14342655
Towards a Rigorous Approach to UML-Based Development
We discuss the promises and problems of UML-based development. We then suggest a framework in which UML can be used precisely and more disciplined so as to solve the problems and meet the promises better.
5135154
Linking UML models of design and requirement
Both a UML model of requirement and a UML model of a design are defined as a pair of class diagram and a family of sequence diagrams. We then give an unified semantics for models of requirements and designs. We define the consistency between a design class diagram and the interaction diagrams and show how the removal of inconsistency can be treated as a model refinement. We then formally define the correctness of UML model of design with respect to the model of requirement.
14189544
Verification, refinement and scheduling of real-time programs
Abstract A real-time program can be developed by refining a specification into program code. Verification of the timing properties of the program is then usually done at two levels: verification of the ordering of timed actions in the program and proof that execution of the program on a specific system will meet its timing requirements. Refinement is done within a formal model but the second step requires a different framework in which scheduling theory analysis is used and actual program execution times can be taken into account. The implementation of a program on a system is said to be feasible or schedulable if it will meet all the timing deadlines. This paper shows how the feasibility of scheduling a real-time program can also be proved as a step in the refinement of the program from its specification. Verification of this step of refinement makes use of methods from scheduling theory within a formal system development framework.
39997807
Component-Based Software Engineering
We discuss some of the difficulties and significant issues that we need to consider when developing a formal method for component-based software engineering. We argue that to deal with the challenges, there is a need in research to link existing theories and methods of programming for effective support to component-based software engineering. We then present our initiative on a unified multi-view approach to modelling, design and analysis of component systems, emphasising the integration of models for different views.
7323063
rCOS: Refinement of Component and Object Systems
We present a model of object-oriented and component-based refinement. For object-orientation, the model is class-based and refinement is about correct changes in the structure, methods of classes and the main program, rather than changes in the behaviour of individual objects. This allows us to prove refinement laws for both high level design patterns and low level refactoring. For component-based development, we focus on the separation of concerns of interface and functional contracts, leaving refinement of interaction protocols in future work. The model supports the specification of these aspects at different levels of abstractions and their consistency. 
 
Based on the semantics, we also provide a general definitional approach to defining different relational semantic models with different features and constraints.
16560725
rCOS: A refinement calculus of object systems
This article presents a mathematical characterization of object-oriented concepts by defining an observation-oriented semantics for a relational object-based language with a rich variety of features including subtypes, visibility, inheritance, type casting, dynamic binding and polymorphism. The language can be used to specify object-oriented designs as well as programs. We present a calculus that supports both structural and behavioural refinement of object-oriented designs. The design calculus is based on the predicate logic in Hoare and He's Unifying Theories of Programming (UTP).
5800626
Hybrid Cache Architecture for High Speed Packet Processing
The exposed memory hierarchies employed in many network processors (NPs) are expensive and hard to be effectively utilized. On the other hand, conventional cache cannot be directly incorporated into NP either because of its low efficiency in locality exploitation for network applications. In this paper, a novel memory hierarchy component, called split control cache, is presented. The proposed scheme employs two independent low latency memory stores to temporarily hold the flow-based and application-relevant information, exploiting the different locality behaviors exhibited by these two types of data. Data movement is manipulated by specially designed hardware to relieve the programmers from details of memory management. Performance evaluation shows that this component can achieve a hit rate of over 90% with only 16 KB of memories in route lookup under link rate of OC-3c and provide enough flexibility for the implementation of most network applications.
28562
Content-based indexing and retrieval-by-example in audio
This paper presents a system for audio content-based indexing and retrieval-by-example. An unsupervised method to automatically index the audio content is proposed. To realize a retrieval system where the on-line query can be performed efficiently, a new parametric distance metric is used to allow faster identification of the audio segments that are similar to the given query example. Preliminary experimental results show that the proposed new approach can serve as an effective means in content based indexing and retrieval in audio streams.
242170
Active security support for active networks
Active networks aim to provide a software framework that enables network applications to customize the processing of their communication packets. Security is of critical importance to the success of active networking. This paper presents a design and a description of the implementation for securing the node of an active network using active networking principles. The secure node architecture includes an active node operating system security API, an active security guardian, and quality of protection (QoP) provisions. The architecture supports highly customized and situational policies created by users and applications dynamically. It permits active nodes to satisfy the application-specific dynamic security and protection requirements. The secure node architecture can provide a fundamental base for securing the active network infrastructure. We describe the integration of secure node architecture into an active network software system to demonstrate its flexible and innovative features.
36509263
A Searching and Tracking Framework for Multi-Robot Observation of Multiple Moving Targets
45372122
Interrogating the structure of fuzzy cognitive maps
Abstract Causal algebra in fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs) plays a critical role in the analysis and design of FCMs. Improving causal algebra in FCMs to model complicated situations has been one of the major research topics in this area. In this paper we propose a dynamic causal algebra in FCMs which can improve FCMs' inference and representation capability. The dynamic causal algebra shows that the indirect, strongest, weakest and total effects a vertex influences another in the FCM not only depend on the weights along all directed paths between the two vertices but also the states of the vertices on the directed paths. Therefore, these effects are nonlinear dynamic processes determined by initial conditions and propagated in the FCM to reach a static or cyclic pattern. We test our theory with a simple example.