A Conceptual and Formal Framework for the Integration of Data Type and Process Modeling Techniques

Abstract

A conceptual framework for the integration of data type and process modeling techniques, called integration paradigm, has been presented by the authors in previous papers already. The aim of this paper is to give a short review of this conceptual framework and to present a formal model for the integration paradigm. The formal model for the four layers, called data type, data states and transformations, processes and system architecture layers respectively, is based on an integration of abstract data types and structured transition systems. This formal model can be instantiated by all kinds of basic and integrated modeling techniques. Algebraic high-level nets, attributed graph transformation, an integration of Z with statecharts, and some diagram techniques of UML are discussed on the conceptual level. As instantiation of the formal model, a well-known CCS sender specification, place/transition nets, algebraic high-level nets and attributed graph transformation are presented in this paper, while instantiations of other modeling techniques will be discussed elsewhere.