Variable structure flow controller for connection-oriented communication networks

In this paper we propose a new variable structure, flow controller for multi-source connection-oriented data transmission networks. Each connection in the considered networks is characterized by a time delay and a packet loss ratio. The proposed controller takes advantage of an appropriately designed sliding hyperplane, which ensures the closed-loop system stability and finite-time error convergence to zero. Moreover, the proposed controller ensures full utilization of the bottleneck link available bandwidth, guarantees bounded transmission rates, and eliminates the risk of buffer overflow in the bottleneck node. The proposed controller is designed using the concept of the reaching law, which helps to limit data transmission rates in the network.