Optimal finite state supervisory control

Supervisory controllers are discrete event dynamic systems (DEDSs) forming the discrete core of a hybrid control system. We address the problem of automatic synthesis of optimal finite state supervisory controllers (OSCs). We show that Boolean first order logic (BFOL) and binary decision diagrams (BDDs) are an effective methodological and practical framework for optimal finite state supervisory control. Using BFOL programs (i.e. systems of Boolean functional equations) and BDDs we give a symbolic (i.e. BDD based) algorithm for automatic synthesis of OSCs. Our OSC synthesis algorithm can handle arbitrary sets of final states as well as plant transition relations containing loops and uncontrollable events (e.g. failures). We report on experimental results on the use of our OSC synthesis algorithm to synthesize a C program implementing a minimum fuel OSC for two autonomous vehicles moving on a 4×4 grid