Integrated Communication and Control Systems (ICCS), recently introduced and analyzed in a series of papers [1-7], are applicable to complex dynamical processes like advanced aircraft, spacecraft, automotive, and manufacturing processes. Time-division-multiplexed computer networks are employed in ICCS for exchange of information between spatially distributed plant components as well as for coordination of the diverse control and decision-making functions. Unfortunately, an ICCS network introduces randomly varying, distributed delays within the feedback loops in addition to the digital sampling and data processing delays. These network-induced delays degrade the system dynamic performance, and are a source of potential instability. This two-part paper presents the synthesis and performance evaluation of a stochastic optimal control law for ICCS. In this paper, which is the first of two parts, a state feedback control law for ICCS has been formulated by using the dynamic programming and optimality principle on a finite-time horizon. The control law is derived on the basis of a stochastic model of the plant which is augmented in state space to take into account the effects of randomly varying delays in the feedback loop. The second part [8] presents numerical analysis of the control law and its performance evaluation by simulation of the flight dynamic model of an advanced aircraft.
