We’ve been talking in the previous posts about future networks as complex dynamical network of networks run by multiple owners having diverse biz and operational objectives. If we start modelling future networks like that, then immediately we have to face one of the most challenging “Unsolved Problems in Mathematical Systems and Control Theory”.

Please have a look at this book (it’s downloadable):

http://www.asiaing.com/unsolved-problems-in-mathematical-systems-and-control-theory.html

The problem is “Decentralized control with communication between controllers” (4.4)

Consider a network of controllers, each of which has partial observations of the system. The controllers can exchange information on their partial observations, state estimates, or input values, but there are constraints on the communication channels between them. The problem is how enabling this network of controllers with a proper communication protocol, allowing the integration of information directly into the controllers’ logics, in order to reach a common control objective.

This is a very complicated problem which is analogous to human communication in groups, firms, and organizations. A simpler formulation, suggested by the author, is “what information of a controller is so essential in regard to the control purpose that it has to be communicated to other controllers?”. The information to be communicated has to be dealt with at a global level; the information which does not need to be communicated can be treated at the local level.

Which way to approach this challenging problem? I wonder whether Nature can inspire us.