Decidability results in First–Order Hybrid Petri Nets

In this paper we tackle the decidabilityof marking reachability for a hybrid formalism based on Petrinets. The model we consider is the untimed version of First–OrderHybrid Petri Nets: it combines a discrete Petri net and a continuousPetri net, the latter being a fluid version of a usual discretePetri net. It is suggested that the decidability results shouldbe pursued exploiting a hierarchy of models as it has been donein the framework of Hybrid Automata. In this paper we definethe class of Single–Rate Hybrid Petri Nets: the continuousdynamics of these nets is such that the vector of the markingderivatives of the continuous places is constant but for a scalarfactor. This class of nets can be seen as the counterpart oftimed automata with skewed clocks. We prove that the reachabilityproblem for this class can be reduced to the reachability problemof an equivalent discrete net and thus it is decidable.     

On the decidability of fragments of the asynchronous π-calculus

We study the decidability of a reachability problem for various fragments of the asynchronous π-calculus. We consider the combination of three main features: name generation, name mobility, and unbounded control. We show that the combination of name generation with either name mobility or unbounded control leads to an undecidable fragment. On the other hand, we prove that name generation without name mobility and with bounded control is decidable by reduction to the coverability problem for Petri Nets.     

Petri nets and regular languages

It is shown that the regularity problem for firing sequence sets of Petri nets is decidable. For the proof, new techniques to characterize unbounded places are introduced. In the class $\text{L}$₀ of terminal languages of labelled Petri nets the regularity problem in undecidable. In addition some lower bounds for the undecidability of the equality problems in $\text{L}$₀ and $\text{L}$ are given. L₀^λ is shown to be not closed under complementation without reference to the reachability problem.     

Complexity of some problems in Petri nets

We consider the complexity of several standard problems for various classes of Petri nets. In particular, the reachability problem, the liveness problem and the k-boundedness problems are analyzed. Some polynomial time and polynomial space complete problems for Petri nets are given. We then show that the problem of deciding whether a Petri net is persistent is reducible to reachability, partially answering a question of Keller. Reachability and boundedness are proved to be undecidable for the Time Petri net introduced by Merlin. Also presented is the concept of controllability, i.e., the capability of a set of transitions to disable a given transition. We show that the controllability problem requires exponential space, even for 1-bounded nets.     

Model checking Petri nets with names using data-centric dynamic systems

Petri nets with name creation and management (\({\nu}\)-PNs) have been recently introduced as an expressive model for dynamic (distributed) systems, whose dynamics are determined not only by how tokens flow in the system, but also by the pure names they carry. On the one hand, this extension makes the resulting nets strictly more expressive than P/T nets: they can be exploited to capture a plethora of interesting systems, such as distributed systems enriched with channels and name passing, service interaction with correlation mechanisms, and resource-constrained workflow nets that explicitly account for process instances. On the other hand, fundamental properties like coverability, termination and boundedness are decidable for \({\nu}\)-PNs. In this work, we go one step beyond the verification of such general properties, and provide decidability and undecidability results of model checking \({\nu}\)-PNs against variants of first-order \({\mu}\)-calculus, recently proposed in the area of data-aware process analysis. While this model checking problem is undecidable in the general case, decidability can be obtained by considering different forms of boundedness, which still give raise to an infinite-state transition system. We then ground our framework to tackle the problem of soundness checking over workflow nets enriched with explicit process instances and resources. Notably, our decidability results are obtained via a translation to data-centric dynamic systems, a recently devised framework for the formal specification and verification of data-aware business processes working over full-fledged relational databases with constraints. In this light, our results contribute to the cross-fertilization between the area of formal methods for concurrent systems and that of foundations of data-aware processes, which has not been extensively investigated so far.     

Covering sharing trees: a compact data structure for parameterized verification

The control state reachability problem is decidable for well-structured infinite-state systems like (Lossy) Petri Nets, Vector Addition Systems, and broadcast protocols. An abstract algorithm that solves the problem is the backward reachability algorithm of [1, 21 ]. The algorithm computes the closure of the predecessor operator with respect to a given upward-closed set of target states. When applied to this class of verification problems, symbolic model checkers based on constraints like [7, 26 ] suffer from the state explosion problem.In order to tackle this problem, in [13] we introduced a new data structure, called covering sharing trees, to represent in a compact way collections of infinite sets of system configurations. In this paper, we will study the theoretical complexity of the operations over covering sharing trees needed in symbolic model checking. We will also discuss several optimizations that can be used when dealing with Petri Nets. Among them, in [14] we introduced a new heuristic rule based on structural properties of Petri Nets that can be used to efficiently prune the search during symbolic backward exploration. The combination of these techniques allowed us to turn the abstract algorithm of [1, 21 ] into a practical method. We have evaluated the method on several finite-state and infinite-state examples taken from the literature [2, 18 , 20 , 30 ]. In this paper, we will compare the results we obtained in our experiments with those obtained using other finite and infinite-state verification tools.     

