Cécile Hardebolle

Exploring Multi-Paradigm Modeling Techniques

Multi-Paradigm Modeling (MPM) addresses the necessity of using multiple modeling paradigms when designing complex systems. Because of its multidisciplinary nature, the MPM field involves research teams with technical backgrounds as different as control science, model checking, modeling language engineering or system-on-chip development. In this paper, we propose to explore the MPM domain through a survey of existing techniques from different horizons. Since the heterogeneity of models is at the heart of MPM, we first identify the sources of this heterogeneity and introduce the problems it raises. Then we show how the different existing techniques address these problems.

A Generic Execution Framework for Models of Computation

The model driven engineering approach has had an important impact on the methods used for the conception of systems. However, some important difficult points remain in this domain. In this paper, we focus on problems related to the heterogeneity of the computation models (and therefore of the modeling techniques) used for the different aspects of a system and to the validation and the execution of a model. We present here a language for describing computation models, coupled with a generic execution platform where different computation models as well as their composition can be interpreted. Our goal is to be able to describe precisely the semantics of the computation models underlying domain specific languages, and to allow the interpretation of these models within our platform. This provides for a non ambiguous definition of the behavior of heterogeneous models of a system, which is essential for validation, simulation and code generation

Bridging the Chasm between Executable Metamodeling and Models of Computation

The complete and executable definition of a Domain Specific Language (DSL) includes the specification of two essential facets: a model of the domain-specific concepts with actions and their semantics; and a scheduling model that orchestrates the actions of a domain-specific model. Metamodels can capture the former facet, while Models of Computation (MoCs) capture the latter facet. Unfortunately, theories and tools for metamodeling and MoCs have evolved independently, creating a cultural and technical chasm between the two communities. Consequently, there is currently no framework to explicitly model and compose both facets of a DSL. This paper introduces a new framework to combine a metamodel and a MoC in a modular fashion. This allows (i) the complete and executable definition of a DSL, (ii) the reuse of a given MoC for different domain-specific metamodels, and (iii) the use of different MoCs for a given metamodel, to account for variants of a DSL.

Semantic adaptation using CCSL clock constraints

When different parts of a system depend on different technical domains, the best suitable paradigm for modeling each part may differ. In this paper, we focus on the semantic adaptation between parts of a model which use different modeling paradigms in the context of model composition. We show how CCSL, a language for defining constraints and relations on clocks, can be used to define this semantic adaptation in a formal and modular way.

Recent advances in multi-paradigm modeling

Model-Based Design of complex software systems is an activity that requires the use of different modeling formalisms, with different perspectives of the system, to cover all relevant aspects of the system, to avoid over-design, to employ manageable models and to support system integration. The comprehensive use of models in design has created a set of challenges beyond those of supporting one isolated design task. In particular, the need to combine, couple, and integrate models at different levels of abstraction and in different formalisms is posing a set of specific problems that must be tackled. Multi-Paradigm Modeling is precisely the research field to focus on developing an appropriate set of concepts and tools to address the challenge of integrating models of different aspects of a software system specified using different formalisms and eventually at different levels of abstraction. This paper summarizes the results of the 3rd Workshop on Multi-Paradigm Modeling: Concepts and Tools.

TESL: A language for reconciling heterogeneous execution traces

Various formalisms deal with time, and each of them has its own notion of time. When designing a system, it is often desirable to combine several of these formalisms to model different parts. Therefore one has to reconcile execution traces that may use different kinds of time (discrete, continuous, periodic) and different time scales (e.g. minutes, microseconds or even angles in degrees). In this article, we present a deterministic model of time which allows the specification of the coincidence of events that occur on different time scales, as well as instantaneous causality between events. This model supports both event-driven and time-driven specifications.