Communicating Processes with Data for Supervisory Coordination

We employ supervisory controllers to safely coordinate high-level discrete(-event) behavior of distributed components of complex systems. Supervisory controllers observe discrete-event system behavior, make a decision on allowed activities, and communicate the control signals to the involved parties. Models of the supervisory controllers can be automatically synthesized based on formal models of the system components and a formalization of the safe coordination (control) requirements. Based on the obtained models, code generation can be used to implement the supervisory controllers in software, on a PLC, or an embedded (micro)processor. In this article, we develop a process theory with data that supports a model-based systems engineering framework for supervisory coordination. We employ communication to distinguish between the different flows of information, i.e., observation and supervision, whereas we employ data to specify the coordination requirements more compactly, and to increase the expressivity of the framework. To illustrate the framework, we remodel an industrial case study involving coordination of maintenance procedures of a printing process of a high-tech Oce printer.Comment: In Proceedings FOCLASA 2012, arXiv:1208.432

Expressiveness modulo Bisimilarity of Regular Expressions with Parallel Composition (Extended Abstract)

The languages accepted by finite automata are precisely the languages denoted by regular expressions. In contrast, finite automata may exhibit behaviours that cannot be described by regular expressions up to bisimilarity. In this paper, we consider extensions of the theory of regular expressions with various forms of parallel composition and study the effect on expressiveness. First we prove that adding pure interleaving to the theory of regular expressions strictly increases its expressiveness up to bisimilarity. Then, we prove that replacing the operation for pure interleaving by ACP-style parallel composition gives a further increase in expressiveness. Finally, we prove that the theory of regular expressions with ACP-style parallel composition and encapsulation is expressive enough to express all finite automata up to bisimilarity. Our results extend the expressiveness results obtained by Bergstra, Bethke and Ponse for process algebras with (the binary variant of) Kleene's star operation.Comment: In Proceedings EXPRESS'10, arXiv:1011.601

A Process Algebra for Supervisory Coordination

A supervisory controller controls and coordinates the behavior of different components of a complex machine by observing their discrete behaviour. Supervisory control theory studies automated synthesis of controller models, known as supervisors, based on formal models of the machine components and a formalization of the requirements. Subsequently, code generation can be used to implement this supervisor in software, on a PLC, or embedded microprocessor. In this article, we take a closer look at the control loop that couples the supervisory controller and the machine. We model both event-based and state-based observations using process algebra and bisimulation-based semantics. The main application area of supervisory control that we consider is coordination, referred to as supervisory coordination, and we give an academic and an industrial example, discussing the process-theoretic concepts employed.Comment: In Proceedings PACO 2011, arXiv:1108.145

Reconciling real and stochastic time: The need for probabilistic refinement

We conservatively extend anACP-style discrete-time process theorywith discrete stochastic delays. The semantics of the timed delays relies on time additivity and time determinism, which are properties that enable us to merge subsequent timed delays and to impose their synchronous expiration. Stochastic delays, however, interact with respect to a so-called race condition that determines the set of delays that expire first, which is guided by an (implicit) probabilistic choice. The race condition precludes the property of time additivity as the merger of stochastic delays alters this probabilistic behavior. To this end, we resolve the race condition using conditionally- distributed unit delays. We give a sound and ground-complete axiomatization of the process theory comprising the standard set of ACP-style operators. In this generalized setting, the alternative composition is no longer associative, so we have to resort to special normal forms that explicitly resolve the underlying race condition. Our treatment succeeds in the initial challenge to conservatively extend standard time with stochastic time. However, the 'dissection' of the stochastic delays to conditionally-distributed unit delays comes at a price, as we can no longer relate the resolved race condition to the original stochastic delays. We seek a solution in the field of probabilistic refinements that enable the interchange of probabilistic and non deterministic choices.Fil: Markovski, J.. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven; Países BajosFil: D'argenio, Pedro Ruben. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Baeten, J. C. M.. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven; Países Bajos. Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica; Países BajosFil: De Vink, E. P.. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven; Países Bajos. Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica; Países Bajo

Bounded bags, stacks and queues

Abstract. We prove that a bounded stack can be specified in process algebra with just the operators alternative and sequential composition and iteration. The bounded bag cannot be specified with these operators, but can be specified if we add the parallel composition operator without communication (free merge). The bounded queue cannot even be specified in this signature; we need a form of variable binding such as given by general communication and encapsulation, the state operator, or abstraction

Critical behavior at Mott-Anderson transition: a TMT-DMFT perspective

We present a detailed analysis of the critical behavior close to the Mott-Anderson transition. Our findings are based on a combination of numerical and analytical results obtained within the framework of Typical-Medium Theory (TMT-DMFT) - the simplest extension of dynamical mean field theory (DMFT) capable of incorporating Anderson localization effects. By making use of previous scaling studies of Anderson impurity models close to the metal-insulator transition, we solve this problem analytically and reveal the dependence of the critical behavior on the particle-hole symmetry. Our main result is that, for sufficiently strong disorder, the Mott-Anderson transition is characterized by a precisely defined two-fluid behavior, in which only a fraction of the electrons undergo a "site selective" Mott localization; the rest become Anderson-localized quasiparticles.Comment: 4+ pages, 4 figures, v2: minor changes, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Linearization of CIF Through SOS

Linearization is the procedure of rewriting a process term into a linear form, which consist only of basic operators of the process language. This procedure is interesting both from a theoretical and a practical point of view. In particular, a linearization algorithm is needed for the Compositional Interchange Format (CIF), an automaton based modeling language. The problem of devising efficient linearization algorithms is not trivial, and has been already addressed in literature. However, the linearization algorithms obtained are the result of an inventive process, and the proof of correctness comes as an afterthought. Furthermore, the semantic specification of the language does not play an important role on the design of the algorithm. In this work we present a method for obtaining an efficient linearization algorithm, through a step-wise refinement of the SOS rules of CIF. As a result, we show how the semantic specification of the language can guide the implementation of such a procedure, yielding a simple proof of correctness.Comment: In Proceedings EXPRESS 2011, arXiv:1108.407