Modelling integer linear programs with Petri nets

We show in this paper that timed Petri nets, with one resource shared by all the transitions, are directly connected to the modelling of integer linear programs (ILP). To an ILP can be automatically associated an equivalent Petri net. The optimal reachability delay is an optimal solution of the ILP. We show next that a net can model any ILP. In order to do this, we give a new sufficient reachability condition for the marking equation, which also holds for general Petri nets without timed transitions.