Petri Nets: Theoretical Models and Analysis Methods for Concurrent Systems

This book provides essential information on Petri net theory and Petri net-based model checking methods. As for the Petri net theory, it involves the interleaving semantics and concurrency semantics of elementary net systems, some important net structures (e.g., invariant, repetitive vector, siphon, and trap), some classical net subclasses with special structures (e.g., state machine, marked graph, free-choice net, asymmetric-choice net, normal net, and weakly persistent net), and some basic properties (e.g., reachability, liveness, deadlock, and soundness). It also involves four high-level Petri nets: knowledge-oriented Petri nets, Petri nets with insecure places, time Petri nets, and plain time Petri nets with priorities, focusing on different fields of application. As for the model checking methods, this book introduces readers to computation tree logic (CTL), computation tree logic of knowledge (CTLK), and timed computation tree logic (TCTL), as well as Petri net-based methods for checking them. The basic principle of the reduced ordered binary decision diagram (ROBDD) is employed to compress the state space used in these model checking procedures. The book also covers time-soundness for time Petri nets and secure bisimulation for Petri nets with insecure places, both of which are based on the bisimulation theory. As such, it offers an introduction to basic information on bisimulation theory.

Dr. Guanjun Liu received his Ph.D. in Computer Software and Theory from Tongji University, China, in 2011. He was Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the Singapore University of Technology and Design from 2011 to 2013 and Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, from 2013 to 2014 (supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation). He is currently Professor at the Department of Computer Science, Tongji University, China. He has authored over 120 articles and three monographs (two in Chinese and one in English). His research interests include Petri net theory, model checking, machine learning, information security, credit card fraud detection, real-time concurrent systems, and multi-agent systems.