In: IEEE Computer Soc. Press, Proc. of 6th International Workshop on Petri Nets and Performance Models - PNPM'95, Durham, N. Carolina, USA, pages 191-202. 1995.
Abstract: The lengths of certain passage-time intervals (random time intervals) in stochastic Petri nets correspond to delays in computer, communication, manufacturing, and transportation systems. Simulation is often the only available means for analyzing a sequence of such lengths. It is sometimes possible to obtain meaningful estimates for the limiting average delay indirectly, that is, without measuring lengths of individual passage-time intervals. For general time-average limits of a sequence of delays, however, it is necessary to measure individual lengths and combine them to form point and interval estimates. We consider sequences of delays determined by marking changes of the net and use a sequence of random vectors, called start vectors, to provide the link between the starts and terminations of individual passage-time intervals. This method of start vectors for measuring delays avoids the need for additional places and transitions to tag entities in the system.