A Novel Formal Specification Approach for Real Time Multi-Agent System Functional Requirements

Abstract

A novel formal functional requirements specification approach for real-time multi-agent system is presented in this paper. The methodology of our approach consists in translating extended AUML diagrams describing RT-MAS' functional requirements into a RT-Maude specification. The proposed approach considers jointly functional, static and dynamic aspects of real-time multi-agent systems. The functional aspects are described by a temporal AUML use case diagram and the static aspects are represented using a temporal AUML class diagram. Whereas the dynamic aspects are described using state chart (individual behavior) and an extended AUML protocol (collective behavior) diagrams. The aims of this approach are, on the one hand, to combine the advantages of the graphical modeling formalism Agent UML and the formal specification language RT-Maude in a single technique, and, on the other hand, to integrating the formal validation of the consistency of the models, since the analysis phase. The approach is illustrated using a concrete example.