Distributed Control of Discrete-Event Systems: A First Step

Distributed control of discrete-event systems (DES) means control implemented by asynchronous message passing automata that can neither perform synchronized actions nor can read one another’s state. We explain some significant differences between this emerging area and earlier forms of control. Distributed control synthesis is challenging. To initiate a discussion on this topic, we outline a methodology based on the synthesis of distributable Petri nets (PN). The methodology is illustrated via a well-known example from distributed computing, the dining philosophers, for which three distributed solutions are produced. The paper provides a survey of DES control for PN researchers and a survey of distributed PN synthesis for DES researchers, with the intent to create a common basis for further investigation of this research track.