Intelligent Supervisory Control of Discrete Event Systems - A Holon based Approach

Supervisory Control of Discrete Event Systems (DEVS) requires potential capabilities for constant adaptation and fast responses to the frequent un-expected disturbances occur in process and changes in production orders. Both hierarchical and heterarchical architecture control systems being developed so far have had limited success in achieving such potential capabilities. Hierarchical architecture systems due to their rigid structures inhibit inadequate responses to the process disturbances. Heterarchical architecture systems are quite good in dealing with the disturbances and are highly adaptable, but such structures cannot guarantee high performance due to unpredictable behavior. The shortcomings of the said systems develops the need for designing Holon based structure in which entities are able to communicate, cooperate, and have certain level of intelligence that enable them to be highly autonomous. In this paper we present a methodology that encapsulates individual needs of the physical layer, in general discrete event objects, in order to promote a goal orientated infrastructure with negotiation and cooperation capabilities at the computational layer of Discrete Event Systems. This methodology propagates chains of cooperation between holons seeking satisfactory goal realization. Architecture for a Holonic-based intelligent Supervisory Control of DEVS has been proposed along with a guide-line for its product ionisation. The newly proposed taxonomy of individual holons occurring in a discrete event system as a supervisory controller will allow to understand interaction mechanisms in a complex Holon’s society, and to obtain design methodology for a Holonic based control of DEVS.