Progress in the application of optimal control theory to dynamic routing in data communication networks

In [1] Segall introduces a state space model and associated optimal control problem for dynamic routing of messages in a data communication network. The optimal control problem is completely linear with state and control variable inequality constraints. In this paper we report on progress in solving the optimal control problem for a feed-back solution. In particular, we describe an approach for determining the feedback solution when all the inputs to the network are constant in time. For networks which have only a single destination (multiple sources) it is found that the approach has some appealing simplifying properties. The details underlying the approach described here are presented in Moss [2].