Model Transform Based on a Kind of Transition Subnet

Abstract

Transition refinement and subnet abstraction are key approaches to realize modularization and hierarchical modeling in a Petri nets model; using these two methods, the Petri nets based structural design becomes possible. Model transforming technologies using a kind of transition subnet – the engineering subnet, are presented in this paper; the operations of subnet abstraction and transition refinement are defined. The research shows that, under certain preconditions, important prosperities such as boundedness, safety, deadlock free and reversibility are reserved in subnet abstraction transformations; when a transition is refined using an engineering subnet, prosperities including boundedness, deadlock free and reversibility keeps reserved, but safety is not certainly to be effective any longer. The paper also shows that after the transformation a model can keep the same interfaces and similar actions as before by using engineering subnet method. Petri nets based modeling in complex systems becomes feasible and effective with the help of engineering subnet.