Modified preview control for a wireless tracking control system with packet loss

In this paper, a modified preview control technique is proposed to compensate packet loss in a wireless tracking control system, where future reference signals over a finite horizon can be previewed. In order to utilize future reference information for the controller design, the system model is augmented with a reference generator whose states are the future reference signals. As a response to the packet loss that occurs in the wireless network, the preview control technique is modified by employing Bernoulli variables to represent packet loss in both controller-actuator and sensor-controller channels. The Bernoulli packet loss model, along with tracking errors and control inputs, is included in a quadratic cost function, and the optimal controller gain that minimizes the cost function is obtained by dynamic programming. A modified Kalman filter considering packet loss is utilized for full-state estimation and state feedback control. The choice of preview horizon is discussed and the performance of the proposed controller is verified by simulation and experimental results.