A Direct Method to Derive All Generators of Solutions era Matrix Equation in a Petri Net - Extended Fourier-Motzkin Method -

In this paper, the old Fourier-Motzkin method (abbreviated as the old FH method from now on) is first modified to the form which can derive all minimal vectors as well as all minimal support vectors of nonnegative integer homogeneous solutions (i.e., T-invariants) for a matrix equation $Ax=b=0^{m{\times}1}$, $A\epsilonZ^{m{\times}n}$ and $b\epsilonZ^{m{\times}1}$, of a given Petri net, where the old FM method is a well-known and direct method that can obtain at least all minimal support solutions for $Ax=0^{m{\times}1}$ from the incidence matrix . $A\epsilonZ^{m{\times}n}$, Secondly, for $Ax=b\ne0^{m{\times}n}$ a new extended FM method is given; i.e., all nonnegative integer minimal vectors which contain all minimal support vectors of not only homogeneous but also inhomogeneous solutions are systematically obtained by applying the above modified FH method to the augmented incidence matrix $\tilde{A}$ =〔A,-b〕$\epsilon$ $Z^{m{\times}(n＋1)}$ s.t. $\tilde{A}\tilde{x}$ = 0^{m{\times}1}$ However, note that for this extended FM method we need some criteria to obtain a minimal vector as well as a minimal support vector from both of nonnegative integer homogeneous and inhomogeneous solutions for Ax=b. Then those criteria are also discussed and given in this paper.