Quantity-based flow control strategy for connection-oriented communication networks

In this paper a new flow control strategy for connection-oriented communication networks is presented. It utilises methods of control theory, in particular the Smith predictor and dead-beat control, to achieve desirable dynamics of the considered network. In contrast to a number of earlier proposals in which the controller command is interpreted as the rate transmission, in our solution it is interpreted as the quantity of data that the controlled node is expected to send. This allows us to model a single virtual connection with non-persistent data source as a time-delay system in which the delay may temporarily exceed its assumed boundary. Favourable properties of the proposed control strategy are formulated as mathematical theorems and thoroughly discussed.