Parallel programming with PICSIL1

This paper describes the background and development of PICSIL1 a visual language for specifying parallel algorithms using structured decomposition. PICSIL1 draws upon graphical and textual specification techniques; the first for high level structure of an algorithm, the second for more detailed functional specifications. The graphical specification techniques used in PICSIL1 are based on Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) and are well suited to the assembly and interconnection of abstract modules. Minor modifications to DFDs have however had to be made to make them suitable for describing parallel algorithms. These include the ability to dynamically replicate sections of a diagram and change the structure of parts of a diagram dependent on data being processed. Work is proceeding on the development of an editor to allow the direct capture and editing of PICSIL1 descriptions. In the near future development of compiler and visual debugging tools are planned

Specification techniques for real-time systems

This paper is a course on specification. Since it is based on experiences in the field of Software Engineering, it applies primarily to Software Specifications. Many observations and reports indicate, however, that, from specification aspects, there is not much difference between information processing systems in general and software in particular. Therfore, most of this course applies also to System Specification. There are methods, languages, and tools for writing specifications. In this paper, we concentrate on methods and languages. We start with the definitions of a few fundamental terms and of the qualities of specifications. In the main part of the paper, we present four specification methods together with their underlying languages, namely Structured Analysis, SADT, PSL, and RSL. A few sample specifications written in these languages are given in order to convey an optical impression of each language. The paper ends with some general conclusions and a list of references

The Distributed Independent-Platform Event-Driven Simulation Engine Library (DIESEL)

The Distributed, Independent-Platform, Event-Driven Simulation Engine Library (DIESEL) is a simulation executive, capable of supporting both sequential and distributed discrete-event simulations. A system level specification is provided along with the expected behavior of each component within DIESEL. This behavioral specification of each component, along with the interconnection and interaction between the different components, provides a complete description of the DIESEL behavioral model. The model provides a considerable amount of freedom for an application developer to partition the simulation model, when building sequential and distributed applications with respect to balancing the number of events generated across different components. It also allows a developer to modify underlying algorithms in the simulation executive, while causing no changes to the overall system behavior so long as the algorithms meet the behavioral specifications. The behavioral model is object-oriented and developed using a hierarchical approach. The model is not targeted towards any programming language or hardware platform for implementation. The behavioral specification provides no specifics about how the model should be implemented. A complete and stable implementation of the behavioral model is provided as a proof-of-concept, and can be used to develop commercial applications. New and independent implementations of the complete model can be developed to support specific commercial and research efforts. Specific components of the model can also be implemented by students in an educational environment, using strategies different from the ones used within the current implementation. DIESEL provides a research environment for studying different aspects of Parallel Discrete-Event Simulation, such as event management strategies, synchronization algorithms, communication mechanisms, and simulation state capture capabilities

IT Supported Construction Project Management Methodology Based on Process and Product Model and Quality Management

