Discrete Event Dynamic Systems
Traditional system theory concerns systems with continuous-time or discrete-time
variables that can be modeled by difference or differential equations,
possibly including random or non-deterministic elements. Modern technology
such as computers, manufacturing processes, communication networks, intelligent
vehicle/highway systems (IVHS), etc., has forced upon us event-driven dynamics
(or information-driven dynamics): systems in which the state changes only
at discrete points in time in response to the occurrence of particular
events. There is a growing need for the study of systems whose states have
logical or symbolic, rather than numerical values that change with the
occurrence of events. We call such systems Discrete Event Dynamic Systems
(DEDS). Our current research is concerned with issues in the modeling,
analysis, control and performance evaluation of DEDS.