The UML as a formal modeling notation

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is an Object Management Group (OMG) object-oriented (OO) modeling notation standard. It consists of a set of notations for modeling systems from a variety of views and at varying levels of abstraction. While the UML reflects some of the best OO modeling experiences available, it suffers from a lack of precise semantics that is necessary if one is to use the notations to precisely model systems and to rigorously reason about the models. In this paper we discuss some of the problems with the current UML semantic document and present the approach that the precise UML group (pUML) group is using to develop a precise semantics for the UML. The approach utilizes mathematical techniques to explore and gain insights into appropriate semantics for UML modeling concepts. The insights and formal expressions will then be used to develop a UML semantics document written in natural language that defines the semantics in a precise, consistent, and understandable manner.     

UML类图的形式化及分析

统一建模语言(UML)是一种通用的图形化建模语言,在面向对象系统的分析和设计中,它已成为事实上的工业标准。但是UML不是形式化的建模语言,缺乏精确的语义描述,因此会导致一些问题。Z是一种广泛使用的形式化规约语言,Z适合用来精确地表示模型的语法和语义。文章采用Z符号来表示UML类图的组成元素的语法和语义及其映射关系,最后对UML类图的一些性质进行分析和验证。     

ALF formal

The Action language for foundational UML (Alf) is a textual surface representation for UML modeling elements. Any Alf text mappable to fUML can be reduced to a set of statements in first-order logic. However, actually it does not allow to use model-checking features or any theorem prover. Some additional work remains to be done to provide a complete verification for critical systems design.     

A Deterministic Logical Semantics for Esterel

Esterel is a synchronous design language for the specification of reactive systems. There exist two main semantics for Esterel. On the one hand, the logical behavioral semantics provides a simple and compact formalization of the behavior of programs using SOS rules. But it does not ensure deterministic executions for all programs and all inputs. As non-deterministic programs have to be rejected as incorrect, this means it defines behaviors for incorrect programs, which is not convenient. On the other hand, the constructive semantics is deterministic (amongst other properties) but at the expense of a much more complex formalism. In this work, we construct and thoroughly analyze a new deterministic semantics for Esterel that retains the simplicity of the logical behavioral semantics, from which it derives. In our view, it provides a much better framework for formal reasoning about Esterel programs.     

UML活动图的操作语义

越来越多的系统采用UML（unified model language,统一建模语言）作为建模语言来进行系统分析和设计.UML活动图是UML语言中描述系统动态行为的一种方法,它广泛地运用于业务建模.由于UML活动图缺乏精确的动态语义,所以不利于对其所描述的系统进行形式化的分析、验证和确认.为解决这一问题,根据UML1.5语义文档,给出UML活动图的形式化操作语义.首先给出UML活动图的形式化的语法,然后详细地定义了活动图的格局和变迁,最后基于LTS给出了活动图的演绎规则.主要工作是：引入状态包的概念,使得描述更加清楚、完善;通过LTS定义活动图的操作语义,并详细阐述演绎规则,从而获得活动图的全局状态转移图,使定义的操作语义很容易地应用到形式化验证中.该语义覆盖了UML活动图的绝大部分特征,为对UML活动图进行模型检验奠定了基础.     

Clock constraint specification language: specifying clock constraints with UML/MARTE

The Object Management Group (OMG) unified modeling language (UML) profile for modeling and analysis of real-time and embedded systems (MARTE) aims at using the general-purpose modeling language UML in the domain of real-time and embedded (RTE) systems. To achieve this goal, it is absolutely required to introduce inside the mainly untimed UML an unambiguous time structure which MARTE model elements can rely on to build precise models amenable to formal analysis. The MARTE Time model has defined such a structure. We have also defined a non-normative concrete syntax called the clock constraint specification language (CCSL) to demonstrate what can be done based on this structure. This paper gives a brief overview of this syntax and its formal semantics, and shows how existing UML model elements can be used to apply this syntax in a graphical way and benefit from the semantics.     

基于时序逻辑的UML2.0通信图语义研究

UML2.0通信图可以表示对象之间的交互,很适合用于对系统的交互行为建模,但由于UML缺乏精确语义,使得难以对其所表示的系统行为进行分析和验证.XYZ/E是可执行线性时序逻辑语言,既可描述系统的静态语义和动态语义.在定K.UML2.0通信图的形式化语法的基础上,给出了通信图的XYZ/E时序逻辑语义,为进一步的系统分析和验证提供了形式化基础.     

