The objective of this paper is to determine whether a method can be devised to overcome several problems inherent to the design of processes which execute in parallel. Specifically, what is required is a technique which: 1) can display objects in parallel, 2) can hide unwanted detail, 3) can expose timing and communication, and 4) can translate the graphic model into code. Petri net theory is used as the basis for the graphic model while Occam is used as the target language. The hardware model onto which the model is mapped is a system of Transputers. The concept of creating icons for the primitives and constructs is used to develop the building blocks for more complex design. Icons for all Occam primitives, special processes, and constructs are created. The Occam process provides the basic model for a macro which can be used to hide detail. This is used to create a model for fault tolerant design which can be included in a model. A communications package is selected from the routines needed for a distributed operating system as an example to model with the iconic technique. The hardware configuration for the system is presented to provide further basis for design. The routines are developed and then combined into a system which represents a trivial application using one communication link between two transputers. The reachability tree, part of Petri net theory, is used to analyse the system. The modelling technique is successful as far as it has been developed and the approach appears to be sound. It holds the promise of greater effectiveness if development continues. The implementation of the technique in software would add to its value significantly.
","abstract_html":"<p>The objective of this paper is to determine whether a method can be devised to overcome several problems inherent to the design of processes which execute in parallel. Specifically, what is required is a technique which: 1) can display objects in parallel, 2) can hide unwanted detail, 3) can expose timing and communication, and 4) can translate the graphic model into code. Petri net theory is used as the basis for the graphic model while Occam is used as the target language. The hardware model onto which the model is mapped is a system of Transputers. The concept of creating icons for the primitives and constructs is used to develop the building blocks for more complex design. Icons for all Occam primitives, special processes, and constructs are created. The Occam process provides the basic model for a macro which can be used to hide detail. This is used to create a model for fault tolerant design which can be included in a model. A communications package is selected from the routines needed for a distributed operating system as an example to model with the iconic technique. The hardware configuration for the system is presented to provide further basis for design. The routines are developed and then combined into a system which represents a trivial application using one communication link between two transputers. The reachability tree, part of Petri net theory, is used to analyse the system. The modelling technique is successful as far as it has been developed and the approach appears to be sound. It holds the promise of greater effectiveness if development continues. The implementation of the technique in software would add to its value significantly.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Stevens, Elizabeth"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science","degree_level":"Thesis: EWU Only","degree_discipline":"Computer Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1988,"date_issued":"1988-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1988-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:46Z","subjects":["Digital Circuits","VLSI and Circuits, Embedded and Hardware Systems"],"languages":[],"rights":["Access perpetually restricted to EWU users with an active EWU NetID"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/852","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Stevens, Elizabeth"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Computer Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis: EWU Only"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Digital Circuits","VLSI and Circuits, Embedded and Hardware Systems"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Access perpetually restricted to EWU users with an active EWU NetID"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/852"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The objective of this paper is to determine whether a method can be devised to overcome several problems inherent to the design of processes which execute in parallel. Specifically, what is required is a technique which: 1) can display objects in parallel, 2) can hide unwanted detail, 3) can expose timing and communication, and 4) can translate the graphic model into code. Petri net theory is used as the basis for the graphic model while Occam is used as the target language. The hardware model onto which the model is mapped is a system of Transputers. The concept of creating icons for the primitives and constructs is used to develop the building blocks for more complex design. Icons for all Occam primitives, special processes, and constructs are created. The Occam process provides the basic model for a macro which can be used to hide detail. This is used to create a model for fault tolerant design which can be included in a model. A communications package is selected from the routines needed for a distributed operating system as an example to model with the iconic technique. The hardware configuration for the system is presented to provide further basis for design. The routines are developed and then combined into a system which represents a trivial application using one communication link between two transputers. The reachability tree, part of Petri net theory, is used to analyse the system. The modelling technique is successful as far as it has been developed and the approach appears to be sound. It holds the promise of greater effectiveness if development continues. The implementation of the technique in software would add to its value significantly.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["An iconic approach to parallel design"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Stevens, Elizabeth"],"dc:description.abstract":["The objective of this paper is to determine whether a method can be devised to overcome several problems inherent to the design of processes which execute in parallel. Specifically, what is required is a technique which: 1) can display objects in parallel, 2) can hide unwanted detail, 3) can expose timing and communication, and 4) can translate the graphic model into code. Petri net theory is used as the basis for the graphic model while Occam is used as the target language. The hardware model onto which the model is mapped is a system of Transputers. The concept of creating icons for the primitives and constructs is used to develop the building blocks for more complex design. Icons for all Occam primitives, special processes, and constructs are created. The Occam process provides the basic model for a macro which can be used to hide detail. This is used to create a model for fault tolerant design which can be included in a model. A communications package is selected from the routines needed for a distributed operating system as an example to model with the iconic technique. The hardware configuration for the system is presented to provide further basis for design. The routines are developed and then combined into a system which represents a trivial application using one communication link between two transputers. The reachability tree, part of Petri net theory, is used to analyse the system. The modelling technique is successful as far as it has been developed and the approach appears to be sound. It holds the promise of greater effectiveness if development continues. The implementation of the technique in software would add to its value significantly.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://dc.ewu.edu/theses/852"],"dc:rights":["Access perpetually restricted to EWU users with an active EWU NetID"],"dc:subject":["Digital Circuits","VLSI and Circuits, Embedded and Hardware Systems"],"dc:title":["An iconic approach to parallel design"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Computer Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis: EWU Only"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS) in Computer Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:46Z"}