Network-based PI control for output tracking of continuous-time systems with time-varying sampling and network-induced delays

For a continuous-time linear system with constant reference input, the network-based proportional-integral (PI) control is developed to solve the output tracking control problem by taking time-varying sampling and network-induced delays into account. A traditional PI control system is introduced to obtain the equilibriums of state and control input. Using the equilibriums, a discrete-time PI tracking controller in a network environment is constructed. The resulting network-based PI control system is described by an augmented system with two input delays and the output tracking objective is transformed into ensuring asymptotic stability of the augmented system. A delay-dependent stability condition is established by a discontinuous augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional approach. The PI controller design result of in-wheel motor as a case study is provided in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Matlab simulation and experimental results resorting to a test-bed for ZigBee-based control of in-wheel motor are given to validate the proposed method.