Holistic modeling of complex systems with Petri nets

This paper discusses an approach to integrate the modern techniques of software development such as SA/SD and OOA/OOD into the modeling process of complex systems with Petri nets, taking advantage of the strengths of these methods and meanwhile dealing with some of their limitations. The modeling procedure is introduced and discussed in detail. At first the overall system structure is modeled by means of a Component Structure Diagram (CSD) which is a Petri net model. Then the modeling of system components is emphasized either on their functional or data (object) aspects corresponding to their properties. The models of different views (dynamics, functions and data) of a component are integrated on the basis of Petri nets. The scopes and borders of different views´ models are clearly defined. The overall system model is set up through a smooth integration of the models of individual views of system components as well as the integration of component models with the system structure model