Abstract
Prioritized Colored Petri Nets (PCPNs) are a well-known extension of plain Petri nets in which transitions can have priorities and the tokens on the places carry data information. In this paper, we propose an extension of the PCPN model with <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">black sequencing transitions</i> (BPCPN). This extension allows us to easily model the ordered firing of the same transition using an ordered set of tokens on one of its precondition places. Black sequencing transitions are then presented as a shorthand notation in order to model the processing of a flow of events, represented by one of their precondition places. We then show how black sequencing transitions can be encoded into PCPNs, and their application to model Complex Event Processing (CEP), defining a compositional approach to translate some of the most relevant event pattern operators. We have developed MEdit4CEP-BPCPN, an extension of the MEdit4CEP tool, to provide tool support for this novel technique, thus allowing end users to easily define event patterns and obtain an automatic translation into BPCPNs. This can, in turn, be transformed into a corresponding PCPN, and then be immediately used in CPN Tools. Finally, a health case study concerning the monitoring of pregnant women is considered to illustrate how the event patterns are created and how the BPCPN and PCPN models are obtained by using the MEdit4CEP-BPCPN tool.
Highlights
Complex Event Processing (CEP) technology [1, 2] is used in many different fields to analyze large volumes of information in the form of streams of events, using them to take decisions or derive conclusions
In a previous paper [8] we presented a first Prioritized Colored Petri Net (PCPN) transformation of Event Processing Languages (EPLs) patterns, with the goal of using Colored Petri Nets (CPNs) Tools [9] to check the semantic behavior of the patterns defined in an unlimited variety of situations
Our approach allows domain experts to graphically model the situations of interest to be detected for a specific application domain. It is in charge of validating the pattern syntax, automatically transforming the graphical pattern models into a PCPN model, generating its corresponding PCPN code executable by CPN Tools, validating the pattern semantics, as well as generating the Esper EPL code to be deployed in the Esper CEP engine, one of the well-known open source engines [17]
Summary
Complex Event Processing (CEP) technology [1, 2] is used in many different fields to analyze large volumes of information in the form of streams of events, using them to take decisions or derive conclusions. In a previous paper [8] we presented a first Prioritized Colored Petri Net (PCPN) transformation of EPL patterns, with the goal of using CPN Tools [9] to check the semantic behavior of the patterns defined in an unlimited variety of situations In this previous work, event patterns such as basic event detection, every, followed-by and data windows were considered, but the transformation was limited to certain specific constructions, so compositionality was not possible. We present a different approach to obtain a compositional PCPN model for event patterns defined using the MEdit4CEP-CPN graphical editor. The extensions to PCPNs with black sequencing transitions are novel, and have demonstrated utility, because they allow a compositional semantics of EPL patterns It is worth noting the importance of the BPCPN compositional semantics, since we can provide an automatic translation to every pattern constructed using these EPL operators: simple event search, every and followed-by.
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