Synthesis of Partial Behavior Models from Overlapping Scenarios with Alternative Alphabets

<p>System requirements can be expressed as a set of scenarios and a set of properties.Behavioral models are synthesized from these scenarios and properties. Behavioralmodels can be used to validate requirements specification and during early stages ofsystem design. Two problems arise during the synthesis process. They are overlappingscenarios, and alternative alphabets.</p><p>Scenarios can overlap and have shared actions. Synthesizing behavioral modelsform overlapping scenarios can result into redundant states and transitions. Thisresearch proposes the decomposition of the overlapping scenarios into a set of nonoverlappingscenarios as a solution. It also proposes a technique to compensate overlappingscenarios by both identifying and decomposing them. It uses pattern matchingto identify overlapping scenarios. Then, it introduces algorithms to decompose theoverlapping scenarios. This research proposes the decomposition of the overlappingscenarios into a set of non-overlapping scenarios as a solution.</p><p>An alphabet is a set of actions that is used in scenarios and properties that describea system. If the alphabet used before the application of synthesis algorithm is differentfrom the alphabet after adding new requirements (scenarios or properties) then wecall this situation alternative alphabets. This research introduces an approach thatincludes new alphabets in the generated behavioral models. Incorporating a new alphabet to an existing behavioral model of property was achieved by adding a newterm to the system alphabet. Then developing an algorithm that uses this term asa pointer to add the new alphabet discovered. Incorporating new alphabet to anexisting behavioral model of scenarios was achieved by developing an algorithms thatadds the new alphabet to transitions that go to a special state in the behavioralmodel, the sink state.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

College of Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Toledo

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• LAFI, MOHAMMED FAYEQ

Contributors dc:contributor

• Carvalho, Jackson

• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science
• software engineering
• requirements engineering
• scenarios
• properties
• behavioral model alphabets
• behavioral models
• overlapping scenarios
• pattern matching

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1321648086

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:toledo1321648086