Introduction to discrete event systems (Q4719062)

This book is an extension of a previous one by the first author [Discrete event systems: Modeling and performance analysis (1993)]. It ``is intended to be a comprehensive introduction to the field of discrete event systems, emphasizing breath of coverage and accessibility of the material to a large audience''. The modelling is based mainly on automata. Chapter one introduces standard state space models, feedback and discrete event systems (DES). Chapter two introduces language models and their realization by automata. Chapter three introduces the supervisory control of DES under controllability and observability of events constraints. Chapter four presents Petri nets. Chapter five develops timed versions of the models of the two previous chapters. This is done via the ``clock structure'' mechanism. Chapter six introduces a probabilistic setting for the study of stochastic timed DES systems. This is done via a stochastic ``clock structure'' based on Poisson processes. This leads to generalized semi-Markov processes and further to Markov chain models. From now on, two lines of investigation are presented: The first one relies on probabilistic analytical techniques: Discrete and continuous Markov chain techniques in chapter seven, Markovian queueing systems in chapter eight, control aspects via dynamic programming techniques in chapter nine. The second one is based on simulations in a probabilistic context. In chapter ten, a stochastic timed automaton is simulated via a computer random number generator which provides the clock structure. Chapter eleven presents sensitivity analysis and concurrent estimation techniques. Perturbation analysis and the sample path constructibility problem are explained. Appendix one reviews standard elements of probability theory and appendix two presents a code for an IPA estimator. An index and bibliographic information about the authors are presented, too. The emphasis is on explaining the concepts with the aid of examples and remarks. A summary and problems end each chapter. This welcome volume, written by well-known specialists of discrete event systems, is easy to read and accessible for a wide audience. This is probably the best source which opens the doors to a discipline which tends to evolve in its own sphere since there is no unifying framework for DES and standard systems science.