Who Controls the Physical Internet? A Review of Protocols and Algorithms

The Physical Internet (PI) is a modern logistics pattern based on resources and information sharing, modeled after the Digital Internet (DI). Running a PI network demands a participatory and distributed decision-making system, requiring communication protocols between nodes and optimization algorithms. Although different in nature, the Protocols and Algorithms (P&A) of the PI are often functionally equivalent to P&A of DI. This paper presents a systematic literature review on the control methods of a PI network. The results show that P&A can be “local”, designed to operate in a distributed manner; “global”, designed to centrally control the PI or parts of it; or for “orchestration”, designed to centrally define operational parameters while avoiding direct control. This paper also draws considerations on the maturity state of PI’s P&A, comparing them with those of the DI and with the process that led to their definition.