For　Internet　based　real-time　teleoperation　systems,　unknown　and　variable　time　delay　can　cause　instability　in　the　closed　loop　control　system　and　hence　hinder　task　accomplishment.　According　to　requirement　of　Internet-based　teleoperation,　exact　prediction　of　RTT　can　improve　greatly　performance　of　the　teleoperation　system.　In　this　paper,　statistical　properties　of　the　Round　Trip　Timedelay　(RTT)　are　investigated　and　we　construct　a　sparse　multivariate　linear　regressive　(SMLR)　model　for　the　RTT　processes　based　on　experimental　results　that　indicate:　1)　RTT　along　a　certain　path　in　the　Internet　can　be　modeled　by　a　shifted　Gamma　distribution　and　2)　RTT　between　two　fixed　Internet　assess　points　has　long-range　autocorrelation.　This　model　can　predict　exactly　the　next　RTT　to　improve　the　performance　of　the　Internet-based　teleoperation　system.　Results　of　simulation　demonstrate　the　effectiveness　of　the　proposed　model.　©　2008　IEEE.