Heterogeneous verification of model transformations

Esta tesis trata sobre la verificación formal en el contexto de la Ingeniería Dirigida por Modelos (MDE por sus siglas en inglés). El paradigma propone un ciclo de vida de la ingeniería de software basado en una abstracción de su complejidad a través de la definición de modelos y en un proceso de construcción (semi)automático guiado por transformaciones de estos modelos. Nuestro propósito es abordar la verificación de transformaciones de modelos la cual incluye, por extensión, la verificación de sus modelos. Comenzamos analizando la literatura relacionada con la verificación de transformaciones de modelos para concluir que la heterogeneidad de las propiedades que interesa verificar y de los enfoques para hacerlo, sugiere la necesidad de utilizar diversos dominios lógicos, lo cual es la base de nuestra propuesta. En algunos casos puede ser necesario realizar una verificación heterogénea, es decir, utilizar diferentes formalismos para la verificación de cada una de las partes del problema completo. Además, es beneficioso permitir a los expertos formales elegir el dominio en el que se encuentran más capacitados para llevar a cabo una prueba formal. El principal problema reside en que el mantenimiento de múltiples representaciones formales de los elementos de MDE en diferentes dominios lógicos, puede ser costoso si no existe soporte automático o una relación formal clara entre estas representaciones. Motivados por esto, definimos un entorno unificado que permite la verificación formal transformaciones de modelos mediante el uso de métodos de verificación heterogéneos, de forma tal que es posible automatizar la traducción formal de los elementos de MDE entre dominios logicos. Nos basamos formalmente en la Teoría de Instituciones, la cual proporciona una base sólida para la representación de los elementos de MDE (a través de instituciones) sin depender de ningúningún dominio lógico específico. También proporciona una forma de especificar traducciones (a través de comorfismos) que preservan la semántica entre estos elementos y otros dominios lógicos. Nos basamos en estándares para la especificación de los elementos de MDE. De hecho, definimos una institución para la buena formación de los modelos especificada con una versión simplificada del MetaObject Facility y otra institución para transformaciones utilizando Query/View/Transformation Relations. No obstante, la idea puede ser generalizada a otros enfoques de transformación y lenguajes.Por último, demostramos la viabilidad del entorno mediante el desarrollo de un prototipo funcional soportado por el Heterogeneous Tool Set (HETS). HETS permite realizar una especificación heterogénea y provee facilidades para el monitoreo de su corrección global. Los elementos de MDE se conectan con otras lógicas ya soportadas en HETS (por ejemplo: lógica de primer orden, lógica modal, entre otras) a través del Common Algebraic Specification Language (CASL). Esta conexión se expresa teóricamente mediante comorfismos desde las instituciones de MDE a la institución subyacente en CASL. Finalmente, discutimos las principales contribuciones de la tesis. Esto deriva en futuras líneas de investigación que contribuyen a la adopción de métodos formales para la verificación en el contexto de MDE.This thesis is about formal verification in the context of the Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) paradigm. The paradigm proposes a software engineering life-cycle based on an abstraction from its complexity by defining models, and on a (semi)automatic construction process driven by model transformations. Our purpose is to address the verification of model transformations which includes, by extension, the verification of their models. We first review the literature on the verification of model transformations to conclude that the heterogeneity we find in the properties of interest to verify, and in the verification approaches, suggests the need of using different logical domains, which is the base of our proposal. In some cases it can be necessary to perform a heterogeneous verification, i.e. using different formalisms for the verification of each part of the whole problem. Moreover, it is useful to allow formal experts to choose the domain in which they are more skilled to address a formal proof. The main problem is that the maintenance of multiple formal representations of the MDE elements in different logical domains, can be expensive if there is no automated assistance or a clear formal relation between these representations. Motivated by this, we define a unified environment that allows formal verification of model transformations using heterogeneous verification approaches, in such a way that the formal translations of the MDE elements between logical domains can be automated. We formally base the environment on the Theory of Institutions, which provides a sound basis for representing MDE elements (as so called institutions) without depending on any specific logical domain. It also provides a way for specifying semantic-preserving translations (as so called comorphisms) from these elements to other logical domains. We use standards for the specification of the MDE elements. In fact, we define an institution for the well-formedness of models specified with a simplified version of the MetaObject Facility, and another institution for Query/View/Transformation Relations transformations. However, the idea can be generalized to other transformation approaches and languages. Finally, we evidence the feasibility of the environment by the development of a functional prototype supported by the Heterogeneous Tool Set (HETS). HETS supports heterogeneous specifications and provides capabilities for monitoring their overall correctness. The MDE elements are connected to the other logics already supported in HETS (e.g. first-order logic, modal logic, among others) through the Common Algebraic Specification Language (CASL). This connection is defined by means of comorphisms from the MDE institutions to the underlying institution of CASL. We carry out a final discussion of the main contributions of this thesis. This results in future research directions which contribute with the adoption of formal tools for the verification in the context of MDE

