Applying automated control synthesis methods to condition systems requiring state observers

Abstract Automated control synthesis methods have been presented in Holloway, Guan, Sundaravadivelu, and Ashley [(2000). Automated synthesis and composition of taskblocks for control of manufacturing systems. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Part B, 30(5)] for a class of fully observed plants modeled by condition systems, a class of discrete event systems. For plants which are not fully observed, an automated method to synthesize a state observer was presented in Gong and Holloway [(2000). State observer synthesis for a class of condition systems. In IEE international workshop on discrete event systems (WODES2000), Ghent, August 2000]. In this paper, it is shown how to apply automated control synthesis methods to plants which feed a state observer. In particular, the original plant model is transformed into an intermediate form on which automated control synthesis methods are applied. The control thus generated is then proven to be effective at achieving high-level control objectives when applied to the original plant composed with a state observer. The method is illustrated with a portion of a manufacturing automated assembly station.