An interactive Petri net tool for modeling, analysis and simulation of complex systems

In this paper we present an interactive tool for complex systems modeling, analysis and simulation using Petri nets and their temporal extensions. The proposed tool is based on user real time interaction and multiprogramming. Three user interactive steps are allowed: editing, analyzing and simulation. To introduce real time user interaction the tool uses a set of functions that allows to edit and simulate temporal behavior of the Petri net, i.e., programmable places, counters, timing and statistical routines. It executes a nonpreemptive round robin escalonator, that uses randomic functions, and implements a real-time executive, consisting in a multiprocessing system. The tool is based on the concepts given by Zhou and Dicesare (1993) for manufacturing systems, that can be used to many kinds of complex systems. Some other properties, as transition firing temporal dependency, resources addition, subtraction, enabling and disabling operations, and deterministic or stochastic task time duration can be used.