Discrete events, hybrid systems and control

Summary form only given as follows. The area of discrete event systems has received considerable attention in the control theory community for several years. This research has broadened to hybrid systems, that is, systems with both discrete and continuous state variables. The practical motivation for this research comes from the observation that control computers typically perform many logical functions, making discrete changes in the system operating conditions, even when the underlying process dynamics are inherently continuous. In this talk we consider some representative control applications in which discrete events and hybrid dynamics are paramount, and we survey the various mathematical formalisms being considered to develop a fundamental theory and computational tools for the design and verification of discrete and hybrid control systems. Following this overview, we evaluate the current “theory versus practice gap” and assess the prospects for future developments