基于ASM扩展的活动图进行业务过程建模

为了扩展包括投资者建模、企业建模与扩展价值链建模的Martin／Odell OOA／D方法,该文章使用UML活动图扩展这些技术。UML提供了丰富的标记表示对分析系统行为和系统结构进行分析。其中活动图是用来描述系统的动态行为,并且也适用于业务过程建模。但由于UML的语义是用纯文本的方式描述的,通常不够准确,故而此文提出了使用ASM扩展语义的活动图描述包含上述建模技术的业务过程。     

A comparative study of two formal semantics of the SIGNAL language

SIGNAL is a part of the synchronous languages family, which are broadly used in the design of safety-critical real-time systems such as avionics, space systems, and nuclear power plants. There exist several semantics for SIGNAL, such as denotational semantics based on traces (called trace semantics), denotational semantics based on tags (called tagged model semantics), operational semantics presented by structural style through an inductive definition of the set of possible transitions, operational semantics defined by synchronous transition systems (STS), etc. However, there is little research about the equivalence between these semantics. In this work, we would like to prove the equivalence between the trace semantics and the tagged model semantics, to get a determined and precise semantics of the SIGNAL language. These two semantics have several different definitions respectively, we select appropriate ones and mechanize them in the Coq platform, the Coq expressions of the abstract syntax of SIGNAL and the two semantics domains, i.e., the trace model and the tagged model, are also given. The distance between these two semantics discourages a direct proof of equivalence. Instead, we transformthem to an intermediate model, which mixes the features of both the trace semantics and the tagged model semantics. Finally, we get a determined and precise semantics of SIGNAL.     

A compositional semantics of UML-RSDS

This paper provides a semantics for the UML-RSDS (Reactive System Development Support) subset of UML, using the real-time action logic (RAL) formalism. We show how this semantics can be used to resolve some ambiguities and omissions in UML semantics, and to support reasoning about specifications using the B formal method and tools. We use ‘semantic profiles’ to provide precise semantics for different semantic variation points of UML. We also show how RAL can be used to give a semantics to notations for real-time specification in UML. Unlike other approaches to UML semantics, which concentrate on the class diagram notation, our semantic representation has behaviour as a central element, and can be used to define semantics for use cases, state machines and interactions, in addition to class diagrams.     

将UML模型转换成SDL模型的方法

提出了一种将UML模型转换成SDL模型的方法.UML是一种优秀的建模语言,使用UML可以为协议建立模型带来很多方便.但是,UML缺乏形式化语义,因此不能满足协议精确性的要求.SDL是一种用于通信软件规格的标准语言,它拥有形式化语义,而且有很多商业软件都支持它.在协议设计和开发中,将UML模型转换成SDL模型可以克服这样的缺点.通过为UML制作适当的profile,并制定严格的转换规则可以实现模型的转换.     

The HybridUML profile for UML 2.0

In this article, a new UML extension for the specification of hybrid systems, where observables may consist of both discrete and time-continuous parameters, is presented. Whereas hybrid modeling constructs are not available in standard UML, several specification formalisms for this type of system have been elaborated and discussed, among them the CHARON language of Alur et al. which possesses already several attractive features for modeling embedded real-time systems with hybrid characteristics. Adopting this as a basis, the profile inherits formal semantics based on CHARON, so it offers the possibility for formal reasoning about hybrid UML specifications. Conversely, the CHARON framework is associated with a new syntactic representation within the UML 2.0 world, allowing to develop hybrid specifications with arbitrary CASE tools supporting UML 2.0 and its profiling mechanism. The “look-and-feel” of the profile is illustrated by means of a case study of an embedded system controlling the cabin illumination in an aircraft. The benefits and weaknesses of the constructed hybrid UML profile are discussed, resulting in feed-back for the improvement of both UML 2.0 and the CHARON formalism. The work presented in this article has been investigated by the authors in the context of the HYBRIS (Efficient Specification of Hybrid Systems) project supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG as part of the priority programme on Software Specification - Integration of Software Specification Techniques for Applications in Engineering.     

