On a Process Algebraic Representation of Sequence Diagrams

Abstract

AbstractSequence diagrams depict the interaction between entities as a sequence of messages arranged in a temporal order. However, they lack a formal execution semantics: the Unified Modeling Language (UML) specification opts to use natural language to describe fundamental concepts such as interaction operators that alter the behaviour of a fragment. Communicating Sequential Processes (CSP) is a process-algebraic formalism that is suited to modelling patterns of behavioural interaction. Moreover, the associated refinement checker, Failures-Divergence Refinement (FDR), gives rise to a practical approach that enables us to reason about these interactions in a formal setting. In this paper, we show how CSP and FDR have been used to provide a process-algebraic representation of sequence diagrams that is amenable to refinement-checking.KeywordsSequence DiagramProcess Algebraic RepresentationCommunicating Sequential Processes (CSP)Interaction OperatorCommunicating State MachinesThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.