High-level Petri Nets Research Articles

A Methodology to Analyze Multi-Agent Systems Modeled in High Level Petri Nets

This paper presents a methodology for analyzing multi-agent systems modeled in nested predicate transition nets. The objective is to automate the model analysis for complex systems, and provide a foundation for tool development. We formally define the translation rules that translate the multi-agent model to an executable PROMELA model, and demonstrate the translation with an example.

Dynamic task mapping for Network-on-Chip based systems

Efficiency of Network-on-Chip (NoC) based multi-processor systems largely depends on optimal placement of tasks onto processing elements (PEs). Although number of task mapping heuristics have been proposed in literature, selecting best technique for a given environment remains a challenging problem. Keeping in view the fact that comparisons in original study of each heuristic may have been conducted using different assumptions, environment, and models. In this study, we have conducted a detailed quantitative analysis of selected dynamic task mapping heuristics under same set of assumptions, similar environment, and system models. Comparisons are conducted with varying network load, number of tasks, and network size for constantly running applications. Moreover, we propose an extension to communication-aware packing based nearest neighbor (CPNN) algorithm that attempts to reduce communication overhead among the interdependent tasks. Furthermore, we have conducted formal verification and modeling of proposed technique using high level Petri nets. The experimental results indicate that proposed mapping algorithm reduces communication cost, average hop count, and end-to-end latency as compared to CPNN especially for large mesh NoCs. Moreover, proposed scheme achieves up to 6% energy savings for smaller mesh NoCs. Further, results of formal modeling indicate that proposed model is workable and operates according to specifications.

MODELING OF BIOMETRIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM USING THE COLORED PETRI NETS

Abstract. In this paper we present a model of biometric identification system transformed into Petri Nets. Petri Nets, as a graphical and mathematical tool, provide a uniform environment for modelling, formal analysis, and design of discrete event systems. The main objective of this paper is to introduce the fundamental concepts of Petri Nets to the researchers and practitioners, both from identification systems, who are involved in the work in the areas of modelling and analysis of biometric identification types of systems, as well as those who may potentially be involved in these areas. In addition, the paper introduces high-level Petri Nets, as Colored Petri Nets (CPN). In this paper the model of Colored Petri Net describes the identification process much simpler.

A high-level Petri net based model for web services composition and verification

The evolution of the internet and the competitiveness between enterprises are the major factors in the explosion of web services use. The concept of web services composition is a natural evolution of this technology. It aims to build new value added services, using existing ones. However, this task remains highly complex and requires formal techniques for its completion. In this paper, we propose a high level Petri nets approach that successfully accomplishes this task. In this context, we define a web service modelling technique using the G-net formalism. We also propose an expressive algebra that permits the combination of the modelled services. In order to take benefit from the Maude formal verification tools, we have suggested a method that permits the translation of a modelled service from a G-net model to an equivalent Maude specification. The defined approach has successfully been automated using the Java programming language.

Simulation‐based optimisation of wastewater flow and composition for on‐site treatment in the food and beverage industry utilising reference nets in combination with genetic algorithms

AbstractThis study introduces the concept of computer modelling and simulation of complex bioprocesses and systems using an approach that combines the reference net formalism with machine learning and optimisation techniques. Reference nets are an extension of high level Petri Nets, which can be used as a central visualisation and modelling tool. The net‐in‐net paradigm used by reference nets makes it possible to model complex processes, such as those found in the food and beverage industry. A plugin/interface system based on the java programming language allows implementation of advanced mathematical modelling techniques at specific points in entire system simulations. Separate optimisation tools can also run and modify existing reference net models for fast solutions to efficiency problems. We present an example system that simulates a specific section of a beer brewery using the reference net formalism, which is optimised using a genetic algorithm. We show in detail how the different software packages can be combined for a simulation based optimisation approach. The optimisation technique specifically addresses the wastewater pollution load in regard to its chemical oxygen demand. A beer brewery was chosen as an example for this study due to the constantly increasing requirements to lower energy and water consumption in this industry. One possibility to lower the energy and water demands is to effectively treat wastewater produced by the brewery, which can introduce cost savings by providing recycled water and biogas. Most approaches to wastewater treatment are end‐of‐pipe solutions that do not consider the brewery as a whole. A brewery contains many processes that can be running concurrently and interacting with one another (e.g. brewing, clean‐in‐place and bottling) with each process producing varying amounts of wastewater with different pollution loads. Optimisation of the scheduling of the different processes with respect to the wastewater production will allow for more effective wastewater treatment, and therefore cost and energy savings. (© 2014 Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

