Implementation of Model Based Networked Predictive Control System

Networked control systems are made up of several computer nodes communicating over a communication channel, cooperating to control a plant. The stability of the plant depends on the end to end delay from sensor to the actuator. Although computational delays within the computer nodes can be made bounded, delays through the communication network are generally unpredictable. A method which aims to protect the stability of the plant under communication delays and data loss, Model Based Predictive Networked Control System (MBPNCS), has previously been proposed by the authors. This paper aims to demonstrate the implementation of this type of networked control system on a non-real-time communication network; Ethernet. In this paper, we first briefly describe the MBPNCS method, then discuss the implementation, detailing the properties of the operating system, communications and hardware, and later give the results on the performance of the Model Based Predictive Networked Control System implementation controlling a DC motor. This work was supported in part by the Scientific and Technological Re search Council of Turkey, project code 106E155.