Modeling and synthesis of supervisory control based on Petri nets for distributed objects. I. Interaction mechanism and the basic method

We describe a methodology of discrete event modeling for a class of distributed objects and their required behavior (specifications) for the design of real time automation systems. In our methodology, we use the structured discrete event system (SDES2) model: on the first stage, it is used to analyze the functionality and coherence of the object and its specification; on the second, we propose for SDES2 a basic synthesis method that works for the models of object and supervisor based on Petri nets (both modeling and controlling). At the same time, we propose to synthesize the supervisor as a Petri net embedded in SDES2 with a feedback circuit in order to restrict the object’s operation according to specification requirements. We propose an interaction mechanism for the modeling and controlling Petri nets with the object and the external environment. In essence, the interaction mechanism is an object control scheme based on the constructed net. This mechanism analyzes the current state of the object and computes the controls that should be passed on to the object’s actuators. Computations are done with a cyclic procedure looping over the matrix representation of the net.     

Development of context-aware workflow systems based on Petri Net Markup Language

The Petri Net Markup Language (PNML) is originally an XML-based interchange format for Petri nets. Individual companies may specify their process models in Petri nets and exchange the Petri nets with other companies in PNML. This paper aims to demonstrate the capabilities of PNML in the development of applications instead of an industrial interchange format only. In this paper, we apply PNML to develop context-aware workflow systems. In existing literature, different methodologies for the design of context-aware systems have been proposed. However, workflow models have not been considered in these methodologies. Our interests in this paper are to propose a methodology to automatically generate context-aware action lists for users and effectively control resource allocation based on the state of the workflow systems. To achieve these objectives, we first propose Petri net models to describe the workflows. Next, we propose models to capture resource activities. Finally, the interactions between workflows and resources are combined to obtain a model for the whole processes. Based on the combined model, we propose architecture to automatically generate context-aware graphical user interface to guide the users and control resource allocation in workflow systems. We demonstrate our design methodology using a health care example.     

Nondeterministic Probabilistic Petri Net — A New Method to Study Qualitative and Quantitative Behaviors of System

There are many variants of Petri net at present,and some of them can be used to model system with both function and performance specification,such as stochastic Petri net,generalized stochastic Petri net and probabilistic Petri net.In this paper,we utilize extended Petri net to address the issue of modeling and verifying system with probability and nondeterminism besides function aspects.Using probabilistic Petri net as reference,we propose a new mixed model NPPN(Nondeterministic Probabilistic Petri Net) system,which can model and verify systems with qualitative and quantitative behaviours.Then we develop a kind of process algebra for NPPN system to interpret its algebraic semantics,and an actionbased PCTL(Probabilistic Computation Tree Logic) to interpret its logical semantics.Afterwards we present the rules for compositional operation of NPPN system based on NPPN system process algebra,and the model checking algorithm based on the action-based PCTL.In order to put the NPPN system into practice,we develop a friendly and visual tool for modeling,analyzing,simulating,and verifying NPPN system using action-based PCTL.The usefulness and effectiveness of the NPPN system are illustrated by modeling and model checking an elaborate model of travel arrangements workflow.     

An object-oriented approach to formally analyze the UML 2.0 activity partitions

Nowadays, UML is the de-facto standard for object-oriented analysis and design. Unfortunately, the deficiency of its dynamic semantics limits the possibility of early specification analysis. UML 2.0 comes to precise and complete this semantics but it remains informal and still lacks tools for automatic validation. The main purpose of this study is to automate the formal validation, according a value-oriented approach, of the behavior of systems expressed in UML. The marriage of Petri nets with temporal logics seems a suitable formalism for translating and then validating UML state-based models. The contributions of the paper are threefold. We first, consider how UML 2.0 activity partitions can be transformed into Object Petri Nets to formalize the object dynamics, in an object-oriented context. Second, we develop an approach based on the object and sequence diagram information to initialize the derived Petri nets in terms of objects and events. Finally, to thoroughly verify if the UML model meets the system required properties, we suggest to use the OCL invariants exploiting their association end constructs. The verification is performed on a predicate/transition net explored by model checking. A case study is given to illustrate this methodology throughout the paper.     