Some decision problems related to the reachability problem for Petri nets

In this paper, we show that (1) the question to decide whether a given Petri net is consistent, M_o-reversible or live is reduced to the reachability problem in a unified manner, (2) the reachability problem for Petri nets is equivalent to the equality problem and the inclusion problem for the sets of all firing sequences of two Petri nets, (3) the equality problem for the sets of firing sequences of two Petri nets with only two unbounded places under homomorphism is undecidable, (4) the coverability and reachability problems are undecidable for generalized Petri nets in which a distinguished transition has priority over the other transitions, and (5) the reachability problem is undecidable for generalized Petri nets in which some transitions can reset a certain place to zero marking.     

The equality problem for vector addition systems is undecidable

We demonstrate the usefulness of Petri nets for treating problems about vector addition systems by giving a simple exposition of Rabin's proof of the undecidability of the inclusion problem for vector addition system reachability sets, and then proceed to show that the inclusion problem can be reduced to the equality problem for reachability sets.     

一种生成具有变量标识的高级Petri网可达树的算法

Petri网动态性质的考察一般基于网不变量(Net Invariants)和可达树(Reachability Tree).这两个概念已被扩展到高级Petri网中.高级Petri网可达集空间随着网的复杂性而指数性增长是计算可达树问题中的一个主要难 点.本文定义了具有变量标识的高级Petri网并给出了构造该类网的可达树的算法.本文的算法以变量标识的等价关系(equivalent relation)和覆盖关系(covering relation)为基础,明显地简化了可达集空间.个体标识的信息可从变量标识的定义域中获得.     

On Reachability and Spatial Reachability in Fragments of BioAmbients

BioAmbients is a powerful model for representing various aspects of living cells. The model provides a rich set of operations for the movement and interaction of molecules. The richness of the language motivates the study of dialects of the full model and the comparison with other computational models. In this paper we investigate the limit between decidability and undecidability of two decision problems, namely reachability and spatial reachability, for semantic and syntactic fragments of BioAmbients providing movement capabilities and merge. Our results illustrate the power of merge with respect to the other movement operations of BA for properties like reachability. Furthermore, they establish an interesting connection between BioAmbients and other computational models like associative-commutative term rewriting and Petri nets with transfer arcs.     

Coding Mobile Synchronizing Petri Nets into Rewriting Logic

Mobile Synchronizing Petri Nets (MSPN's) are a model for mobility and coordination based on coloured Petri Nets, in which systems are composed of a collection of (possibly mobile) hardware devices and mobile agents, both modelled homogenously. In this paper we approach their verification, for which we have chosen to code MSPN's into rewriting logic. In order to obtain a representation of MSPN systems by means of a rewrite theory, we develop a class of them, that we call ν-Abstract Petri nets (ν-APN's), which are easily representable in that framework. Moreover, the obtained representation provides a local mechanism for fresh name generation. Then we prove that, even if ν-APN's are a particular class of MSPN systems, they are strong enough to capture the behaviour of any MSPN system. We have chosen Maude to implement ν-APN's, as well as the translation from MSPN's to ν-APN's, for which we make intensive use of its reflective features.     

Notes on Liveness and Boundedness of Extended Strong Asymmetric Choice Nets Ⅱ

In this paper,the Extended Strong,Asymmetric Choice NetsⅡ（ESACNⅡ),a subclass of Asymmetric Choice Nets(ACN) including Extended Free Choice Nets(EFCN) and Strong Asymmetric Choice Nets Ⅱ(SACNⅡ),is presented.A necessary and sufficient condition for liveress of ESACNⅡis proposed.Moreover,a criterion is introduced,which is necessary and sufficient for judgement of liveness and boundedness of ESACNⅡ,Meanwhile a polynomial time algoirithm is given to decide liveness and boundedness for ESACNⅡ.     

