Generalized Synchronization Trees

Abstract:

The PIs are developing their novel modeling paradigm, Generalized Synchronization Trees (GSTs), into a rich framework for both describing cyber-physical systems (CPSs) and studying their behavior under interconnection. GSTs were inspired by Milner's use of Synchronization Trees (STs) to model interconnected computing processes, but GSTs generalize the mathematical structure of their forebears in such a way as to encompass many classes of CPSs. Through this extension, CPSs can gain an elegant theory of system composition akin to the one that has grown around STs. The development of such a theory involves five distinct but complementary endeavors. Standard models for cyber-physical systems are being encoded as GSTs in a semantically robust way; meaningful notions of composition and congruence for CPSs are being described and studied algebraically; the interplay between behavioral equivalence and the preservation of system properties are being studied; a notion of real-time (or clock time) is being developed for GSTs; and GSTs are being assessed as modeling tools for practical design scenarios.