Discrete event diagnosis using labeled Petri nets. An application to manufacturing systems

In this paper an approach to on-line diagnosis of discrete event systems based on labeled Petri nets is presented. The approach is based on the notion of basis markings and justifications and it can be applied both to bounded and unbounded Petri nets whose unobservable subnet is acyclic. Moreover it is shown that, in the case of bounded Petri nets, the most burdensome part of the procedure may be moved off-line, computing a particular graph called Basis Reachability Graph.Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed procedure is analyzed applying a MATLAB diagnosis toolbox we developed to a manufacturing example taken from the literature.     

Analysis of Hybrid Systems Based on Hybrid Net Condition/Event System Model

In thispaper, hybrid net condition /event systems are introducedas a model for hybrid systems. The model consists of a discretetimed Petri net and a continuous Petri net which interact eachother through condition and event signals. By introducing timeddiscrete places in the model, timing constraints in hybrid systemscan be easily described. For a class of hybrid systems that canbe described as linear hybrid net condition /eventsystems whose continuous part is a constant continuous Petrinet, two methods are developed for their state reachability analysis.One is the predicate-transformation method, which is an extensionof a state reachability analysis method for linear hybrid automata.The other is the path-based method, which enumerates all possiblefiring seqenences of discrete transitions and verifies if a givenset of states can be reached from another set by firing a sequenceof discrete transitions. The verification is performed by solvinga constraint satisfaction problem. A technique that adds additionalconstraints to the problem when a discrete state is revisitedalong the sequence is developed and used to prevent the methodfrom infinite enumeration. These methods provide a basis foralgorithmic analysis of this class of hybrid systems.     

On-Line Monitoring of Large Petri Net Models Under Partial Observation

We consider a Petri Net model of the plant. The observation is given by a subset of transitions whose occurrence is always and immediately sensed by a monitoring agent. Other transitions not in this subset are silent (unobservable). Classical on-line monitoring techniques, which are based on the estimation of the current state of the plant and the detection of the occurrence of undesirable events (faults), are not suitable for models of large systems due to high spatial complexity (exponential in the size of the entire model). In this paper we propose a method based on the explanation of plant observation. A legal trace minimally explains the observation if it includes all unobservable transitions whose firing is needed to enable the observed transitions. To do so, starting from an observable transition, using backward search techniques, a set of minimal explanations is derived, which are sufficient for detecting whether a fault event must have occurred for sure in the plant or not. The technique also allows production of a set of basis markings for the estimation of the current state of the plant. The set of all possible current markings can then be characterized as the unobservable reach of these basis markings. The computational complexity of the algorithm depends on the size of the largest connected subnet which includes only unobservable transitions. This allows monitoring of plants of any size in which there is no large unobservable subnet. We also illustrate the applicability of the method for the monitoring of a class of infinite state systems, unbounded Petri Nets with unobservable trap circuits, and we show how this can be useful for distributed implementations.

Diagnosis of Partially Observed Petri Net Based on Analytical Redundancy Relationships

In this paper, we design an efficient diagnosis technique for partially observed discrete event systems modeled by labeled Petri nets. The fault detection is based on analytical redundancy relationships derived from the nominal model. The decomposition of the T_un‐induced subnet to connected subgraphs allows determining the subgraphs that may contain faults. To appreciate the fault localization, a set of analytical redundancy relationships is etablished for each fault transition based on the fault model. The proposed diagnosis approach is independent of the length of the observed sequence and independent of the number of unobservable transitions. The detected faults with the proposed approach are faults which led to a change in the number of tokens in the net.     

Deadlock-free Supervisor Design for Robotic Manufacturing Cells With Uncontrollable and Unobservable Events

In this paper,a deadlock prevention policy for robotic manufacturing cells with uncontrollable and unobservable events is proposed based on a Petri net formalism.First,a Petri net for the deadlock control of such systems is defined.Its admissible markings and first-met inadmissible markings(FIMs)are introduced.Next,place invariants are designed via an integer linear program(ILP)to survive all admissible markings and prohibit all FIMs,keeping the underlying system from reaching deadlocks,livelocks,bad markings,and the markings that may evolve into them by firing uncontrollable transitions.ILP also ensures that the obtained deadlock-free supervisor does not observe any unobservable transition.In addition,the supervisor is guaranteed to be admissible and structurally minimal in terms of both control places and added arcs.The condition under which the supervisor is maximally permissive in behavior is given.Finally,experimental results with the proposed method and existing ones are given to show its effectiveness.     