A MOF-based social web services description metamodel

© Copyright 2016 by SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved. To promote and support the development and use of social Web services by the IT community on the Web, both social Web service-based applications and their support platforms should evolve independently from each other while sharing a common model that represents the characteristics of these social Web services. To achieve this duality, this paper proposes a model-driven approach. First, the approach identifies a social Web service\u27s properties. Then a Meta-Object-Facility (MOF)-based social Web services description metamodel is developed. Finally, a prototype illustrates how the MOF-based metamodel is used

A Model-Driven Architecture based Evolution Method and Its Application in An Electronic Learning System

Software products have been racing against aging problem for most of their lifecycles, and evolution is the most effective and efficient solution to this problem. Model-Driven Architecture (MDA) is a new technique for software product for evolving development and reengineering methods. The main steps for MDA are to establish models in different levels and phases, therefore to solve the challenges of requirement and technology change. However, there is only a standard established by Object Management Group (OMG) but without a formal method and approach. Presently, MDA is widely researched in both industrial and research areas, however, there is still without a smooth approach to realise it especially in electronic learning (e-learning) system due to the following reasons: (1) models’ transformations are hard to realise because of lack of tools, (2) most of existing mature research results are working for business and government services but not education area, and (3) most of existing model-driven researches are based on Model-Driven Development (MDD) but not MDA because of OMG standard’s preciseness. Hence, it is worth to investigate an MDA-based method and approach to improve the existing software development approach for e-learning system. Due to the features of MDA actuality, a MDA-based evolution method and approach is proposed in this thesis. The fundamental theories of this research are OMG’s MDA standard and education pedagogical knowledge. Unified Modelling Language (UML) and Unified Modelling Language Profile are hired to represent the information of software system from different aspects. This study can be divided into three main parts: MDA-based evolution method and approach research, Platform-Independent Model (PIM) to Platform-Specific Model (PSM) transformation development, and MDA-based electronic learning system evolution. Top-down approach is explored to develop models for e-learning system. A transformation approach is developed to generate Computation Independent Model (CIM), Platform-Independent Model (PIM), and Platform-Specific Model (PSM); while a set of transformation rules are defined following MDA standard to support PSM’ s generation. In addition, proposed method is applied in an e-learning system as a case study with the prototype rules support. In the end, conclusions are drawn based on analysis and further research directions are discussed as well. The kernel contributions are the proposed transformation rules and its application in electronic learning system

Application of Model-driven engineering to multi-agent systems: a language to model behaviors of reactive agents

Many users of multi-agent systems (MAS) are very commonly disinclined to model and simulate using current MAS platforms. More specifically, modeling the dynamics of a system (in particular the agents' behaviors) is very often a challenge to MAS users. This issue is more often observed in the domain of socio-ecological systems (SES), because SES domain experts are rarely programmers. Indeed, the majority of MAS platforms were not conceived taking into consideration domain-experts who are non-programmers. Most current MAS tools are not dedicated to SES, or nor do they possess an easily understandable formalism to represent the behaviors of agents. Moreover, because it is platform-dependent, a model realized in a given MAS platform cannot be properly used on another platform due to incompatibility between MAS platforms. To overcome these limitations, we propose a domain-specific language (DSL) to describe the behaviors of reactive agents, regardless of the MAS platform used for simulation. To achieve this result, we used model-driven engineering (MDE), an approach that provides tools to develop DSLs from a meta-model (abstract syntax), textual editors with syntax highlighting (for the concrete syntax) and code generation capabilities (for source-code generation of a model). As a result, we implemented a language and a textual editor that allow SES domain experts to describe behaviors in three different ways that are close to their natural expression: as equations when they are familiar with these, as a sequence of activities close to natural language or as an activity diagram to represent decisions and a sequence of behaviors using a graphic formalism. To demonstrate interoperability, we also developed code generators targeting two different MAS platforms (Cormas and Netlogo). We tested the code generators by implementing two SES models with the developed DSL. The generated code was targeted to both MAS platforms (Cormas and Netlogo), and successfully simulated in one of them. We conclude that the MDE approach provides adequate tools to develop DSL and code generators to facilitate MAS modeling and simulation by non-programmers. Concerning the DSL developed, although the behavioral aspect of MAS simulation is part of the complexity of modeling in MAS, there are still other essential aspects of model and simulation of MAS that are yet to be explored, such as model initialization and points of view on the model simulated worl

Verification of knowledge shared across design and manufacture using a foundation ontology

