A toolset in Java2 for modelling, prototyping and implementing communicating real-time state machines

This paper proposes an approach to the development of real-time systems whi ch depends on Communicating Real-Time State Machines (CRSMs) as the specifi cation language, and on a customisable actor kernel for prototyping, analys is and implementation of a modelled system. CRSMs offer an intuitive and di stributed specification of a system in terms of a collection of co-operatin g state machines interacting with one another through timed CSP-like I/O co mmands. On the other hand, the underlying actor framework provides a time-s ensitive scheduling structure which can be tuned to CSRMs in order to suppo rt temporal validation through assertions on the recorded time-stamped even t histories. The approach can be practically used through a graphical envir onment (jCRSM) which has been realised using Java2. The toolset facilitates editing, testing and implementation in Java of CRSM systems. The proposed methodology is novel in that it provides a seamless system development life cycle where the specification, analysis, design and implementation phases are unified by a common representation of machines in terms of actors. The paper demonstrates the use of CRSM based software components by means of ex amples. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.