-based neural network grey model (PINNGM) is developed in a general form for a capable of forecasting accurately in advance the network problems and the effects of disturbances on the system performance; 3-using the PINNGM outputs, a small adaptive buffer (SAB) is optimally generated on the remote side to deal with the large delays and/or packet dropouts and, therefore, simplify the control design; 4-based on the PINNGM and SAB, an adaptive sampling-based integral state feedback controller (ASISFC) is simply constructed to compensate the small delays and disturbances. Thus, the steady-state control performance is achieved with fast response, high adaptability and robustness. Case studies are finally provided to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.Index Terms-Networked control system, time delay, state feedback control, predictor, neural network, buffer.
I. INTRODUCTIONETWORKED control systems (NCSs) are spatially distributed systems, in which actuators and sensors at the plant side are connected to a controller at the remote side. Due to having many advantages over the traditional control schemes via point-to-point wiring, NCSs have been deploying worldwide in various applications, such as power grids, transportation systems, teleoperation or remote systems.However for practical uses of NCSs, the most important issues are network-included random time-varying delays and packet dropouts which deteriorate the control performances and, easily cause the instability [1], [5], [25], and [29]. Generally, time delays can be classified into three components: computation delays at the controller and communication delays at the forward and backward channels.Many studies in literature addressed stability of NCSs with delay problem only [1]- [6]. Here, the controller designs were depended on the assumptions in which the time delay was constant [1], bounded [2]- [5] or had a probability distribution function [6]. Other researchers focused on analyzing time delay problem at communication channels to evaluate its effects on the system performances as well as to compensate these undesirable effects [7] and [8]. For NCSs with large delays, a new control concept based on variable sampling periods using neural network or prediction theories has been recently adopted [9]- [11]. Nevertheless, the observation of real delay data to train and construct the NCSs was not appropriately discussed in these studies. To solve this problem, an advanced variable sampling period control concept has been developed for systems containing random delays [29]. The effectiveness of this concept in accurately detecting and predicting the delays without requiring a training process was proved through real-time ...