Seamless computer-based knowledge sharing between departments of a manufacturing enterprise is useful in preventing unnecessary design revisions. A lack of interoperability between independently developed knowledge bases, however, is a major impediment in the development of a seamless knowledge sharing system. Interoperability, being an ability to overcome semantic and syntactic differences during computer-based knowledge sharing can be enhanced through the use of ontologies. Ontologies in computer science terms are hierarchical structures of knowledge stored in a computer-based knowledge base. Ontologies have been accepted by all as an interoperable medium to provide a non-subjective way of storing and sharing knowledge across diverse domains. Some semantic and syntactic differences, however, still crop up when these ontological knowledge bases are developed independently. A case study in an aerospace components manufacturing company suggests that shape features of a component are perceived differently by the designing and manufacturing departments. These differences cause further misunderstanding and misinterpretation when computer-based knowledge sharing systems are used across the two domains. Foundation or core ontologies can be used to overcome these differences and to ensure a seamless sharing of knowledge. This is because these ontologies provide a common grounding for domain ontologies to be used by individual domains or department. This common grounding can be used by the mediation and knowledge verification systems to authenticate the meaning of knowledge understood across different domains. For this reason, this research proposes a knowledge verification framework for developing a system capable of verifying knowledge between those domain ontologies which are developed out of a common core or foundation ontology. This framework makes use of ontology logic to standardize the way concepts from a foundation and core-concepts ontology are used in domain ontologies and then by using the same principles the knowledge being shared is verified. The Knowledge Frame Language which is based on Common Logic is used for formalizing example ontologies. The ontology editor used for browsing and querying ontologies is the Integrated Ontology Development Environment (IODE) by Highfleet Inc. An ontological product modelling technique is also developed in this research, to test the proposed framework in the scenario of manufacturability analysis. The proposed framework is then validated through a Java API specially developed for this purpose. Real industrial examples experienced during the case study are used for validation

Embedding requirements within the model driven architecture.

The Model Driven Architecture (MDA) is offered as one way forward in software systems modelling to connect software design with the business domain. The general focus of the MDA is the development of software systems by performing transformations between software design models, and the automatic generation of application code from those models. Software systems are provided by developers, whose experience and models are not always in line with those of other stakeholders, which presents a challenge for the community. From reviewing the available literature, it is found that whilst many models and notations are available, those that are significantly supported by the MDA may not be best for use by non technical stakeholders. In addition, the MDA does not explicitly consider requirements and specification. This research begins by investigating the adequacy of the MDA requirements phase and examining the feasibility of incorporating a requirements definition, specifically focusing upon model transformations. MDA artefacts were found to serve better the software community and requirements were not appropriately integrated within the MDA, with significant extension upstream being required in order to sufficiently accommodate the business user in terms of a requirements definition. Therefore, an extension to the MDA framework is offered that directly addresses Requirements Engineering (RE), including the distinction of analysis from design, highlighting the importance of specification. This extension is suggested to further the utility of the MDA by making it accessible to a wider audience upstream, enabling specification to be a direct output from business user involvement in the requirements phase of the MDA. To demonstrate applicability, this research illustrates the framework extension with the provision of a method and discusses the use of the approach in both academic and commercial settings. The results suggest that such an extension is academically viable in facilitating the move from analysis into the design of software systems, accessible for business use and beneficial in industry by allowing for the involvement of the client in producing models sufficient enough for use in the development of software systems using MDA tools and techniques

Model Transformation in context of Driver Assistance System: Meta-model based transformation for Simulink an Scicos

In today’s world we see that Embedded Systems forms a major part in the life of a human being. Almost every device today has an electronic chip embedded in it. When it comes to automotive, these electronic devices are multiplying. This has resulted in innovative methods of developing Embedded Systems. Among them, Model Based Development has become very popular and a standard way of developing embedded systems. Now, we can see that most embedded systems, especially the automotive systems, are being developed using Model development tools like Simulink. In the design and development of Driver Assistance System, Model Based Design (MBD) plays an important role from system design and simulation to code generation. Modeling tool Matlab/Simulink is now among the most popular tools. Due to the proprietary nature of Simulink and challenges in requirement elicitation phase the industry is looking towards an open source alternative, such as Scicos. Since, most of the OEMs are still using Simulink, there is a need for interoperability between Simulink and Scicos. The present work proposes metamodels for Simulink and Scicos, and Model transformation using these Metamodels for the inter-operability. In order to develop the model transformation the metamodels for Simulink and Scicos were developed using EMF Ecore. These metamodels conform to OMGs MOF Standards. These metamodels were used in developing the transformation definition using the language QVTo. First a simple model was developed, and transformation rules were applied and verified using it. Then a Simulink subsystem of a cross wind assistance system was subjected to forward transformation. The outputs of the model before transformation and that after transformation were compared. They were found to give the same output as desired. Thus, verifying the transformation definition. An attempt was made to achieve reverse transformation. A subsystem in Scicos was considered for reverse transformation. After subjecting it to transformation, an intermediate model conforming to Simulink metamodel was obtained. This shows that the interoperability between Scicos and Simulink can be achieved