Computer Integrated Construction Project Management (CPM) supported by product and process models can be seen as a future type of integration structure facilitating the solution of various management problems in the fragmented Construction Industry. The key to success is directly correlated with the comprehensive integration of currently isolated IT applications. However, despite that a number of initiatives have been developed, no fully generic models have yet to be formally standardized. This topic has been the subject of intensive research during the last decades. In this thesis a Computer Integrated CPM approach, which is supported by IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) and ISO9001:2000 Quality Management System, is proposed. The main aim is to provide integration of product, process and organizational information to help achieve the interoperability of the involved actors and tools in a concurrent environment. According to implied requirements which are represented in the ‘state of the art’ section, the fundamental concepts are presented in two parts as: (1) realization of CPM in an IT concept and (2) formalization of IFC Views for software interoperability on the example of Bidding Preparation Phase. In order to realize a generic framework using a high-level process core model named Organizational Management Process (OMP) model, different aspects have been brought together into a consistent life cycle structure. These are: (1) a set of layered processes based on ISO procedural definitions, (2) software integration requirements based on Construction Management Phases, (3) application methods of the Procurement System and (4) Organizational data. This provides for synchronizing technical products, processes, documents, and actors in their inter-relationship. The framework is hierarchically structured in three layers Phases – Processes - Product data. The developed IT Management Processes (ITMP) which are used as a baseline for the IFC Views implementation are derived from the OMP. Moreover, in order to support completeness, a mapping structure between processes and scenarios based on the Procurement Systems was constituted. The representation of OMP and ITMP is provided by using the ARIS eEPC (extended event-driven process chain) modeling method. On the basis of a generalized representation of product data, a system-wide integration model for heterogeneous client applications which supports different CPM areas can be achieved. IFC Product Data Model integrates different domains thereby enabling coordination of bidding preparations. However, there is a need to realize individual model subsets. i.e. views of the product model. In this context, adaptable views were developed based on ITMP. The defined resources’ relevancies to IFC Objects are examined by realizing central information elements. These provide a mapping structure between process resources and IFC Classes. On that basis integration of process and product models can be accomplished. In order to realize IFC Views, IFC Concepts and IFC Instance Diagrams were developed based on IFC View Definition Format. The grouping of IFC Concepts enables the implementation of the adaptable IFC Views that are required for standardized system integration. This is achieved with the help of formal specification using the Generalized Subset Definition Schema. The validation has been made based on an alphanumerical comparison. The selected 3D full-model and the developed IFC View for Product Catalog models are compared in this context. There are two consequences observed. In the first case, which also addresses Unit Price Procurement systems, the desired results were obtained by filtering the required data. However, when the results were compared for Design & Build and Lump-sum Procurement Systems (contracts), an extension need was observed in the IFC Model. The solution is provided via formalization of cost data and material analysis information by an extension of IFC Concept namely ‘IfcConstructionResource’ with new classes and with new relations. Thereby a common information model based on the data schema of the IFC standard is constituted.Das von Produkt- und Prozessmodellen unterstützte computerintegrierte Bauprojektmanagement (CPM) kann als der zukünftige Typ der Integrationsstruktur angesehen werden, der die Lösung verschiedener Baumanagementprobleme in der fragmentierten Bauindustrie erleichtern kann. Der Schlüssel zum Erfolg steht in direkter Beziehung zu einer umfassenden Integration derzeit getrennter IT-Anwendungen. Trotz zahlreich entwickelter Ansätze, die zur Verfügung gestellt wurden, sind bisher noch keine vollständig generischen Modelle formell standardisiert worden, obwohl dies in den letzten Jahrzehnten ein Thema intensiver Forschung war. In dieser Promotionsschrift wird eine computerintegrierte CPM-Methode, die auf Basis der IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) und dem Qualitätsmanagement ISO 9001:2000 aufbaut, vorgeschlagen. Das Hauptziel besteht in der Schaffung der Integration von Produkt-, Prozess- und Organisationsinformationen, um die Interoperabilität der beteiligten Akteure und Tools in einer parallelen Umgebung erreichen zu können. Entsprechend den Anforderungen, die im Abschnitt „Stand der Technik“ aufgeführt sind, werden die vorgeschlagenen, grundlegenden Konzepte in zwei Bereiche aufgeteilt: (1) Umsetzung der CPM-Prozesse in ein IT-Konzept und (2) Formalisierung der IFC-Sichten für die Interoperabilität von Software, beispielhaft ausgeführt für die der Ausschreibungsphase. Um einen generischen Rahmen unter Verwendung eines hochrangigen Prozesskernmodells, das als organisatorischer Managementprozess (OMP) bezeichnet wird, zu realisieren, werden zuerst die verschiedenen Aspekte in einer konsistenten Lebenszyklenstruktur zusammengefügt. Diese sind: (1) eine Menge hierarchisch geschichteter Prozesse, erstellt auf der Grundlage der Verfahrensdefinitionen von ISO 9001, (2) die Softwareintegrationsanforderungen auf der Grundlage der Baumanagementphasen, (3) die Anwendungsmethoden des Beschaffungssystems und (4) die Organisationsdaten. Dadurch wird die Synchronisation der in Wechselbeziehung stehenden technischen Produkte, Prozesse, Dokumente und Akteure geschaffen. Das gesamte System ist hierarchisch in die drei Ebenen Phasen – Prozesse – Produktdaten strukturiert. Die entwickelten IT-Managementprozesse (ITMP), die als Grundlage für die IFC-Implementierungssichten dienen, werden aus dem OMP hergeleitet. Der Vollständigkeit halber, wird eine Abbildungsstruktur zwischen den Prozessen und den Szenarien, die die Beschaffungssysteme beschreiben, entwickelt. Die Darstellung der OMP und ITMP erfolgt unter Verwendung der erweiterten ereignisgesteuerten Prozessketten (eEPK) nach der ARIS-Modelliermethode. Auf der Grundlage einer verallgemeinerten Darstellung der Prozessdaten kann das systemweite Integrationsmodell für heterogene Client-Anwendungen, das verschiedene CPM-Bereiche unterstützt, erreicht werden. Das IFC-Produktdatenmodell integriert verschiedene Domänen und ermöglicht somit die Koordinierung der hier beispielhaft gewählten Ausschreibungsbearbeitungen. Hierzu ist es notwendig, Teilmodelle, d. h. Sichten des Produktmodells zu erzeugen. Entsprechend wurden anpassbare Sichten auf der Grundlage von ITMP entwickelt. Die Bedeutung der in diesem Zusammenhang identifizierten Informationsprozessressourcen in Bezug auf die IFC-Objekte wurde durch die Einführung zentraler Informationselemente, sog. IFC Concepts, untersucht. Diese stellen eine Abbildungsstruktur zwischen den Prozessressourcen und IFC-Klassen zur Verfügung. Auf dieser Grundlage konnte die Integration von Prozess- und Produktmodellen erreicht werden. Um die IFC-Sichten zu realisieren, wurden auf der Grundlage des IFC-Sichtendefinitionsformats IFC-Konzepte und IFC-Instanzendiagramme entwickelt. Die Gruppierung in IFC-Konzepten ermöglichte die Implementierung von anpassbaren IFC-Sichten, die für die standardisierte Systemintegration erforderlich sind. Diese wird mit Hilfe einer formellen Spezifikation unter Verwendung der verallgemeinerten Subset-Definitionsschema-Methode (GMSD) erreicht. Die Validierung erfolgte auf der Grundlage eines alphanumerischen Vergleichs, in dem ein ausgewähltes 3D-Produktmodell und die daraus entwickelte IFC-Sicht für das Produktkatalogmodell verglichen wurden. Es ergaben sich zwei Schlussfolgerungen. Im ersten Fall, der auch das Einheitspreisbeschaffungssystem betrifft, konnten die gewünschten Ergebnisse direkt durch Filterung der erforderlichen Daten erhalten werden. Beim Vergleich der Ergebnisse sowohl für Pauschal-, als auch für Entwurfs- und Baubeschaffungssysteme (Verträge) wurde jedoch festgestellt, dass für das IFC-Modell ein Erweiterungsbedarf besteht. Eine Lösung wurde über die Formalisierung der Kostendaten und Materialanalyseinformationen durch Erweiterung des IFC-Konzepts IfcBauRessource mit neuen Klassen und mit neuen Beziehungen erreicht. Somit erhält man ein allgemeines Informationsmodell auf der Grundlage des Datenschemas des IFC-Standards

