Benchmarking Software Tools

The workshop will include a special session on benchmarking of software tools. A number of benchmark examples will be supplied (in neutral formats) by the secretariat, and the benchmarking includes performance evaluation of the software tools.

Each benchmark papers should briefly describe a tool for  supervisory control and, mostly important, present the results obtained on the two benchmarks described below - updates will follow. The presentation will be interactive (a demo) but a paper of up to 6 pages will be included in the proceedings.

The deadline for submitting papers to the benchmark session is February 18 April 1.

Here is a brief description of the two benchmarks. Actually, each benchmark represents a family of problems that depend on two parameters (n ad k). The papers should summarize in a table for different values of n and k the computation time (in seconds), the memory used (in Mbytes) and the number of states of the closed loop system (to make sure a maximally permissive solution is obtained).

BENCHMARK 1 : cat and mouse tower (parameters: n = # levels, k = # of cats and mice)
Consider the cat and mouse problem presented by Ramadge and Wonham. Assume this five rooms maze is just the first level of a tower composed by n identical levels. A controllable bidirectional passageway connects room j of level 5*i+j to room j of  5*i+j+1 (for i = 0, 1, 2   ..., and   j = 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). The first level is only connected with the second, the last level is only connected with the last-but-one. There are initially k cats in room 1 of the first level and k mice in room 5 of the last level. Design a maximally permissive nonblocking supervisor.

BENCHMARK 2 : dining philosophers (parameters: n = # philosophers, k = #  intermediate states of each philosopher)
Consider the dining philosophers problem where the number of intermediates states (after taking the fork on the left and before taking the fork on the right) may vary. This means that each philosopher, from the idles state takes the fork on his left reaching intermediate state 1, executes k-1 intermediate events reaching intermediate state k, takes his right fork entering a state where he eats, and when he is done goes back to the idle state. The uncontrollable events are "philosopher i takes the left fork" for i even. There are n philosophers around the table. Design a maximally permissive nonblocking supervisor.

BENCHMARK 3 : Diagnosis, for details see the full description.

Presentation

The accepted benchmark papers will be presented in a poster session. A screen for attaching the poster on will be provided. Screen size - height: 100 cm, width: 120 cm. Each presenter will also have access to a table where the presenter can put a laptop in order to demonstrate the software.