Design implementation and analysis of wireless model based predictive networked control system over cooperative wireless network

Abstract

Owing to their distributed architecture, networked control systems are proven to be feasible in scenarios where a spatially distributed control system is required. Traditionally, such networked control systems operate over real-time wired networks over which sensors, controllers and actuators interact with each other. Recently, in order to achieve the utmost flexibility, scalability, ease of deployment and maintainability, wireless networks such as IEEE 802.11 LANs are being preferred over dedicated wired networks. However, basic networked control systems cannot operate over such general purpose wireless networks since the stability of the system is compromised due to unbounded delays and unpredictable packet losses that are typical in the wireless medium. Approaching the wireless networked control problem from two perspectives, this thesis proposes a novel wireless networked control system and a realistic cooperative medium access control protocol implementation that work jointly to achieve decent control even under unbounded delay, bursts of packet loss and ambient wireless traffic. The proposed system is implemented and thoroughly evaluated on a dedicated test platform under numerous scenarios and is shown to be operational under bursts of packet loss and ambient wireless traffic levels which are intolerable for basic networked control systems while not being hindered by restraining assumptions of existing methods.