Using a Discrete-Event System Specifications (DEVS) for designing a Modelica compiler

We introduce a new architecture for the design of a tool for modeling and simulation of continuous and hybrid systems. The environment includes a compiler based on Modelica, a modular and a causal standard specification language for physical systems modeling (the tool supports models composed using certain component classes defined in the Modelica Standard Library, and the instantiation, parameterization and connection of these MSL components are described using a subset of Modelica). Models are defined in Modelica and are translated into DEVS models. DEVS theory (originally defined for modeling and simulation of discrete event systems) was extended in order to permit defining these of models. The different steps in the compiling process are show, including how to model these dynamic systems under the discrete event abstraction, including examples of model simulation with their execution results.     

A family of simulation criteria to guide DEVS models validation rigorously,systematically and semi-automatically

The most common method to validate a DEVS model against the requirements is to simulate it several times under different conditions, with some simulation tool. The behavior of the model is compared with what the system is supposed to do. The number of different scenarios to simulate is usually infinite, therefore, selecting them becomes a crucial task. This selection, actually, is made following the experience or intuition of an engineer. Here we present a family of criteria to conduct DEVS model simulations in a disciplined way and covering the most significant simulations to increase the confidence on the model. This is achieved by analyzing the mathematical representation of the DEVS model and, thus, part of the validation process can be automatized.     

CD++: a toolkit to develop DEVS models

The features of a toolkit for modeling and simulation based on the DEVS formalism are presented. The tool is built as a set of independent software pieces running on different platforms. Not only are the main characteristics of the environment presented, a focus on its use is also considered by inclusion of application examples for a variety of problems. Many models can be defined in an automated fashion, simplifying the construction of new models and easing their verification. The use of this formal approach has allowed the development of safe and cost‐effective simulations, significantly reducing development time. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于反射理论的动态变结构建模方法研究

仿真应用需求和仿真支撑技术的不断发展使得仿真系统的动态组合和重组已成为建模与仿真(Modeling and Simulation,M&S)领域的一个重要研究内容,而复杂系统的不确定性和现代分布式仿真架构的开放性及动态性是导致仿真系统动态组合和重组的根本原因.从建模角度深入分析了现有动态变结构建模方法在支持当前仿真系统动态重组上存在的不足,提出了基于反射理论的动态变结构建模方法,并设计了其抽象仿真器.方法作为M&S理论的重要补充可用于指导复杂系统仿真的设计与开发.     

Modeling discrete event scalable network systems

Scalability in simulation tools is one of the most important traits to measure performance of software. The reason is that today’s Internet is the main instance of a large-scale and highly complex system. Simulation of Internet-scale network systems has to be supported by any simulation tool. Despite this fact, many network simulators lacks support for building large models. In this work, in order to propose a new approach for scalability issue in network simulation tools, a network simulator is developed based on behavior of honeybees and high performance DEVS, modular and hierarchical system theoretic approach. A biologically-inspired discrete event modeling approach is described for studying networks’ scalability and performance traits. Since natural systems can offer important concepts for modeling network systems, key adaptive and emergent attributes of honeybees and their societal properties are incorporated into a set of simulation models that are developed using the discrete event system specification approach. Large-scale network models are simulated and evaluated to show the benefits of nature-inspired network models.     

Simulation framework for small scale engagement

Developing future weapons systems has become increasingly complicated and costly. The armed forces of major nations use modeling and simulation techniques for new weapons systems from the conceptual stage to design, production, deployment and training stages to shorten the development cycle and guarantee their effectiveness. Failure in the development cycle carries too much loss in time and money. Therefore, computer-based modeling and simulation techniques are applied from the conceptual stage to gauge the efficacy of new weapons systems. The objective of this study is to develop a modeling and simulation methodology for small scale engagement using the DEVS formalism. The entities required for modeling and simulation are divided into three categories: combat, logical, and environmental entities. Combat entities represent the military hardware or combatants; logical entities represent the judgment and decision entities for the interaction between various entities; and environmental entities emulate the constituents of real combat environment. The combat entities are further modeled into Shell and Core Parts to maximize their reusability under various combat scenarios. The proposed framework is verified using a one-on-one combat engagement simulation (written in C++) between two submarines.     