Feature Nets: behavioural modelling of software product lines

Software product lines (SPLs) are diverse systems that are developed using a dual engineering process: (a) family engineering defines the commonality and variability among all members of the SPL, and (b) application engineering derives specific products based on the common foundation combined with a variable selection of features. The number of derivable products in an SPL can thus be exponential in the number of features. This inherent complexity poses two main challenges when it comes to modelling: firstly, the formalism used for modelling SPLs needs to be modular and scalable. Secondly, it should ensure that all products behave correctly by providing the ability to analyse and verify complex models efficiently. In this paper, we propose to integrate an established modelling formalism (Petri nets) with the domain of software product line engineering. To this end, we extend Petri nets to Feature Nets. While Petri nets provide a framework for formally modelling and verifying single software systems, Feature Nets offer the same sort of benefits for software product lines. We show how SPLs can be modelled in an incremental, modular fashion using Feature Nets, provide a Feature Nets variant that supports modelling dynamic SPLs, and propose an analysis method for SPL modelled as Feature Nets. By facilitating the construction of a single model that includes the various behaviours exhibited by the products in an SPL, we make a significant step towards efficient and practical quality assurance methods for software product lines.     

Relevant Timed Schedules/Clock Vectors for Constructing Time Petri Net Reachability Graphs

We consider here the time Petri nets (the TPN model) and its state space abstractions. We show that only some timed schedules/clock vectors (one per enabled transition) of the clock/firing domains are relevant to construct reachability graphs for the TPN. Moreover, we prove formally that the resulting graphs are smaller than the TPN reachability graphs proposed in the literature. Furthermore, these results establish a relation between dense time and discrete time analysis of time Petri nets and allow also improving discrete time analysis by considering only some elements of the clock/firing domains.     

A modified reachability tree approach to analysis of unbounded Petri nets.

Reachability trees, especially the corresponding Karp-Miller's finite reachability trees generated for Petri nets are fundamental for systematically investigating many characteristics such as boundedness, liveness, and performance of systems modeled by Petri nets. However, too much information is lost in a FRT to render it useful for many applications. In this paper, modified reachability trees (MRT) of Petri nets are introduced that extend the capability of Karp-Miller's FRTs in solving the liveness, deadlock, and reachability problems, and in defining or determining possible firing sequences. The finiteness of MRT is proved and several examples are presented to illustrate the advantages of MRT over FRT.     

时间Petri网分析工具的实现

时间Petri网是非常适合描述实时系统的模型工具,由于时间的复杂性因素使得它的可达性分析变得非常困难。该文在分析了基于全局时间变量的时间Petri网的可达性算法的基础上,采用OOP技术,实现了一个时间petri网的分析工具。     

Recursive Petri nets

In order to design and analyse complex systems, modelers need formal models with two contradictory requirements: a high expressivity and the decidability of behavioural property checking. Here we present and develop the theory of such a model, the recursive Petri nets. First, we show that the mechanisms supported by recursive Petri nets enable to model patterns of discrete event systems related to the dynamic structure of processes. Furthermore, we prove that these patterns cannot be modelled by ordinary Petri nets. Then we study the decidability of some problems: reachability, finiteness and bisimulation. At last, we develop the concept of linear invariants for this kind of nets and we design efficient computations specifically tailored to take advantage of their structure.     

Quasi-static scheduling of communicating tasks

Good scheduling policies for distributed embedded applications are required for meeting hard real time constraints and for optimizing the use of computational resources. We study the quasi-static scheduling problem in which (uncontrollable) control flow branchings can influence scheduling decisions at run time. Our abstracted distributed task model consists of a network of sequential processes that communicate via point-to-point buffers. In each round, the task gets activated by a request from the environment. When the task has finished computing the required responses, it reaches a pre-determined configuration and is ready to receive a new request from the environment. For such systems, we prove that determining the existence of a scheduling policy that guarantees upper bounds on buffer capacities is undecidable. However, we show that the problem is decidable for the important subclass of “data-branching” systems in which control flow branchings are exclusively due to data-dependent internal choices made by the sequential components. This decidability result exploits ideas derived from the Karp and Miller coverability tree for Petri nets as well as the existential boundedness notion of languages of message sequence charts.     

时间约束Petri网的状态可达及可调度分析算法

时间约束Petri网是具有广义时间约束的一类Petri网。时间约束的引入使TCPN’s的演化与系统每一时刻的状态密切相关,导致网的动态复杂性。目前有关TCPN’s状态可达性的研究仅局限于一些较简单的网,该文通过对TCPN’s的进一步研究,给出了更一般的可达性分析方法及变迁可调度决策算法,并讨论了含冲突结构的TCPN’s的可调度分析。