Reconfigurable Petri Nets with Transition Priorities and Inhibitor Arcs

In this paper we introduce additional control structures for reconfigurable Petri nets. The main contributions are inhibitor arcs and transition priorities for reconfigurable Petri nets. The first ensure that a marking can inhibit the firing of a transition. Inhibitor arcs allow a transition to fire only if the adjacent place is empty. Transition priorities are given by an order of transitions and restrict the firing as well. A transition may fire only if it has the highest priority of all enabled transitions. Both concepts are compatible with reconfigurable Petri nets. In this paper we prove that place/transitions nets with inhibitor arcs and with transition priorities yield M-adhesive categories. Hence, we obtain the well-known results for M-adhesive categories. Moreover, we state the extension of our results to other types of Petri nets. We illustrate the new concepts within an ongoing case study concerning travel agencies. This study deals with the organisation of processes that are constantly suspended by others. The main focus of the case study is to investigate the possibilities of small and medium travel agencies to provide a continuous service for their customers while travelling.