Conceptualization and implementation of a prototype for realistic simulation of vehicles

Daimler FleetBoard offers telematic services by means of a special hardware installed in customers' vehicles to collect and send data to the FleetBoard's Service Centre (FBSC) platform. FBSC is in charge of receiving, processing and storing data generated by vehicles. The quality assurance and testing department guarantees that the telematic services meet their purpose, and no failures exist in the system. In that way, software to simulate vehicles' behaviour is required to test the functionalities of FBSC. However, the problem rises since this software uses simulated data instead of real data. In addition, the process of creating routes for simulations is manual. Based on the mentioned problems, the objective of this thesis is to design, implement and evaluate a prototype as mechanism of importing routes generated by real vehicles to the simulator’s database, to emphasise on using real data for simulations. Additionally, the process of creating routes is optimized using Web Map Services to automate this process. Consequently, an evaluation of the prototypical implementation is considered to guarantee the proper operation of the prototype's layers: WEB GUI (supported by Java Server Faces), business logic and the persistence layer (fostered by Java Persistence API)

Modelling business processes with links to ISO 9001

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/795 on 14.02.2017 by CS (TIS)This work in the domain of quality management and business process design looks at how the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard for quality management systems are designed and implemented in business. It is the aim of the research reported in this thesis to support manufacturing companies when modelling a Fulfil Order Process by identifying the links to the ISO 9001 quality standard and highlighting potential impact from any changes in the process or the standard during a redesign project. It does so by presenting a modelling technique, named IDEF9000, which will enable companies to take a systemic perspective of a Fulfil Order Process identifying all relevant links to ISO 9001. A research strategy based around the experiences of companies when designing business processes with links to ISO 9001 was adopted. In-depth case studies carried out by the author showed that simply documenting what an organisation does to satisfy the various elements of ISO 9001 is still one of the most common approaches adopted. This results in a process-oriented character only at the documentation stage. It is the result of limited guidance on how to integrate the requirements of ISO 900 I in business processes. The work proceeded by exploring the domains of business processes, the use of systems thinking to explain business processes and the relevance of ISO 9001 requirements from a process-based viewpoint. A set of criteria was developed to identify activities, information and other flows controlled by ISO 9001 to design a Fulfil Order Process in a manufacturing company. This provided the context for the development of the modelling technique IDEF9000, which is an enhanced version of IDEFo, and its validation by review and by use in two manufacturing companies. The originality of this work lies in the identification and emphasis by the author of the need to take a systemic view of business processes when designing or redesigning a process-based ISO 9001 quality management system. Also, criteria for a technique to address the modelling of a Fulfil Order Process were identified. Furthermore this contribution to knowledge includes the identification of links between ISO 9001 requirements and a holistic Fulfil Order Process. This led to the development of further criteria for modelling such a business process showing the links to ISO 9001. IDEF9000 represents an improved modelling approach that fulfils the identified criteria and permits the systemic design or redesign of a Fulfil Order Process while establishing the links controlled by the ISO 9001 quality standard