Maximally Permissive Petri Net Supervisors for Flexible Manufacturing Systems with Uncontrollable and Unobservable Transitions

This paper presents a deadlock prevention policy to obtain behaviorally optimal supervisors for flexible manufacturing systems with uncontrollable and unobservable transitions. The conditions of uncontrollability and unobservability of transitions are revealed in the sense of the implementation of a Petri net supervisor. Then, integer linear programming models are designed to obtain a Petri net supervisor such that all legal markings are reachable and the number of control places is reduced. We also show that a controllable transition can be unobservable and self‐loops can be used to disable the transition but do not observe its firing. Finally, examples are provided to illustrate the proposed approach.     

Petri net supervisors for DES with uncontrollable and unobservabletransitions

A supervisor synthesis technique for Petri net plants with uncontrollable and unobservable transitions, that enforces the conjunction of a set of linear inequalities on the reachable markings of the plant, is presented. The approach is based on the concept of Petri net place invariants. Each step of the procedure is illustrated through a running example involving the supervision of a robotic assembly cell. The controller is described by an auxiliary Petri net connected to the plant's transitions, providing a unified Petri net model of the closed-loop system. The synthesis technique is based on the concept of admissible constraints. Procedures are given for identifying all admissible linear constraints for a plant with uncontrollable and unobservable transitions, as well as methods for transforming inadmissible constraints into admissible ones. A technique is described for creating a modified Petri net controller that enforces the union of all of these control laws. The method is practical and computationally inexpensive in terms of size, design time, and implementation complexity     

基于变迁覆盖的制造系统死锁控制策略

基于系统Petri网模型,研究柔性制造系统的死锁控制问题.论文利用变迁覆盖为系统设计活性控制器.变迁覆盖是由一组极大完备资源变迁回路组成的集合,其变迁集覆盖了Petri网中所有极大完备资源变迁回路的变迁集.验证变迁覆盖的有效性,然后仅对有效变迁覆盖中的极大完备资源变迁回路添加控制位置,就得到系统的活性受控Petri网.这种受控Petri网包含的控制位置个数少,从而结构相对简单.最后通过一个例子说明了所提出的死锁控制策略的构成与特点.     

标注Petri网中的最小初始标识估计

为获得制造系统初始化时的最小资源以实现最优资源分配,利用标注Petri网对系统进行建模,并研究标注Petri网的最小初始标识估计问题。给定一个标注Petri网,在不可观测变迁组成无环子网的情况下,基于动态规划提出一种新的最小初始标识估计算法。在观察到给定的标注序列后,放宽不可观测变迁发生个数的限制,并根据该算法构建节点的演化过程。当出现相同的发生数向量时,仅保留当前极小的初始标识估计,并通过节点的演化过程对极小初始标识估计的托肯总数进行对比。为验证算法的有效性,给出一个制造系统的标注Petri网模型实例,最终得到的最小初始标识为［1000］^T,且对应的变迁发生序列为t₁t₃t₄t₆,满足给定标注Petri网的结构要求。实验结果表明,与传统基于动态规划的算法相比,该算法获得的最小初始标识估计具有更小的托肯总数。     

Identification of Petri Nets from Knowledge of Their Language

In this paper we deal with the problem of identifying a Petri net system, given a finite language generated by it. First we consider the problem of identifying a free labeled Petri net system, i.e., all transition labels are distinct. The set of transitions and the number of places is assumed to be known, while the net structure and the initial marking are computed solving an integer programming problem. Then we extend this approach in several ways introducing additional information about the model (structural constraints, conservative components, stationary sequences) or about its initial marking. We also treat the problem of synthesizing a bounded net system starting from an automaton that generates its language. Finally, we show how the approach can also be generalized to the case of labeled Petri nets, where two or more transitions may share the same label. In particular, in this case we impose that the resulting net system is deterministic. In both cases the identification problem can still be solved via an integer programming problem.

