Colored petri net patterns: an empirical survey

To solve problems recurring in Petri nets modeling efficiently, developers require access to a shared knowledge base of sound and proven by practice solutions. Until recently such a knowledge base for Colored Petri Nets did not exist. We took a pattern approach to identifying and documenting problems and solutions experienced by developers in practice. Based on an empirical survey of CPN models and tutorials, we identified 33 patterns in Colored Petri Nets. The patterns focus on the interplay between data-flow and control-flow, (i.e. the essence of Colored Petri Nets), and have been modeled using CPN Tools. The goal of these patterns is to assist and train inexperienced modelers, and to serve as a domain language for communicating problems and solutions. In this paper, we give a summary of the CPN patterns identified. To validate the patterns usability, we empirically tested patterns in practice by analyzing a set of models.