On tick automata for distributed timed DESs with synchronisations and minimal time constraints

Abstract

This paper is about the representations of distributed timed discrete event systems (DESs) with synchronisation events and minimal time constraints. A subclass of Timed Petri nets with specific time semantics is first recalled as a reference model for the considered systems. Such a model is reformulated according to modular tick automata with minimal times that behave like logical automata. A synchronous composition of such automata is then defined and the result of this composition is a new tick automaton that has the same timed language as the original Petri net, which is not the case for the earlier model of tick automata with constant (exact) times.