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.     

一种基于对象网的多视角软件过程模型

基于关注点分离原则,结合多视角软件过程建模与对象网之间的相似性,提出了一种基于对象网的多视角软件过程模型MOPN-SP-net,可以提高软件过程模型的可复用性(reusability).在使用MOPN-SP-net建模时,得到的多视角软件过程模型是一种多维网.直接分析这种多维网比较困难,为此,提供了一种从对象网到平面网的等价转换规则,且转换前后的模型在合理性准则上保持等价.根据这个转换规则,可以通过分析转换后平面网模型的合理性得知转换前的对象网的合理性.     

基于对象着色Petri网的UML模型研究

UML广泛应用于软件建模,但缺乏有效的模型检测的方法,使用形式化方法对UML模型进行分析,可以发现UML模型的设计问题,提高UML模型的质量。对象着色Petri网是一种拥有接口库所的模块化着色Petri网,既是一种图形化建模工具,又是具有严格的语法语义定义的形式化方法。通过引入事件托肯,改进了将UML模型转换为对象着色Petri网的方法,结合实例将UML状态图和协作图映射为对象着色Petri网模型。并用着色Petri网的方法和工具对模型进行了分析,验证了模型的一系列性质。     

随机Petri网模型的精化设计

随机Petri网的模型技术有多种不同的方法.简单地使用模型技术去模拟复杂的系统,势必造成状态空间的爆炸,而无法分析系统性能.模型精化技术可以开发出紧凑的模型,暴露出原模型中子模型的独立性和相互依存关系,为模型的分解求解奠定基础.该文以多服务器多队列系统模型的精化设计为例,展示利用变迁可实施谓词和随机开关进行模型精化的方法.文章还讨论了多服务器多任务系统的调度、选择控制方案,并提供了这些方案的随机Petri网模型.     

基于Petri网的RBAC策略验证的研究

本文为RBAC模型提出了一个基于着色Petri网的策略规格说明和分析的架构．Petri网能够捕获基数、责任分离等约束，而且能对优先和依赖约束进行说明、使用Petri网的可达到性分析技术对RBAC策略进行正确性验证．     

A framework for model-based design of agent-oriented software

Agents are becoming one of the most important topics in distributed and autonomous decentralized systems, and there are increasing attempts to use agent technologies to develop large-scale commercial and industrial software systems. The complexity of such systems suggests a pressing need for system modeling techniques to support reliable, maintainable, and extensible design. G-nets are a type of Petri net defined to support system modeling in terms of a set of independent and loosely-coupled modules. In this paper, we customize the basic G-net model to define a so-called "agent-based G-net" that can serve as a generic model for agent design. Then, to progress from an agent-based design model to an agent-oriented model, new mechanisms to support inheritance modeling are introduced. To illustrate our formal modeling technique for multiagent systems, an example of an agent family in electronic commerce is provided. Finally, we demonstrate how we can use model checking to verify some key behavioral properties of our agent model. This is facilitated by the use of an existing Petri net tool.     

Petri net modelling and design of task oriented messaging system for robot control

Manufacturing Message Specification (MMS) is an international standard for shop floor machine control. It defines a set of conceptual schema and an interactive software object known as Virtual Manufacturing Device (VMD). Many systems have been established using this protocol but very few formal methods have been used to build such systems. This paper addresses the problems of the design and analysis of a network-based task oriented messaging system for flexible robot task control using a Petri net. The information and message transfer processes of the MMS systems were analysed. The modelling methodology allows a top down approach by which the net model is decomposed into fine details with clear identification of components which can be realised directly from the model. This approach is illustrated in this paper by a Windows-based robot control prototype system implemented from the Petri net model. The prototype was built using Object Windows Library and the NetBIOS session layer protocol on a PC network.     

