10.1109/IC4E.2010.102

The definition and simulation of processes using Work flow technology is becoming more and more popular. In that way, to standardize and simulate complex processes it is needed high expressive languages able to be automatically executed by computers. Currently, high expressive languages that can be used for simulation and definition of processes are based in Petri Nets technology. Nevertheless, Petri Nets are difficult to understand by processes experts with no computer science training or expertise and are more complex to be executed than other simpler approaches like finite automatons. In this paper an automata based mathematical tool with a high expressivity capacity is presented. This framework is easier to understand also by non computer science expert sand its automation is simple in order to allow to experts to define formal work flows that can be easily automated.

The theoretical basis and implementation solution of business process simulation and analysis system (BPSAS) is put forward in this paper. With workflow technology, Petri net theory and simulation technology, the workflow engine independent business process analyzing system is realized to provide Petri net based business process analysis. Further more, an example is illustrated to demonstrate how to analyze business process in order to select optimized model. And at the same time, as a business process analyzing tool, it supports the specified BPM (business process management) process.

The work undertaken in this thesis is about the integration of two well-known methodologies: Petri net (PN) model Ii ng/analysis of industrial production processes and Artificial Intelligence (AI) optimisation search techniques. The objective of this integration is to demonstrate its potential in solving a difficult and widely studied problem, the scheduling of Flexible Manufacturing Systems (FIVIS). This work builds on existing results that clearly show the convenience of PNs as a modelling tool for FIVIS. It addresses the problem of the integration of PN and Al based search methods. Whilst this is recognised as a potentially important approach to the scheduling of FIVIS there is a lack of any clear evidence that practical systems might be built. This thesis presents a novel scheduling methodology that takes forward the current state of the art in the area by: Firstly presenting a novel modelling procedure based on a new class of PN (cb-NETS) and a language to define the essential features of basic FIVIS, demonstrating that the inclusion of high level FIVIS constraints is straight forward. Secondly, we demonstrate that PN analysis is useful in reducing search complexity and presents two main results: a novel heuristic function based on PN analysis that is more efficient than existing methods and a novel reachability scheme that avoids futile exploration of candidate schedules. Thirdly a novel scheduling algorithm that overcomes the efficiency drawbacks of previous algorithms is presented. This algorithm satisfactorily overcomes the complexity issue while achieving very promising results in terms of optimality. Finally, this thesis presents a novel hybrid scheduler that demonstrates the convenience of the use of PN as a representation paradigm to support hybridisation between traditional OR methods, Al systematic search and stochastic optimisation algorithms. Initial results show that the approach is promising.

It is very difficult for ECA rules system to be analyzed and validated. And there is no perfect model which can be used today. This paper, on basis of Petri net theory, makes modeling research on ECA rules, establishes basic Petri net model; meanwhile makes special research that how to use Petri net express compound event ECA rules; put forward extended Petri net system, and considers its feature of ECA rules in general, reflects system feature of ECA rules in all aspects. Through forming reachability tree and transition sequence, it can understand ECA rules system and its action feature clearly, is convenient to make rationality verification on rules system, so as to help system administrator to make analysis and management on it. As a matter of course, this paper makes analysis on simple system action of ECA rules, it still need further research how to use Petri net technology to make analysis on system action of rules, like terminability and parallelism.

At present, workflow technology has become a research hotspot in computer application domain, one of its major theoretical research areas is to build a formal model with which process definition, process execution and process analysis are well supported. Workflow process logic (workflow logic) specifies the causality among activities of process model. By dissecting common workflow patterns, synchronic distance of Petri net synchronic theory is used to specify workflow logic. As a start, the background of this paper, i.e. P/T system based hierarchical formal workflow model - procedure net, is briefly introduced, workflow logic is the basic layer of the hierarchical model. Then, the fact that synchronic distance has enough capability to specify workflow logic is proved, and the specification of well-defined workflow logic is given. Finally, Petri net representation of workflow logic is proposed based on the works above.

Nowadays, novel strategies to develop and adapt workflow engines in efficient ways are required in order to have BPM and workflow solutions with the capacity to support frequent changes in the corporate environment. One key strategy is to build new engines by reusing as much as possible from existing components. This requires two things. Firstly, the mechanisms and technologies to build a library of reusable, extensible and adaptable workflow components. And secondly, a platform to integrate those components and form full applications. In this paper we show that Cumbia, being a platform for the development of workflow engines based on the modularisation of workflows according to concerns, suits this task. This is illustrated with YOC, a Cumbia-based implementation of YAWL.

Engineering Technology Education Based on the Reconfigurable Manufacturing Paradigm: A Case Study

