Principles and Applications of Petri Nets

Author: Yuan Chongyi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Petri nets are a system model suitable for describing asynchronous concurrent phenomena. They have both rigorous mathematical definitions and intuitive graphical representations, offering rich system description methods and behavioral analysis techniques, as well as providing a solid conceptual foundation for computer science. This book is a revision of Principles of Petri Nets, with a significant addition of content on Petri net applications. The elevator control system is a complete application example, fully demonstrating the role of Petri nets in describing asynchronous concurrent features. The difference between Petri nets and computer program systems has hindered the application of Petri nets in computer science. To address this difference, variable-class state elements and corresponding transition rules were introduced, transforming the extended Petri net into a tool for describing system specifications and the semantics of program systems. This tool, combined with the theory of synchronization, has been effectively applied in workflow applications and workflow tool development. This book is the result of the author's many years of teaching and research on Petri nets. It is divided into four parts: The Introduction introduces the basic concepts and definitions of Petri nets; The Systems section introduces three types of net systems and defines the basic phenomena between events (such as sequence, concurrency, conflict, and collision), providing analysis techniques and hierarchical techniques for net systems; The Theory section includes conditional/event systems, the theory of synchronization, net logic, information flow structures, net topology, and concurrency theory; The Applications section includes the elevator control system, C-net, and workflow models. A solid theoretical foundation is the main feature that distinguishes Petri nets from other system models. This book is guided by theory and aimed at application, containing numerous examples and illustrations, making it suitable as a textbook and self-study reference for senior undergraduate and graduate students in computer science, communication, and automation. It can also serve as a reference for teachers, researchers, and engineering professionals.