Conceptual State Analysis

Abstract

Conceptual State Analysis (CSA) is the process of defining, exploring, and reasoning about state attributes and state spaces in complex system architectures. Model-Based State Analysis enhances CSA with formal modeling and analysis methods. We propose a process for generating the state vector of a given system architecture, based on a graph representation of the architecture’s model in Object-Process Methodology. A robust graph data structure that represents the model is queried to produce the architecture’s state space. The process facilitates analysis, reasoning, and model revision based on improved understanding of state vectors and state spaces. State attribute refinements within the model allow for model validity, viability, and reusability as the architecture evolves, with multiple agents, attributes, and attribute state values. The CSA approach advocates and facilitates careful, dynamic, and interactive state space exploration in lieu of exhaustive upfront enumeration of state space permutations. The results can be fed into other analysis, simulation, or visualization tools. We demonstrate CSA on driver assistance technology.