The article is devoted to the consideration of blockchain technology as a means of automating inter-organizational business processes. It is noted that the digitalization and automation of internal business processes bring significant benefits in terms of increasing productivity and reducing costs. However, organizations face difficulties when trying to obtain such benefits for inter-organizational processes, partly due to a lack of trust. This paper considers a blockchain approach to address this problem. Bitcoin has demonstrated how blockchain can provide a distributed system without the need for trust through cryptography and decentralization. LTO extends this approach with a decentralized workflow engine for ad-hoc collaboration. Information is exchanged between participants through private event chains for each process and hashed on a public blockchain. This hybrid approach allows organizations to comply with data protection requirements and avoid scalability issues typical of blockchain projects. The advantages of LTO live contracts over Ethereum smart contracts are discussed. Live contracts do not contain values directly, but describe the interaction between the parties, unlike the cryptographic "boxes" of smart contracts. Modeling live contracts as finite state machines allows visualizing them in the form of a flowchart. Alternative modeling techniques such as Petri nets and BPMN are discussed. The article describes a scenario-based approach to defining a workflow containing states, actions, participants, assets, and embedded data objects. The features of data objects, participant identifiers, process execution and its adaptability are detailed. The author explains the operation of a private event chain as an ad-hoc private blockchain that ensures the consistency of the process state between nodes. Methods of ensuring data privacy are discussed. The second part of the article is devoted to the global public blockchain LTO to confirm information from private event chains. The consensus algorithm is explained based on the importance of token ownership and its use to prevent abuse. Optimizations, such as the NG protocol and aggregation blocks, are discussed to scale with a large number of transactions. The last part describes the architecture of the platform and its components: microservices, application layers, container orchestration. The platform makes it easy to digitalize and automate inter-organizational interactions using live contracts on the blockchain.

In 1990 Shyi-Ming Chen et al. presented a new approach to knowledge representation using fuzzy Petri nets (FPN). A fuzzy Petri net model allows a structural representation of knowledge and has a systematic procedure for supporting fuzzy reasoning. In this paper we propose an algebraic (matrix) representation of FPNs. We use this representation in a fuzzy reasoning algorithm which is simple to implement in modern programming languages such as C++, Cn or Java. Furthermore, there exists MATLAB - a computer system which makes it possible to solve many computing problems, especially those with matrix and vector formulations. We present also an approach enabling us to carry out a fuzzy reasoning process using the MATLAB environment.

A design methodology for self-timed VLSI systems is proposed. This includes a language for describing algorithmic behaviour which is based on the data-flow concept. A subclass of Petri nets is introduced to model the designed system, and a refinement technique is presented that allows for the synthesis of correct-by-construction systems. Finally, a systematic means for implementing the design is given.

Cellular immunotherapy CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell, or T-cells with a chimeric antigen receptor) is an advanced approach to the treatment of oncological diseases. Currently, CAR-Ttherapy has shown high efficiency in the treatment of oncohematological diseases. At the same time, numerous attempts to create CAR-T-constructs for the treatment of solid tumors, in particular breast cancer (BC), have not demonstrated significant clinical efficacy. It is assumed that the key to solving these problems lies in the development and implementation of new genetic engineering strategies.The purpose of this review was to summarize and systematize existing studies with CAR technology. In this paper, we summarize potential targets for the treatment of BC, detail the existing limitations of using these technologies and identify important future trends in this area.

Combined with IoT(Internet of Things) network communication technology, sensor technology and cloud computing technology, the existing intelligent environment monitoring system is improved, and a design of intelligent environment monitoring visualization platform based on Internet of things is given. Through this system, the data information of meteorological environment, water quality and main roads can be obtained timely and accurately. Through the development and implementation of system engineering, the feasibility of intelligent environment monitoring visualization platform based on Internet of things is verified.

IMS learning design is an e-learning specification that supports collaborative learning through multiple roles. In this paper, we propose an architectural model for implementing a sequencing engine for IMS learning design. A number of courses are constructed to test our implementation and to validate the standard. Our findings show that the use and semantics of a number of tags should be clarified. Also, the lack of a testing suite impedes the adoption of IMS learning design.

One of the major concerns facing the modern engineering community is the development of efficient deadlock control policies for manufacturing systems, primarily because of the non-tractability and non-scalability of most existing control policies. Aiming to bring all active process instances to completion, this paper focuses on distributed control of systems integrating assembly operations with flexible routes. Each step's execution depends on the search of a feasible event sequence, leading the currently-active process instance from its current place to its nearest global critical place. In the context of this search, feedback information on the current resource allocation status, combined with information about future process resource requirements, are used to keep the currently-active process instance away from deadlock states. As we shall see in the following, such an on-line and real-time predictive control policy makes improvements on many perspectives such as computational complexity and system performance.

For the past three decades, computer-aided process planning (CAPP) has attracted a large amount of research interest. A huge volume of literature has been published on this subject. Today, CAPP research faces new challenges owing to the dynamic markets and business globalisation. Thus, there is an urgent need to ascertain the current status and identify future trends of CAPP. Covering articles published on the subjects of CAPP in the past 10 years or so, this article aims to provide an up-to-date review of the CAPP research works, a critical analysis of journals that publish CAPP research works, and an understanding of the future direction in the field. First, general information is provided on CAPP. The past reviews are summarised. Discussions about the recent CAPP research are presented in a number of categories, i.e. feature-based technologies, knowledge-based systems, artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic, Petri nets, agent-based technology, Internet-based technology, STEP-compliant CAPP and other emerging technologies. Research on some specific aspects of CAPP is also provided. Discussions and analysis of the methods are then presented based on the data gathered from the Elsevier's Scopus abstract and citation database. The concepts of ‘Subject Strength’ of a journal and ‘technology impact factor’ are introduced and used for discussions based on the publication data. The former is used to gauge the level of focus of a journal on a particular research subject/domain, whereas the latter is used to assess the level of impact of a particular technology, in terms of citation counts. Finally, a discussion on the future development is presented.