Logical aspects of control of discrete-event systems: A survey of tools and techniques

We have sketched some of the main directions in which theoretical frameworks for control of discrete-event systems have recently been extended and elaborated. While many of the proposed models bear marked similarities to the tools of computer scientists, control theory for DES is distinguished by an emphasis on formal synthesis that is typical of control science. As a consequence, properties such as controllability, observability and hierarchical consistency play a central role; we have discussed the generalization of some of these properties to extended modelling frameworks. In conclusion, we note that recent applications in areas such as semiconductor manufacturing [BHG+93], nuclear reactor safety [Law92] and intelligent vehicle / highway systems [Var93] suggest that tools and techniques for control of DES may be approaching a level of sophistication sufficient for the solution of problems of realistic complexity.