PARAMETERIZED PETRI NETS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO PLANNING AND COORDINATION IN INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS

A new class of Petri nets (PNs), called Parameterized Petri Nets (PPNs ), is proposed and applied for planning and coordination of intelligen t systems. The PPN approach uses a hierarchical organization to deal w ith the complexity characteristic of net representations, through para meterization of transitions and the use of generalized or parameterize d places in higher level nets. A unique useful characteristic of PPNs is that they can be used to generate a high level, abstract plan, even in the absence of complete information, which may be mapped into a sp ecific plan at a lower level of the hierarchy. The PPN system model st ructural properties are verified based on the corresponding PN model.