Apricot - An Object-Oriented Modeling Language for Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems arise in embedded control from the interaction between continuous physical behavior and discrete digital controllers. In this paper, we propose Apricot as a novel object-oriented language for modeling hybrid systems. The language takes the advantages of domain-specific and objectoriented languages, which fills the gap between the design and implementation. With respect to the application of Apricot, we demonstrate the model for urgent distance control in subway control systems. In addition, the comparison with hybrid automata is discussed, which indicates the scalability and conciseness of the Apricot model. Moreover, we develop a prototype modeling tool (a plug-in for Eclipse) for our proposed language. According to the characteristics of object-orientation and the component architecture of Apricot, we conclude that it is suitable for modeling hybrid systems without losing many key features.