Collaborative composition of processes in holonic manufacturing systems

Although it provides a flexible architecture to deal with changes and uncertainties, holonic manufacturing systems (HMS) also pose challenges in design and implementation. A challenge is to design a problem solving environment to guide the holons in HMS such that the decisions made by the individual holons as a whole collaboratively compose the production processes for the tasks. The objective of this paper is to propose a problem solving environment for the composition of minimal cost processes in HMS. Given a specific product type and due date, the problem is to dynamically compose a complete process in HMS to process the product by the due date. To achieve the objective, we combine multi-agent systems technology with Petri nets in this paper. We first propose architecture and a two-layer contract net protocol to describe the negotiation between order holons, product holons and resource holons in HMS. To determine whether it is feasible for a set product holons and resource holons to compose a process for an order holon, we propose Petri net models to capture the workflows and activities in product holons and resource holons, respectively. To optimize the cost in the composed manufacturing process, the concept of activity-based costing is adopted to assign the cost of the activities to Petri nets. The advantages of our design methodology include specification of workflows and resource activities with PNML to minimize the cost. To realize the two-layer contract net protocol relies on a mechanism for a holon to discover the services provided by other holons. We proposed a scheme for publication and discovery of holon services based on FIPA compliant multi-agent system platform. Based on the service publication and discovery scheme, interactions between holons with the two-layer contract net protocol can be realized. We develop a HMS system to solve the process composition problem.     

Modeling uncertainties involved with software development with a stochastic Petri net

Abstract: Due to the rapid growth of the IT industry as well as the high failure rate of software development projects, it is highly desirable to develop a qualitative approach for dealing with uncertainties in the software development process. In order to manage risk and uncertainty, a software project uncertainty management approach based on a generalized stochastic Petri net is proposed. It consists of two main components: model building based on a Petri net and a Markov process algorithm. The technique is presented with an example. Finally, the proposed model is demonstrated with a real-world case.     

移动环境下的数据同步模型研究

移动环境下数据应用的一个重要难题是数据同步过程控制。数据同步过程是指移动客户机与服务器间实现数据的一致性。论文提出了基于时间戳的数据同步模型,详细阐述了各功能部件的分工、协作和位置。采用Petri网对同步过程进行了建模,通过构建、分析可达树,给出了评价结果,验证了模型的正确性和有效性。     

Modeling of emergency response decision-making process using stochastic Petri net: an e-service perspective

In this paper, we address the emergency response decision-making process based on stochastic Petri net from an e-service perspective. The emergency response decision-making process is modeled and designed considering service management. The process is modeled based on stochastic Petri net and a solution methodology is proposed to solve the model. In addition, an isomorphic Markov Chain model and a service performance model are developed for measuring and evaluating the service performance of emergency response decision-making process. Finally, a case study is presented to show the viability of our method.     

基于赋时有色petri网的维修过程模型

维修过程模型是研究维修保障系统结构与运行的基础。petri网模型具有直观、形象的优点,又是严格定义的数学对象,既可用于静态的结构分析,又可用于动态的行为分析,具有灵活的建模和强大的系统性能分析能力,是描述维修过程的有力工具。该文介绍了petri网方法的有关概念、特性。假定了典型的维修资源配置环境,对维修资源进行了分类。描述了典型的维修过程,应用赋时着色Petri网建立了维修过程的petri网模型。文章最后讨论了模型的应用。     

Interactive hypermedia applications: A model and its implementation

By referring to the object-oriented efforts of the Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group (MHEG), and the augmented Petri net model, we present a formal definition of the multimedia hypermedia Petri net (MHPN) model. Through this proposed model, issues of authoring, rendering and synchronization of multimedia information (i.e. structure authoring, spatial temporal relationships, user interaction, etc.) can all be laid to rest. We have implemented a testbed system, the Petri net object information system (POIS), which offers considerable potential for the development of distributed hypermedia applications. The testbed has been implemented on an IBM-PC486 under Windows 3.1. We are now in the process of porting the testbed model to Windows NT.     

基于有色Petri网并发进程模型及死锁避免方法

并发进程具有明显的异步并发性,而Petri网是描述异步并发系统的有效工具,但是目前将Petri网用于并发进程控制问题的研究还几乎没有。为此通过引入扩展有色Petri网,为并发进程建立了模型,并给出了避免死锁的有效方法。