面向方面的UML建模

为了解决软件开发中建模对于系统级关注点被忽略的问题,提出了面向方面的UML建模模型。对面向方面技术和UML进行全面介绍,使其了解它们的主要构成及参数,并基于AspectJ语言扩展UML中的特征文件(profile),来实现面向方面UML建模(AUML)。该扩展是UML体系的一种扩充,它既结合了UML面向对象的特点,又对面向方面横切关注点在语义和结构上进行了规范。最后就图书管理系统进行举例说明,总结了面向方面软件开发(AOSD)profile的参数。     

体系结构描述语言XYZ/ADL到UML的映射

选择了一种基于时序逻辑语言XYZ/E的体系结构描述语言XYZ/ADL,分析了其设计元素和UML建模元素的语义,并通过UML扩展机制和对象约束语言进行扩展和约束,建立起从XYZ/ADL到UML的映射。     

SystemJ: A GALS language for system level design

In this paper we present the syntax, semantics, and compilation of a new system-level programming language called SystemJ. SystemJ is a multiclock language supporting the Globally Asynchronous Locally Synchronous (GALS) model of computation. The synchronous reactive (SR) model is used for synchronous parts of the modelled system, and those parts, which represent individual clock-domains, are coupled asynchronously each to the other on the top-level of system design. SystemJ is based on Java language, which is used to describe “instantaneous” data transformations. Hence, SystemJ is well suited for both software-based embedded and distributed systems. SystemJ offers effective modelling of (1) data transformations through the power of Java, (2) control and synchronous concurrency through the SR paradigm and (3) asynchronous concurrency through clock domains and rendezvous. The language is based on semantics that is amenable to efficient code generation and partial automatic verification. The SystemJ micro-step semantics provide asynchronous and synchronous extensions over the semantics of other SR languages such as Esterel and provide an ideal platform for efficient software implementation.     

Using UML Profiles for Documenting Web-Based Application Frameworks

The Web now offers an exceptional infrastructure for the development of distributed collaborative services and applications. However, most of the existing applications only make use of the Web access and visualization facilities, without exploiting its distributed-processing potential capabilities. Web technologies are currently more focused on the provision of semantics to data and the design of dynamic Web pages, while paying little attention to the distributed architecture of the applications – that should go beyond client-server architectures. Application frameworks are one of the key technologies that may provide the mechanisms required for the design and development of reusable and scalable systems in these environments. However, the way to document such frameworks so they can be effectively tailored and reused still remains unresolved. In this paper we propose the use of UML profiles for documenting Web-based application frameworks, as a standard means for expressing their semantics. UML profiles allow all stakeholders of a system to share a common graphical notation and vocabulary, and permit more precise specifications and better documentation on how to use and customize applications. As an example, we build a UML profile for MultiTEL, a framework particularly well suited for the development of Internet-based multimedia and collaborative systems, and show how systems designers can use it to derive and document their applications.     

Hybrid MARTE statecharts

The specification of modeling and analysis of real-time and embedded systems (MARTE) is an extension of the unified modeling language (UML) in the domain of real-time and embedded systems. Even though MARTE time model offers a support to describe both discrete and dense clocks, the biggest effort has been put so far on the specification and analysis of discrete MARTE models. To address hybrid real-time and embedded systems, we propose to extend statecharts using both MARTE and the theory of hybrid automata. We call this extension hybrid MARTE statecharts. It provides an improvement over the hybrid automata in that: the logical time variables and the chronometric time variables are unified. The formal syntax and semantics of hybrid MARTE statecharts are given based on labeled transition systems and live transition systems. As a case study, we model the behavior of a train control system with hybrid MARTE statecharts to demonstrate the benefit.     

Event-Based Semantics of UML 2.X Concurrent Sequence Diagrams for Formal Verification

UML 2.X sequence diagrams(SD)are among privileged scenarios-based approaches dealing with the complexity of modeling the behaviors of some current systems.However,there are several issues related to the standard semantics of UML 2.X SD proposed by the Object Management Group(OMG).They mainly concern ambiguities of the interpretation of SDs,and the computation of causal relations between events which is not specifically laid out.Moreover,SD is a semi-formal language,and it does not support the verification of the modeled system.This justifies the considerable number of research studies intending to define formal semantics of UML SDs.We proposed in our previous work semantics covering the most popular combined fragments(CF)of control-flow ALT,OPT,LOOP and SEQ,allowing to model alternative,optional,iterative and sequential behaviors respectively.The proposed semantics is based on partial order theory relations that permit the computation of the precedence relations between the events of an SD with nested CFs.We also addressed the issue of the evaluation of the interaction constraint(guard)for guarded CFs,and the related synchronization issue.In this paper,we first extend our semantics,proposed in our previous work;indeed,we propose new rules for the computation of causal relations for SD with PAR and STRICT CFs(dedicated to modeling concurrent and strict behaviors respectively)as well as their nesting.Then,we propose a transformational semantics in Event-B.Our modeling approach emphasizes computation of causal relations,guard handling and transformational semantics into Event-B.The transformation of UML 2.X SD into the formal method Event-B allows us to perform several kinds of verification including simulation,trace acceptance,verification of properties,and verification of refinement relation between SDs.