XML formát pro záznam objektové Petriho sítě

Petri nets provide executive facilities for simulation of causality, non-determinism and parallelism in discreet systems. Since they are a mathematical model in substance, they offer theory, which can be successfully used to verification of models. Executability of Petri nets predestinates them for simulation and fast prototyping. Object Petri nets represent rather complicated class, based on hierarchical and high-level Petri nets. However their complexity is balanced by their ability to identify significant characteristics of system model and to visualize it in a graphic representation.Tools currently applied to modeling, simulation and verification of various Petri net variants use language PNML (Petri Net Markup Language) as an interchange format. However PNML is not capable of expression of object Petri net. This paper introduces prototype of XML-based language for modeling of parallel object-oriented systems described by object Petri net. This language, based on PNML, was named OPNML (Object Petri Net Markup Language).

Petri net based decision system modeling in real-time scheduling and control of flexible automotive manufacturing systems

This paper presents the design and the implementation of a Petri net (PN) model for the control of a flexible manufacturing system (FMS). A flexible automotive manufacturing system used in this environment enables quick cell configuration, and the efficient operation of cells. In this paper, we attempt to propose a flexible automotive manufacturing approach for modeling and analysis of shop floor scheduling problem of FMSs using high-level PNs. Since PNs have emerged as the principal performance modeling tools for FMS, this paper provides an object-oriented Petri nets (OOPNs) approach to performance modeling and to implement efficient production control. In this study, we modeled the system as a timed marked graph (TMG), a well-known subclass of PNs, and we showed that the problem of performance evaluation can be reduced to a simple linear programming (LP) problem with m−n+1 variables and n constraints, where m and n represent the number of places and transitions in the marked graph, respectively. The presented PN based method is illustrated by modeling a real-time scheduling and control for flexible automotive manufacturing system (FAMS) in Valeo Turkey.

REPRESENTING THE PAIRWISE INTERSESSION NETWORK CODING BY HIGH LEVEL PETRI NETS

In this paper, we introduce a new approach to the pairwise inters- ession network coding, which depends on using high level Petri nets to represent the butterfly network, the grail network, all networks which represent an ex- pansion of the butterfly network and all networks which represent an expansion of the grail network, and use this representation to determine the solvability of the pairwise intersession network coding problem.

A cloud resource management model for the creation and orchestration of social communities

Managing resources, context and data in mobile clouds is a challenging task. Specific aspects of spontaneity, large interaction space and dynamic interaction share a metaphorical resemblance to chemistry, chemical reactions and solutions. In this paper, it is argued that by adopting a nature-inspired chemical computing model, a mobile cloud resource management model can be evolved to serve as the basis for novel service modelling and social computing in mobile clouds. To support the argument, a chemistry inspired computation model, Chemistry for Context Awareness (C2A), is extended with Higher Order Chemical Language (HOCL) and High Level Petri-net Graph (HLPNG) formalisms. A scenario and simulation-based evaluation of the proposed model, focusing on two applications dynamic service composition and social communities identification, is also presented in this paper. The formal encoding of C2A validates its assumptions, enabling formal execution and analysis of context-based interactions that are derived using C2A principles.

Using High Level Petri Nets in the Modelling, Simulation and Verification of Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems

In Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMSs), the structure of the system can be changed during execution of the system. This reconfiguration can be motivated by a new requirement in the production process, or to avoid some problems caused by machines breakdowns. These systems offer a high flexibility leading to more productivity and efficiency. However, their design is more complicated implying new techniques and paradigms. The use of formal high level Petri Nets offers the ability to design these systems and to analyse or prove their properties. In this paper, we apply Reconfigurable Object Nets (RONs) for the modelling, simulation and analysis of reconfigurable manufacturing systems. We propose a formal approach, where the reconfiguration is specified as graph transformations, the simulation is realized using the RON-tool, and the analysis exploits some software tools such as TINA-tool and PIPE-tool.

