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A Formal Model of SysML Blocks Using CSP for Assured Systems Engineering

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Formal Techniques for Safety-Critical Systems (FTSCS 2014)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 476))

Abstract

The Systems Modeling Language (SysML) is a semi-formal, visual modelling language used in the specification and design of systems. In this paper, we describe how Communicating Sequential Processes (CSP) and its associated refinement checker, Failures Divergences Refinement (FDR), gives rise to an approach that facilitates the refinement checking of the behavioural consistency of SysML diagrams. We formalise the conjoined behaviour of key behavioural constructs — state machines and activities — within the context of SysML. Furthermore, blocks, the fundamental modelling construct of the SysML language, can be combined in a compositional approach to system specification. The use of a process-algebraic formalism enables us to explore the behaviour of the resulting composition more rigorously. We demonstrate how CSP, in conjunction with SysML, can be used in a formal top-down approach to systems engineering. A small case study validates the contribution.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    We restrict ourselves to signal parameters here, although in SysML these can be any classifier that can serve as an input to an activity.

  2. 2.

    A value specification action, rather than an activity parameter node, connected via an object flow, can be used for constants.

  3. 3.

    Note that an incoming control flow is still present and also terminates on \(n_1\).

  4. 4.

    Next, the guard (if it exists) is evaluated and if false the event is discarded without effect. Conversely, if the guard evaluates to true the behavioural construct specified for the effect are executed before behaving as the process associated with the destination state. Guards are omitted in this paper due to space restrictions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Wolfson Building, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QD, UK

    Jaco Jacobs & Andrew Simpson

Authors
  1. Jaco Jacobs
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  2. Andrew Simpson
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Correspondence to Jaco Jacobs .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Amagasaki, Japan

    Cyrille Artho

  2. University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Peter Csaba Ölveczky

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Jacobs, J., Simpson, A. (2015). A Formal Model of SysML Blocks Using CSP for Assured Systems Engineering. In: Artho, C., Ölveczky, P. (eds) Formal Techniques for Safety-Critical Systems. FTSCS 2014. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 476. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17581-2_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17581-2_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-17580-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-17581-2

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