Deterministic IP (DIP) networking is a promising technique that can provide delay-bounded transmission in large-scale networks. Nevertheless, DIP faces several challenges in the mixed traffic scenarios, including (i) the capability of ultralow latency communications, (ii) the simultaneous satisfaction of diverse QoS requirements, and (iii) the network efficiency. The problems are more formidable in the dynamic surroundings without prior knowledge of traffic demands. To address the above-mentioned issues, this paper designs a flexible DIP (FDIP) network. In the proposed network, we classify the queues at the output port into multiple groups. Each group operates with different cycle lengths. FDIP can assign the time-sensitive flows with different groups, hence delivering diverse QoS requirements, simultaneously. The ultra-low latency communication can be achieved by specific groups with short cycle lengths. Moreover, the flexible scheduling with diverse cycle lengths improves resource utilization, hence increasing the throughput (i.e., the number of acceptable time-sensitive flows). We formulate a throughput maximization problem that jointly considers the admission control, transmission path selection, and cycle length assignment A branch and bound (BnB)-based heuristic is developed. Simulation results show that the proposed FDIP significantly outperforms the standard DIP in terms of both the throughput and the latency guarantees.

This article presents a neurodynamic approach to nonlinear programming. Motivated by the idea of sequential quadratic programming, a class of two-timescale multilayer recurrent neural networks is presented with neuronal dynamics in their output layer operating at a bigger timescale than in their hidden layers. In the two-timescale multilayer recurrent neural networks, the transient states in the hidden layer(s) undergo faster dynamics than those in the output layer. Sufficient conditions are derived on the convergence of the two-timescale multilayer recurrent neural networks to local optima of nonlinear programming problems. Simulation results of collaborative neurodynamic optimization based on the two-timescale neurodynamic approach on global optimization problems with nonconvex objective functions or constraints are discussed to substantiate the efficacy of the two-timescale neurodynamic approach.

Mobile edge computing (MEC) is proposed to boost high-efficient and time-sensitive 5G applications. However, the "microburst" may occur even in lightly-loaded scenarios, which leads to the indeterministic service latency, hence hindering the deployment of MEC. Deterministic IP networking (DIP) has been proposed to provide bounds on latency, and high reliability in the large-scale networks. Nevertheless, the direct migration of DIP into the MEC network is non-trivial owing to its original design for the Ethernet with homogeneous devices. Meanwhile, DIP also faces the challenges on the network throughput and scheduling flexibility. In this paper, we delve into the adoption of DIP for the MEC networks and some of the relevant aspects. A deterministic MEC (D-MEC) network is proposed to deliver the deterministic MEC service. In the D-MEC network, the cycle mapping and cycle shifting are designed to enable: (i) seamless and deterministic transmission with heterogeneous underlaid resources; and (ii) traffic shaping on the edges to improve the resource utilization. We also formulate a joint configuration to maximize the network throughput with deterministic QoS guarantees. Extensive simulations verify that the proposed D-MEC network can achieve a deterministic MEC service, even in the highly-loaded scenarios.

This article presents a collaborative neurodynamic optimization (CNO) approach to multivehicle task assignments (TAs). The original combinatorial quadratic optimization problem for TA is reformulated as a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problem with a quadratic utility function and a penalty function for handling load capacity and cooperation constraints. In the framework of CNO with a population of discrete Hopfield networks (DHNs), a TA algorithm is proposed for solving the formulated QUBO problem. Superior experimental results in four typical multivehicle operation scenarios are reported to substantiate the efficacy of the proposed neurodynamics-based TA approach.

This paper addresses task assignment (TA) for multivehicle systems. Multivehicle TA problems are formulated as a combinatorial optimization problem and further as a global optimization problem. To fulfill heterogeneous tasks, cooperation among heterogeneous vehicles is incorporated in the problem formulations. A collaborative neurodynamic optimization approach is developed for solving the TA problems. Experimental results on four types of TA problems are discussed to substantiate the efficacy of the approach.

This article contains a new subnet training method for modular neural networks, proposed with the inspiration of the principle of “an expert with other capabilities”. The key point of this method is that a subnet learns the neighbor data sets while fulfilling its main task: learning the objective data set. Additionally, a relative distance measure is proposed to replace the absolute distance measure used in the classical subnet learning method and its advantage in the general case is theoretically discussed. Both methodology and empirical study of this new method are presented. Two types of experiments respectively related with the approximation problem and the prediction problem in nonlinear dynamic systems are designed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Compared with the classical subnet learning method, the average testing error of the proposed method is dramatically decreased and more stable. The superiority of the relative distance measure is also corroborated.