Supporting the reconciliation of models of object behaviour

This paper presents Reconciliation+, a method which identifies overlaps between models of software systems behaviour expressed as UML object interaction diagrams (i.e., sequence and/or collaboration diagrams), checks whether the overlapping elements of these models satisfy specific consistency rules and, in cases where they violate these rules, guides software designers in handling the detected inconsistencies. The method detects overlaps between object interaction diagrams by using a probabilistic message matching algorithm that has been developed for this purpose. The guidance to software designers on when to check for inconsistencies and how to deal with them is delivered by enacting a built-in process model that specifies the consistency rules that can be checked against overlapping models and different ways of handling violations of these rules. Reconciliation+ is supported by a toolkit. It has also been evaluated in a case study. This case study has produced positive results which are discussed in the paper

Reconciliation of object interaction models

This paper presents Reconciliation+, a tool-supported method which identifies overlaps between models of different object interactions expressed as UML sequence and/or collaboration diagrams, checks whether the overlapping elements of these models satisfy specific consistency rules, and guides developers in handling these inconsistencies. The method also keeps track of the decisions made and the actions taken in the process of managing inconsistencies

Modeling, Simulation and Emulation of Intelligent Domotic Environments

Intelligent Domotic Environments are a promising approach, based on semantic models and commercially off-the-shelf domotic technologies, to realize new intelligent buildings, but such complexity requires innovative design methodologies and tools for ensuring correctness. Suitable simulation and emulation approaches and tools must be adopted to allow designers to experiment with their ideas and to incrementally verify designed policies in a scenario where the environment is partly emulated and partly composed of real devices. This paper describes a framework, which exploits UML2.0 state diagrams for automatic generation of device simulators from ontology-based descriptions of domotic environments. The DogSim simulator may simulate a complete building automation system in software, or may be integrated in the Dog Gateway, allowing partial simulation of virtual devices alongside with real devices. Experiments on a real home show that the approach is feasible and can easily address both simulation and emulation requirement

Towards Knowledge-Intensive Software Engineering

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Modeling views in the layered view model for XML using UML

In data engineering, view formalisms are used to provide flexibility to users and user applications by allowing them to extract and elaborate data from the stored data sources. Conversely, since the introduction of Extensible Markup Language (XML), it is fast emerging as the dominant standard for storing, describing, and interchanging data among various web and heterogeneous data sources. In combination with XML Schema, XML provides rich facilities for defining and constraining user-defined data semantics and properties, a feature that is unique to XML. In this context, it is interesting to investigate traditional database features, such as view models and view design techniques for XML. However, traditional view formalisms are strongly coupled to the data language and its syntax, thus it proves to be a difficult task to support views in the case of semi-structured data models. Therefore, in this paper we propose a Layered View Model (LVM) for XML with conceptual and schemata extensions. Here our work is three-fold; first we propose an approach to separate the implementation and conceptual aspects of the views that provides a clear separation of concerns, thus, allowing analysis and design of views to be separated from their implementation. Secondly, we define representations to express and construct these views at the conceptual level. Thirdly, we define a view transformation methodology for XML views in the LVM, which carries out automated transformation to a view schema and a view query expression in an appropriate query language. Also, to validate and apply the LVM concepts, methods and transformations developed, we propose a view-driven application development framework with the flexibility to develop web and database applications for XML, at varying levels of abstraction

Agent-oriented Modeling for Collaborative Learning Environments: A Peer-to-Peer Helpdesk Case Study

In this paper, we present the analysis and modelling of Help&Learn, an agent-based peer-to-peer helpdesk system to support extra-class interactions among students and teachers. Help&Learn expands the student’s possibility of solving problems, getting involved in a cooperative learning experience that transcends the limits of classrooms. To model Help&Learn, we have used Agent-Object-Relationship Modeling Language (AORML), an UML extension for agent-oriented information systems modeling. The aim of this research is two-fold. On one hand, we aim at modeling the variety of roles and the complexity of their interactions and activities within the Help&Learn system. On the other hand, we aim at showing the expressive power and the modeling strengths of AORML

A Multithreaded Java Framework for Information Extraction in the Context of Enterprise Application Integration

In this paper, we present a new multithreaded framework for information extraction with Java in heterogeneous enterprise application environments, which frees the developer from having to deal with the error-prone task of low-level thread programming. The power of this framework is demonstrated by an example of extracting product prices from web sites, but the framework is useful for numerous other purposes, too. Strong points of the framework are its performance, continuous feedback, and adherence to maximum response times. The description of the framework uses UML modeling techniques for visualizing multithreading. Moreover, we tackle Java problems of stopping running threads.

Automated UML-based ontology generation in OSLO²

In 2015, Flanders Information started the OSLO2 project, aimed at easing the exchange of data and increasing the interoperability of Belgian government services. RDF ontologies were developed to break apart the government data silos and stimulate data reuse. However, ontology design still encounters a number of difficulties. Since domain experts are generally unfamiliar with RDF, a design process is needed that allows these experts to efficiently contribute to intermediate ontology prototypes. We designed the OSLO2 ontologies using UML, a modeling language well known within the government, as a single source specification. From this source, the ontology and other relevant documents are generated. This paper describes the conversion tooling and the pragmatic approaches that were taken into account in its design. While this tooling is somewhat focused on the design principles used in the OSLO2 project, it can serve as the basis for a generic conversion tool. All source code and documentation are available online