An Extension to Data-Flow-Oriented Formal Specification Language for Specifying Concurrent Software Systems

Abstract

Data-flow-oriented formal specification languages, such as SOFL, bridge formal methods to industrial applications, allowing software developers to effectively use formal methods in developing practical software systems. In this paper, we introduce an extension to SOFL specification language for specifying concurrent software systems. SOFL is designed by integrating different notations and techniques on the basis that they are all needed to work together effectively in a coherent manner for specification constructions and verifications. We mainly introduce two notions, region and channel, to the SOFL language so that concurrency can be specified both graphically and formally, thus making SOFL specifications both intuitive and precise.