Discrete Time Sliding Mode Flow Controllers for Connection-Oriented Networks with Lossy Links

In this paper we propose two discrete-time sliding mode flow controllers for multisource connection-oriented networks. Each connection in the considered networks is characterized by a time delay and a packet loss ratio. The proposed controllers take advantage of appropriately designed sliding hyperplanes, which ensure the closed-loop system stability and finite-time error convergence to zero. Moreover, the proposed controllers ensure full utilization of the bottleneck link available bandwidth, guarantee bounded transmission rates, and eliminate the risk of buffer overflow in the bottleneck node. Since the primary controller may lead to excessive values of the transmission rate at the beginning of the control process, the modified controller is designed using the concept of the reaching law, which helps the removing of the undesirable effect.