Identification of the unobservable behaviour of industrial automation systems by Petri nets

This paper addresses the problem of identifying the model of the unobservable behaviour of discrete event systems in the industrial automation sector. Assuming that the fault-free system structure and dynamics are known, the paper proposes an algorithm that monitors the system on-line, storing the occurred observable event sequence and the corresponding reached states. At each event observation, the algorithm checks whether some unobservable events have occurred on the basis of the knowledge of the Petri net (PN) modelling the nominal system behaviour and the knowledge of the current PN marking. By defining and solving some integer linear programming problems, the algorithm decides whether it is necessary to introduce some unobservable (silent) transitions in the PN model and provides a PN structure that is consistent with the observed event string. A case study describing an industrial automation system shows the efficiency and the applicability of the proposed algorithm.     

State Estimation of λ-free Labeled Petri Nets with Contact-Free Nondeterministic Transitions*

In this paper we deal with the problem of estimating the marking of a labeled Petri net with nondeterministic transitions. In particular, we consider the case in which nondeterminism is due to the presence of transitions that share the same label and that can be simultaneously enabled. Under the assumption that: the structure of the net is known, the initial marking is known, the transition labels can be observed, the nondeterministic transitions are contact-free, we present a technique for characterizing the set of markings that are consistent with the actual observation. More precisely, we show that the set of markings consistent with an observed word can be represented by a linear system with a fixed structure that does not depend on the length of the observed word.*Contact author is Alessandro Giua.     

Supervisory control of partially observable marked graphs

This note presents a control synthesis approach for discrete event systems modeled by marked graphs with unobservable transitions. It solves forbidden state problems characterized by a set of general mutual exclusion constraints. We prove that for any sequence of observable transitions, there exist a unique marking from which all other possible current markings can be reached unobservably. This salient feature allows us to design efficient control policies based on proper separation of observation and control.     

Supervisor synthesis for discrete event systems under partial observation and arbitrary forbidden state specifications

In this paper, we consider the forbidden state problem in discrete event systems modeled by partially observed and partially controlled Petri nets. Assuming that the reverse net of the uncontrollable subnet of the Petri net is structurally bounded, we compute a set of weakly forbidden markings from which forbidden markings can be reached by firing a sequence of uncontrollable/unobservable transitions. We then use reduced consistent markings to represent the set of consistent markings for Petri nets with structurally bounded unobservable subnets. We determine the control policy by checking if the firing of a certain controllable transition will lead to a subsequent reduced consistent marking that belongs to the set of weakly forbidden markings; if so, we disable the corresponding controllable transition. This approach is shown to be minimally restrictive in the sense that it only disables behavior that can potentially lead to a forbidden marking. The setting in this paper generalizes previous work by studying supervisory control for partially observed and partially controlled Petri nets with a general labeling function and a finite number of arbitrary forbidden states. In contrast, most previous work focuses on either labeling functions that assign a unique label to each observable transition or forbidden states that are represented using linear inequalities. More importantly, we demonstrate that, in general, the separation between observation and control (as considered in previous work) may not hold in our setting.     

On-line fault detection in discrete event systems by Petri nets and integer linear programming

The paper addresses the fault detection problem for discrete event systems in a Petri Net (PN) framework. Assuming that the structure of the PN model and the initial marking are known, faults are modelled by unobservable transitions. Moreover, we assume that there may be additional unobservable transitions associated with the system legal behaviour and that the marking reached after the firing of any transition is unknown. The proposed diagnoser works on-line: it waits for the firing of an observable transition and employs an algorithm based on the definition and solution of some integer linear programming problems to decide whether the system behaviour is normal or exhibits some possible faults. The results characterize the properties that the PN modelling the system fault behaviour has to fulfill in order to reduce the on-line computational effort.     

Petri net based process scheduling: A model of the control system of flexible manufacturing systems

