Coordination of Concurrent Mobile Robot Motion Processes with Composite Automaton Supervisor

Abstract

Coordination of multiple mobile robots operating in the same area requires a discrete-event supervisor, whose role is to ensure their correct concurrent motion. Performance analysis of such a system requires a hybrid model that combines the DES model of the supervisor with the continuous time models of the robot motion processes. The contribution of this paper is twofold. We propose the logic that formally ensures collision and deadlock free robot coordination and implement it in the form of a composite automaton supervisor. This allows us to to combine the supervisor with time models of robot motion processes in Matlab/Simulink/Stateflow environment. The obtained simulation model of a system of multiple mobile robots ensures their formally correct co-operation and can be directly used for prediction or experimental optimization of the system performance.