Denotational semantics and its algebraic derivation for an event-driven system-level language

Zhu, Huibiao; He, Jifeng; Qin, Shengchao; Brooke, Phillip J.

doi:10.1007/s00165-014-0309-8

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Event-based modelling languages may also benefit from the inclusion of angelic choice as a specification construct. SystemC, for example, has a UTP semantics [44] that could make our results also applicable.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Angelic processes for CSP via the UTP

Ribeiro

Cavalcanti

2019

Theoretical Computer Science

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Demonic and angelic nondeterminism play fundamental roles as abstraction mechanisms for formal modelling. In contrast with its demonic counterpart, in an angelic choice failure is avoided whenever possible. Although it has been extensively studied in refinement calculi, in the context of process algebras, and of the Communicating Sequential Processes (CSP) algebra for refinement, in particular, it has been elusive. We show here that a semantics for an extended version of CSP that includes both demonic and angelic choice can be provided using Hoare and He's Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP). Since CSP is given semantics in the UTP via reactive designs (pre and postcondition pairs) we have developed a theory of angelic designs and a conservative extension of the CSP theory using reactive angelic designs. To characterise angelic nondeterminism appropriately in an algebra of processes, however, a notion of divergence that can undo the history of events needs to be considered. Taking this view, we present a model for CSP where angelic choice completely avoids divergence just like in the refinement calculi for sequential programs.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Angelic processes for CSP via the UTP

Ribeiro

Cavalcanti

2019

Theoretical Computer Science

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“…Besides the trace models discussed in [ 9 ] our algebra can be instantiated to account for the models discussed in [ 7 , 8 ], including [ 4 ]. In the future, we hope to accommodate the semantics for the system-level language SystemC [ 22 ], and perhaps even other synchronous languages such as Esterel [ 27 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It generalises the model of [ 4 ] to account for different observation models within a time unit. A similar approach is pursued by Zhu et al [ 22 ], in their semantics for SystemC, who define a trace as a three dimensional sequence structure to account for macro and micro time.…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Unary Semigroup Trace Algebra

Ribeiro

2020

Lecture Notes in Computer Science

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The Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP) of Hoare and He promote the unification of semantics catering for different concerns, such as, termination, data modelling, concurrency and time. Process calculi like Circus and CSP can be given semantics in the UTP using reactive designs whose traces can be abstractly specified using a monoid trace algebra. The prefix order over traces is defined in terms of the monoid operator. This order, however, is inadequate to characterise a broader family of timed process algebras whose traces are preordered instead. To accommodate these, we propose a unary semigroup trace algebra that is weaker than the monoid algebra. This structure satisfies some of the axioms of restriction semigroups and is a right P-Ehresmann semigroup. Reactive designs specified using it satisfy core laws that have been mechanised so far in Isabelle/UTP. More importantly, our results improve the support for unifying trace models in the UTP.

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“…We also point out, in the spirit of unification, that this work has potential to go beyond just PML but also assist in the development of other theories of concurrency in UTP, such as pioneering work in [17] addressing the semantics of System-C.…”

Section: Future Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

UTP Semantics for Shared-State, Concurrent, Context-Sensitive Process Models

Butterfield

Mjeda

Noll

2016

2016 10th International Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Software Engineering (TASE)

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Abstract-Process Modelling Language (PML) is a notation for describing software development and business processes. It takes the form of a shared-state concurrent imperative language describing tasks as activities that require resources to start and provide resources when they complete. Its syntax covers sequential composition, parallelism, iteration and choice, but without explicit iteration and choice conditions. It is intended to support a range of context-sensitive interpretations, from a rough guide for intended behaviour, to being very prescriptive about the order in which tasks must occur. We are using Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP) to model this range of semantic interpretations, with formal links between them, typically of the nature of a refinement. We address a number of challenges that arise when trying to develop a compositional semantics for PML and its shared-state concurrent underpinnings, most notably in how UTP observations need to distinguish between dynamic state-changes and static context parameters. The formal semantics are intended as the basis for tool support for process analysis, with applications in the healthcare domain, covering such areas as healthcare pathways and software development and certification processes for medical device software. c IEEE 2016 http://doi.ieeecomputersociety

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Denotational semantics and its algebraic derivation for an event-driven system-level language

Cited by 14 publications

References 33 publications

Angelic processes for CSP via the UTP

Angelic processes for CSP via the UTP

A Unary Semigroup Trace Algebra

UTP Semantics for Shared-State, Concurrent, Context-Sensitive Process Models

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