1,382 research outputs found
Certainty Closure: Reliable Constraint Reasoning with Incomplete or Erroneous Data
Constraint Programming (CP) has proved an effective paradigm to model and
solve difficult combinatorial satisfaction and optimisation problems from
disparate domains. Many such problems arising from the commercial world are
permeated by data uncertainty. Existing CP approaches that accommodate
uncertainty are less suited to uncertainty arising due to incomplete and
erroneous data, because they do not build reliable models and solutions
guaranteed to address the user's genuine problem as she perceives it. Other
fields such as reliable computation offer combinations of models and associated
methods to handle these types of uncertain data, but lack an expressive
framework characterising the resolution methodology independently of the model.
We present a unifying framework that extends the CP formalism in both model
and solutions, to tackle ill-defined combinatorial problems with incomplete or
erroneous data. The certainty closure framework brings together modelling and
solving methodologies from different fields into the CP paradigm to provide
reliable and efficient approches for uncertain constraint problems. We
demonstrate the applicability of the framework on a case study in network
diagnosis. We define resolution forms that give generic templates, and their
associated operational semantics, to derive practical solution methods for
reliable solutions.Comment: Revised versio
A Generalized Hybrid Hoare Logic
Deductive verification of hybrid systems (HSs) increasingly attracts more
attention in recent years because of its power and scalability, where a
powerful specification logic for HSs is the cornerstone. Often, HSs are
naturally modelled by concurrent processes that communicate with each other.
However, existing specification logics cannot easily handle such models. In
this paper, we present a specification logic and proof system for Hybrid
Communicating Sequential Processes (HCSP), that extends CSP with ordinary
differential equations (ODE) and interrupts to model interactions between
continuous and discrete evolution. Because it includes a rich set of algebraic
operators, complicated hybrid systems can be easily modelled in an algebra-like
compositional way in HCSP. Our logic can be seen as a generalization and
simplification of existing hybrid Hoare logics (HHL) based on duration calculus
(DC), as well as a conservative extension of existing Hoare logics for
concurrent programs. Its assertion logic is the first-order theory of
differential equations (FOD), together with assertions about traces recording
communications, readiness, and continuous evolution. We prove continuous
relative completeness of the logic w.r.t. FOD, as well as discrete relative
completeness in the sense that continuous behaviour can be arbitrarily
approximated by discretization. Besides, we discuss how to simplify proofs
using the logic by providing a simplified assertion language and a set of sound
and complete rules for differential invariants for ODEs. Finally, we implement
a proof assistant for the logic in Isabelle/HOL, and apply it to verify two
case studies to illustrate the power and scalability of our logic
In the Net of Abductions: on Juliette Peirce’s Identity
In spite of all the industrious efforts Peirce scholars have made so far, Peirce’s biography still retains a number of gaps, among which the problem of identity of Peirce’s second wife, Juliette Froissy, stands out most significantly. It is all the more important that, as some scholars suggest, the discovery of any reliable facts about Juliette could provide an explanation to some of the decisions Peirce had made, which irrevocably changed the course of his life, as well as his semiotic theory. By courtesy of Professor Dr. Nathan Houser and the Peirce Edition Project, the writer of the present paper was granted access to the archive materials containing the Max H. Fisch — Maurice Auger correspondence and Victor Lenzen’s notes on Juliette. The paper aims at arranging the dispersed data obtained from these and other sources into a set of several distinct versions, which curiously refer to each other and collectively impose a certain order on some major abductions concerning Juliette’s identity
A conceptual model for megaprogramming
Megaprogramming is component-based software engineering and life-cycle management. Magaprogramming and its relationship to other research initiatives (common prototyping system/common prototyping language, domain specific software architectures, and software understanding) are analyzed. The desirable attributes of megaprogramming software components are identified and a software development model and resulting prototype megaprogramming system (library interconnection language extended by annotated Ada) are described
Modeling Time in Computing: A Taxonomy and a Comparative Survey
The increasing relevance of areas such as real-time and embedded systems,
pervasive computing, hybrid systems control, and biological and social systems
modeling is bringing a growing attention to the temporal aspects of computing,
not only in the computer science domain, but also in more traditional fields of
engineering.
This article surveys various approaches to the formal modeling and analysis
of the temporal features of computer-based systems, with a level of detail that
is suitable also for non-specialists. In doing so, it provides a unifying
framework, rather than just a comprehensive list of formalisms.
The paper first lays out some key dimensions along which the various
formalisms can be evaluated and compared. Then, a significant sample of
formalisms for time modeling in computing are presented and discussed according
to these dimensions. The adopted perspective is, to some extent, historical,
going from "traditional" models and formalisms to more modern ones.Comment: More typos fixe
Multi-criteria decision analysis for non-conformance diagnosis: A priority-based strategy combining data and business rules
Business process analytics and verification have become a major challenge for companies, especially when
process data is stored across different systems. It is important to ensure Business Process Compliance in both
data-flow perspectives and business rules that govern the organisation. In the verification of data-flow accuracy,
the conformance of data to business rules is a key element, since essential to fulfil policies and statements that
govern corporate behaviour. The inclusion of business rules in an existing and already deployed process, which
therefore already counts on stored data, requires the checking of business rules against data to guarantee
compliance. If inconsistency is detected then the source of the problem should be determined, by discerning
whether it is due to an erroneous rule or to erroneous data. To automate this, a diagnosis methodology following
the incorporation of business rules is proposed, which simultaneously combines business rules and data produced
during the execution of the company processes. Due to the high number of possible explanations of faults (data
and/or business rules), the likelihood of faults has been included to propose an ordered list. In order to reduce
these possibilities, we rely on the ranking calculated by means of an AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and
incorporate the experience described by users and/or experts. The methodology proposed is based on the
Constraint Programming paradigm which is evaluated using a real example. .Ministerio de Ciencia y TecnologÃa RTI2018–094283-B-C3
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