Transforming UML State Machine Diagram to High Level Petri Net Using Genetic Algorithm

 Abstract—This paper presents a new methodology to transform UML State diagram to High Level Petri Net (HLPN). Genetic Algorithms (GAs) has been used to generate software specifications set which covers maximum states and transitions in state diagram. Then, these states are used to improve the logical ordering of HLPN. Not all states will be used to represent the HLPN, but those that are selected by GA which reduce the number of HLPN details and avoiding the redundant of states.

Pirax: framework for application piracy control in mobile cloud environment

Mobile cloud computing is an emerging technology that is gaining popularity as a means to extend the capabilities of resource-constrained mobile devices such as a smartphone. Mobile cloud computing requires specialized application development models that support computation offloading from a mobile device to the cloud. The computation offloading is performed by means of offloading application process, application component, entire application, or clone of the smartphone. The offloading of an entire application or clone of the smartphone to cloud may raise application piracy issues, which, unfortunately, have not been addressed in the existing literature. This paper presents a piracy control framework for mobile cloud environment, named Pirax, which prevents mobile applications from executing on unauthenticated devices and cloud resources. Pirax is formally verified using High Level Petri Nets, Satisfiability Modulo Theories Library and Z3 solver. Pirax is implemented on Android platform and analyzed from security and performance perspectives. The performance analysis results show that Pirax is lightweight and easy to integrate into existing mobile cloud application development models.

Modeling and Analysis of State-of-the-art VM-based Cloud Management Platforms

Virtualization is a key aspect to achieve scalability and flexibility in a cloud. Many solutions have been proposed to monitor and deploy Virtual Machines (VM) in resource pool of cloud. However, most of the cloud management systems, such as Amazon EC2 are proprietary. In the said perspective, many open source VM-based platforms have tossed for general users to research. The existing work has mainly focused on the discussion of architecture, feature-set, and performance analysis. Other important aspects, such as formal analysis, modeling, and verification are usually ignored. In this paper, we provide formal analysis, modeling, and verification of three open source state-of-the-art VM-based cloud platforms: (a) Eucalyptus, (b) Open Nebula, and (c) Nimbus. We used High-Level Petri Nets (HLPN) to model and analyze the structural and behavioral properties of the systems. Moreover, to verify the models, we have used Satisfiability Modulo Theories Library (SMT-Lib) and Z3 Solver. We modeled about 100 VM to verify the correctness and feasibility of our models. The results reveal that the models are functioning correctly. Moreover, the increase in the number of VM does not affect the working of the models that indicates the practicability of the models in a highly scalable and flexible environment.

From a Solution Model to a B Model for Verification of Safety Properties

In the context of safety requirement engineering, model transformation is a task of interest. Indeed, it allows us to keep all the requirements while switching from one point of view to another. The presented work assumes that a valid solution has been found and proposes an approach in order to build a valid implementation. As some fine dynamic properties are integrated into the specification, high-level Petri nets are used to specify and verify the solution. Then, considering an industrial railway context, the transformation of the Petri net model in order to provide an input to a B process is considered. This last consideration leads to a proposition of a systematic direct transformation of the Petri net model into abstract B machines. The approach is illustrated by a theoretical railway example. The limitations of this approach are discussed at the end of the paper and some prospects are detailed.

General composition for high level Petri nets and its properties

Abstract Composition of High Level Petri Nets in terms of joining relevant places and/or transitions is considered in the paper. In case of place composition type safe and combined types composition is contemplated. The process of composition is proposed and analysed in three separate cases with respect to the general approaches with minimal composition interface in each case but an analogous extension of the interface follows immediately from the approach introduced. Properties of the composition mechanism are analysed, namely preserving of boundedness, liveness and deadlock freedom. Conditions for preserving of the desired properties are introduced. Usability of the compositional mechanism is analysed in the process of de/compositional analysis.

