Cooperative optimization and control in a networked environment

许多实际的复杂物理系统，如互联网系统、公用事业电网、网络控制系统和传感器网络等，呈现出由许多(协作)操作单元(称为节点)和互连(物理或虚拟)主干(称为网络路径)组成的复杂结构。网络路径的作用不仅在于提供链路功能，实际上还在于促进节点之间的交互。总体系统性能通常不仅由节点的操作确定，而且还由网络路径结构确定，或者换言之，由节点之间的交互确定，即使这种交互可以是虚拟的。因此，对这类复杂系统的任何优化都应该是一种策略，它可以使最优的节点动态和所有网络路径的最佳选择达到期望的整体系统性能。

Many practical complex physical systems, such as internet systems, utility power grids, networked control systems, and sensor network, etc., exhibit a complex structure consisting of many (cooperative) operating units, called nodes, and interconnected (physically or virtually) backbone, called network paths. The role of network paths is not just in providing link function but actually in the aspect of facilitating the interaction among nodes. The overall system performance is normally not only determined by operation of nodes but also by network path structure, or, in other words, by the interaction among nodes, even if such interaction may be virtual. Accordingly, any optimization of such kind of complex systems should be a strategy that could render both optimal node dynamics and the best choice of all network paths achieving the desired overall system performance.