Multi-paradigm modelling for cyber–physical systems: a descriptive framework

Software & Systems Modeling, vol. 20, pp. 611–639

Abstract

Abstract The complexity of cyber–physical systems (CPSs) is commonly addressed through complex workflows, involving models in a plethora of different formalisms, each with their own methods, techniques, and tools. Some workflow patterns, combined with particular types of formalisms and operations on models in these formalisms, are used successfully in engineering practice. To identify and reuse them, we refer to these combinations of workflow and formalism patterns as modelling paradigms. This paper proposes a unifying (Descriptive) Framework to describe these paradigms, as well as their combinations. This work is set in the context of Multi-Paradigm Modelling (MPM), which is based on the principle to model every part and aspect of a system explicitly, at the most appropriate level(s) of abstraction, using the most appropriate modelling formalism(s) and workflows. The purpose of the Descriptive Framework presented in this paper is to serve as a basis to reason about these formalisms, workflows, and their combinations. One crucial part of the framework is the ability to capture the structural essence of a paradigm through the concept of a paradigmatic structure. This is illustrated informally by means of two example paradigms commonly used in CPS: Discrete Event Dynamic Systems and Synchronous Data Flow. The presented framework also identifies the need to establish whether a paradigm candidate follows, or qualifies as, a (given) paradigm. To illustrate the ability of the framework to support combining paradigms, the paper shows examples of both workflow and formalism combinations. The presented framework is intended as a basis for characterisation and classification of paradigms, as a starting point for a rigorous formalisation of the framework (allowing formal analyses), and as a foundation for MPM tool development.

Authors 6

1. Moussa Amrani

   University of Namur · Namur Digital Institute

   Affiliation as printed

   Namur Digital Institute (NaDi), University of Namur, Namur, Belgium

   NADI - Namur Digital Institute ( 61 rue de Bruxelles, 5000 Namur - Belgium)

2. Dominique Blouin

   Télécom Paris · Institut Polytechnique de Paris

   Affiliation as printed

   Télécom Paris, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France

   ACES - Autonomic and Critical Embedded Systems (Télécom Paris 19 Place Marguerite Perey 91120 PALAISEAU - France)

   INFRES - Département Informatique et Réseaux (46, rue Barrault 75013 Paris - France)

   IP Paris - Institut Polytechnique de Paris (Route de Saclay, 91120 Palaiseau Cedex, France - France)

3. Robert Heinrich

   Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany

   KIT - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology = Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (Campus North, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen / Campus South, Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe - Germany)

4. Arend Rensink corresponding

   University of Twente

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

   University of Twente (Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede - Netherlands)

5. Hans Vangheluwe

   University of Antwerp · Flanders Make (Belgium)

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Antwerp – Flanders Make, Antwerp, Belgium

   Flanders Make (Belgium)

   UA - University of Antwerp (Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerpen - Belgium)

6. Andreas Wortmann Aachen

   University of Stuttgart · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany

   University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

   RWTH - Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University (RWTH Aachen Templergraben 55 52062 Aachen (Hausanschrift) 52056 Aachen (Postanschrift) - Germany)

   Universität Stuttgart [Stuttgart] (Keplerstraße 7, 70174 Stuttgart - Germany)