An affective learning agent with Petri-net-based implementation

Traditional interactive evolutionary computing approaches are usually susceptible to limited searching ability and human’s strong subjectivity. In response, by extending a traditional Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) structure, a kind of affective learning agent which can perform affective computing and learning activities in human-computer interaction environment is explicitly introduced. In solving human-computer interactive multi-objective decision-making problems whose objectives are usually far from well structured and quantified, this kind of agent may help reduce human’s subjective fatigue as well as make decisions more objective and scientific. Specifically, a conceptual model of the agent, affective learning-BDI (AL-BDI) agent, is proposed initially, along with corresponding functional modules to learn human’s affective preference. After that, a kind of high level Petri nets, colored Petri nets are employed to realize the components and scheduler of the AL-BDI agents. To exemplify applications of the approaches, test functions are suggested to case studies, giving rise to satisfied results and showing validity of the contribution.

Revisiting the interoperation relationships between Systems Engineering collaborative processes

Abstract Systems Engineering (SE) best practices are currently guided by standardized processes which must be adapted by skill rules in order to specialize domain-dependent SE workflows as well as domain-independent standardized languages. This paper aims to revisit first the interdisciplinary relationships within a SE process as specification relationships between Problem Space (PS) and Solution Space (SS) across collaborative domains. This SE rationale is then applied on a Requirement Specification (RS) workflow formalized with high-level Petri nets and verified on a human-robot protection case-study.

High-level Petri nets for the process description and control in service-oriented manufacturing systems

The use of service-orientation principles in manufacturing systems is a promising solution to achieve modularity, flexibility, re-configurability and interoperability. Crucial issues in these service-oriented systems are the description and co-ordination of the execution of the services offered by the distributed entities. This paper introduces an integrated approach for the design, analysis, validation, simulation and process execution of service-oriented manufacturing systems, using the High-level Petri net formalism as the formal language to describe the system behaviour. The use of the proposed approach contributes to achieving an easier and faster development of these solutions and provides the basis to support modularity and re-configurability.

Integration of B Activity into a Global Design Process of Critical Software

The adequacy of the B method to produce a valid software implementation is well known, particularly in the guided transport domain. However, there is an important work to be performed using the informal specification before entering the B process. A lot of requirements are difficult to express and to assess using formal methods. The use of a human expertise cannot be avoided. The upstream requirements analysis may be assist with some graphical tool using UML notations. Nevertheless the main problem to be solved may be the choice of the adequate tool.Currently, there are several kinds of diagrams in the UML (Unified Meta Language) notation and they are partially redundant. Considering a more general point of view, an important human contribution is to choose the representation which is best adapted to the considered assessment problem. To give an example, before the implementation task, a global checking of the functional validity performed by an expert is relevant. In this case, a compact readable graphical model is useful. Furthermore, the dynamic aspects are better illustrated when this model can be simulated. High level Petri nets have both qualities of language power and formal modeling. Moreover, there are some dedicated simulation tools.The aim of this task is to provide a valid input into the B process. However, up to now, all requirements are not naturally integrated into the B process. Temporal requirements checking can be assisted using efficient tools.The assessment problem does not forbid using various complementary formalisms. The global approach consists in identifying which kind of services may be provided by a particular tool and to mix them with other ones in order to analyze a system. The model driven engineering (MDE) provides an interesting framework in order to transmit specifications and requirements from one representation to another.

A Constraint Programming Approach for Generating Firing Sequences in Timed Petri Nets With Token Identification

Timed Petri Nets are a good modeling framework to express the behavior of discrete event systems, such as transport or manufacturing systems. They allow to represent easily the distribution of tasks within a complex system, with the capacity to handle time constraints on the duration of these tasks.However, when synchronization is needed between several layers of the system, such models suffer from a lack of mechanisms to identify the components that are handled. Thus, it is difficult to obtain firing sequences avoiding confusion of tokens when activation or coordination patterns are used.Such issues are well addressed with High Level Petri Nets, like Colored PNs where data structures are attached to tokens, allowing to represent a complex behaviour while keeping a compact PN model. However, such models introduce a modeling material that makes it difficult to use direct incremental solving approaches like mathematical or constraint programming, i.e. approaches that do not need to unfold the net and build its whole reachability graph.In this paper, we propose to extend the expressivity of Timed Petri Nets by associating integer identifiers with tokens. Such approach can avoid the confusion of parts in a plant, or trains in a railway network, and allow to model much more possible coordination situations. A constraint programming model is built to follow this new firing semantics, and benchmarks are given to assess its efficiency.