In this paper, we propose a class of algorithms for the sub-optimal solution of a particular class of problems of process scheduling, particularly focusing on a case study in the area of flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs). The general class of problems we face in our approach is characterized as follows: there is a set of concurrent processes, each formed by a number of temporally related tasks (segments). Tasks are executable by alternate resource sets, different both in performance and costs. Processes and tasks are characterized by release times, due dates, and deadlines. Time constraints are also present in the availability of each resource in resource sets. It has been proven that such a problem does not admit an algorithm for an optimal solution in polynomial time. Our proposed algorithm finds a sub-optimal schedule according to a set of optimization criteria, based on task and process times (earliness, tardiness), and/or time independent costs of resources. Our approach to process scheduling is based on Timed Coloured Petri Nets. We describe the structure of the coordination and scheduling algorithms, concentrating on (i) the general-purpose component, and (ii) the application-dependent component. In particular, the paper focuses on the following issues: (i) theautomatic synthesis of Petri net models of the coordination subsystem, starting from the problem knowledge base; (ii) the dynamic behavior of the coordination subsystem, whose kernel is a High Level Petri net executor, a coordination process based on an original, general purpose algorithm; (iii) the structure of the real-time scheduling subsystem, based on particular heuristic sub-optimal multi-criteria algorithms. Furthermore, the paper defines the interaction mechanisms between the coordination and scheduling subsystems. Our approach clearly distinguishes the mechanism of the net execution from the decision support system. Two conceptually distinct levels, which correspond to two different, interacting implementation modules in the prototype CASE tool, have been defined: theexecutor and thescheduler levels. One of the outstanding differences between these levels is that the executor is conceived as a fast, efficient coordination process, without special-purpose problem-solving capabilities in case of conflicts. The scheduler, on the other hand, is the adaptive, distributed component, whose behavior may heavily depend on the problem class. If the scheduler fails, the executor is, in any case, able to proceed with a general-purpose conflict resolution strategy. Experimental results on the real-time performance of the kernel of the implemented system are finally shown in the paper. The approach described in this paper is at the basis of a joint project with industrial partners for the development of a CASE tool for the simulation of blast furnaces.     

Design and fault diagnosis of Petri net controllers for Petri nets with uncontrollable and unobservable transitions

This paper presents a methodology for diagnosing faults of controllers which are modeled by Petri nets with uncontrollable and unobservable transitions. The inadmissible constraints with uncontrollable and unobservable transitions are transformed into admissible conditions in this method. And we can design controllers easily using reduction technique. In order to provide tolerance against faults in controllers, we embed the given Petri net controller into a larger Petri net controller that retains the functionality of original controllers, and encode the large Petri net controller. Separate redundant Petri net controllers using additional places, connections and tokens to impose invariant conditions allow the systematic detection and identification of faults via Hamming code. The proposed method is attractive because it can check faults (place faults, transition faults or mixed faults) easily. A manufacturing cell is taken as an example to illustrate the approach.     

Bounds on the Number of Markings Consistent With Label Observations in Petri Nets

In this paper, we consider state estimation in discrete-event systems (DESs) modeled by labeled Petri nets and present upper bounds on the number of system states (or markings) that are consistent with an observed sequence of labels. Our analysis is applicable to Petri nets that may have nondeterministic transitions (i.e., transitions that share the same label) and/or unobservable transitions (i.e., transitions that are associated with the null label). More specifically, given knowledge of a labeled Petri net structure and its initial state, we show that the number of consistent markings in a Petri net with nondeterministic transitions is at most polynomial in the length of the observation sequence (i.e., polynomial in the number of labels observed). This polynomial dependency of the number of consistent markings on the length of the observation sequence also applies to Petri nets with unobservable transitions under the assumption that their unobservable subnets are structurally bounded. The bounds on the number of markings established in this paper imply that the state estimation problem in labeled Petri nets can be solved with complexity that is polynomial in the length of the observation sequence.     

基于Petri网结构分析的监控器综合

在基于Petri网建模的离散事件系统中, 提出利用局部关联信息进行约束转换, 并实现Petri网结构监控器综合的方法. 对以Parikh矢量约束形式给出的控制规范, 不可控不可观变迁会导致约束成为非法约束, 分析了不可控变迁的前向关联结构和不可观变迁的后向关联结构, 利用局部关联变迁实现对不可控和不可观变迁的间接控制, 从而将非法矢量约束转换为合法约束, 并保证初始控制规范的实现. 与基于矩阵的监控器综合方法相比, 本文的方法只需利用局部信息, 最后通过实例对该方法进行了说明.     

Petri网合成理论及应用综述

对于建模和分析物理系统的模型,Petri网在处理并发和冲突方面具有强大的能力.Petri网合成技术将小型Petri网通过一组子网的某些共享位置、某些共享变迁按合成规则综合成复杂网系统,它足Petri网系统建模中一种重要的自底向上的建模方法,适用于具有异步、并发特征的复杂应用环境.综述了 Petri网系统两种合成操作(共享合成、同步合成)理论,然后介绍了国内外研究状况,最后指出了合成技术在柔性制造系统(FMS)和多媒体系统等应用方面的发展热点.