Process Algebra as a Tool for Real Time Analysis

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the use of Process Algebra for reasoning about real time behaviours. We do this by describing a process algebra model based on Milner’s Calculus of Communicating Systems (CCS), in which timing constraints are introduced as another level of observable behaviour beyond the usual observation of a system’s functional (atomic action) behaviour. Though the language is simple, we demonstrate how to define several important derived operators.We present a structured operational semantics for our language in the form of a transition system defined over syntactic terms, and define two bisimulation-based relations with respect to this semantics. The first is an equivalence giving a natural definition for when two terms should be equated, while the second is a preorder giving an equally natural definition for when two terms should be deemed equivalent except for the fact that the first may be faster than the second. We then present equational theories for these two relations.KeywordsParallel CompositionProcess AlgebraProcess TermCommunicate Sequential ProcessDiscrete Time DomainThese 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.