A NEW PARADIGM FOR THE NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF STOCHASTIC PETRI NETS WITH GENERAL FIRING TIMES
Graham Horton · 2002
This paper is concerned with the simulation analysis of discrete-state stochastic models such as queueing systems or stochastic Petri nets, in which arbitrary probability distributions may be assigned to the activities. The analysis is performed on the state space using a numerical approach, rather than the usual discrete-event simulation at the model level. A new computational paradigm, the so-called Proxel (probability element) is introduced, which allows an approximation to the continuous stochastic process of the Petri net to be developed which does not require the use of differential equations. This proxel-based computational model directly yields a simulation algorithm which is readily understood and implemented. Simulation experiments are used to illustrate the behaviour of the