Distributed simulation of DEVS and Cell-DEVS models using the RISE middleware

With the expansion of the Web, the desire toward global cooperation in the distributed simulation technology has also been on the rise. However, since current distributed simulation interoperability methods are coupled with system implementations, they place constraints on enhancing interoperability and synchronization algorithms. To enhance simulation interoperability on the Web, we implemented the RISE (RESTful Interoperability Simulation Environment) middleware, the first existing simulation middleware to be based on RESTful Web-services (WS). RISE is a general middleware that serves as a container to hold different simulation environments without being specific to a certain environment. RISE can hold heterogeneous simulations, and it exposes them as services via the Web. One of such services is called Distributed CD++ (DCD++) simulation system, an extension of the CD++ core engine that allows executing DEVS and Cell-DEVS models. Here, we introduce a proof-of-concept design and implementation of DCD++ using the distributed simulation using the RISE environment. We show how the RESTful WS interoperability style in RISE has improved the design, implementation and the performance of the DCD++ simulator. We also discuss a substantial performance improvement of the implementation of the RISE-based DCD++ presented here, showing many advantages of the RESTful WS presented here: improved interoperability, a seamless method to be connected into a cloud computing environment, and performance improvement when compared to our SOAP-based DCD++ in a similar testing environment.     

基于DEVS的交叉路口建模与仿真

考虑有信号控制的交叉路口内车辆之间、车辆与行人之间的冲突，在离散事件仿真规范（DEVS）框架下构建了交叉路口微观交通仿真模型.以某市典型交叉路口观察数据标定仿真参数，将仿真结果与按《城市道路设计规范》计算得到的通行能力进行比较，验证了模型.在此基础上，首先，仿真分析了不同左转比例对交叉路口通行能力的影响；然后，基于各方向等待通过交叉路口的车辆数目设计了智能绿信比控制策略.仿真试验表明：通行能力随着左转车比例的增加先上升后下降；智能绿信比控制能显著提升交叉路口通行能力，明显降低平均引道延误时间.由此证明仿真模型能真实地模拟交叉路口各因素间的相互作用，且易于扩充，通用性强，能够用于其它智能交通问题的研究.     

Modeling physical systems using finite element Cell-DEVS

We propose a method to analyze complex physical systems using two-dimensional Cell-DEVS models. These problems are usually modeled with one or more Partial Differential Equations and solved using numerical methods. Our goal is to improve the definition of such problems by mapping them into the Cell-DEVS formalism, which permits easy integration with models defined with other formalisms, and its definition using advanced modeling and simulation tools. To show this, we used two methods for solving PDEs, and deduced the updating rules for their mapping to Cell-DEVS. As our simulation results show, the accuracy of the Cell-DEVS solution is the same of these previous methods, showing that we can use Cell-DEVS as a tool to obtain numerical solution for systems of PDEs. Simultaneously, this method provides us with a simpler mechanism for model definition, automated parallelism, and faster execution.     

A development methodology for embedded systems based on RT-DEVS

This work is concerned with modelling, analysis and implementation of embedded control systems using RT-DEVS, i.e. a specialization of classic discrete event system specification (DEVS) for real-time. RT-DEVS favours model continuity, i.e. the possibility of using the same model for property analysis (by simulation or model checking) and for real time execution. Special case tools are reported in the literature for RT-DEVS model analysis and design. In this work, temporal analysis of a model exploits a translation in Uppaal timed automata for exhaustive verification. For large models a simulator was realized in Java which directly stems from RT-DEVS operational semantics. The same concerns are at the basis of a real-time executive. The paper describes the proposed RT-DEVS development methodology and clarifies its implementation status. The approach is demonstrated by applying it to an embedded system example which is analyzed through model checking and implemented in Java. Finally, research directions which deserve further work are indicated.