On max-plus linear dynamical system theory: The regulation problem

A class of timed discrete event systems can be modeled by using Timed-Event Graphs, a class of timed Petri nets that can have its firing dynamic described by using an algebra called “Max-plus algebra”. For this kind of systems it may be desirable to enforce some timing constraints in steady state. In this paper, this problem is called a “max-plus regulation problem”. In this context we show a necessary condition for solving these regulation problems and in addition that this condition is sufficient for a large class of problems. The obtained controller is a simple linear static state feedback and can be computed using efficient pseudo-polynomial algorithms. Simulation results will illustrate the applicability of the proposed methodology.