A Verification Approach from MDE Applied to Model Based Systems Engineering: xeFFBD Dynamic Semantics

syntaxes of DSMLs partially define language semantics through their underlying structure and the vocabulary naming concepts and relationships. Unfortunately, such semantics may sometimes be ambiguous, since different engineers may have different understanding of a single model. Therefore, in order to have equal and non-ambiguous understanding, it is essential to define in a precise and non-ambiguous manner DSMLs semantics. Semantics are either static, independent of any behavior, or dynamic, describing the dynamic comportment of models’ elements (can be advisedly called “dynamic model” or “dynamic comportment” or “DSML behavior”). There are three ways to formalize dynamic semantics description. First, operational semantics describes model comportment as a sequence of states, transitions between states and a machine that executes such a state model. Second, denotational (translational) semantics transforms DSML concepts into other DSML concepts with predefined dynamic comportment. Last, axiomatic semantics describes in a declarative way the evolution of model properties [13]. In this paper we focus on defining DSMLs behavior using dynamic semantics. Literature highlights several approaches and tools for defining dynamic semantics for a given DSML. For instance, Kermeta [9] is an executable metamodeling language that defines operational semantics for a given DSML (in imperative way). Another example is the Atlas Transformation Language (ATL) [14] that (in declarative way) defines operational semantics through endogenous transformations and denotational semantics through exogenous transformations. Additionally, metamodeling languages together with constraints definition languages can be used to define axiomatic semantics. Meta Object facilities (MOF) [15] is usually used to define metamodels and OCL (Object Constraint Language) [16] to add constraints to metamodel e.g. pre and post conditions, invariants and so on. However, these tools and approaches are related to software engineering and programming languages which somehow make them difficult to use for SE experts. Indeed, dynamic semantics of dedicated DSML is to be described and formalized with minimal efforts from experts by assisting them and automating the process as much as possible. MetaModel (M2) MetaMetaModel (M3) Action Language or Model Transformation Metamodeling Language (e.g. MOF) SDMM States Definition MetaModel